Page 11

"I cannot believe you will be married by this time tomorrow," Cassie said, breathlessly.

"I know this is rather sudden and meant to be a business arrangement, but I cannot help but hope.

.." her gaze went to the diamond ring on Laurel's left hand, "that perhaps he intends to make you fall in love with him. "

Laurel laid another of her gowns in the trunk and patted it into place, hoping to avoid excessive wrinkles.

It would not do to arrive at Hazelden with an entire wardrobe of crumpled up gowns.

She took her time fussing with the garment, collecting her thoughts, before she turned to look at her friend.

"I never wanted Lord Onslow," the name made her stomach knot, "to care for me and I knew I would never care for him.

Then when that all fell apart, I was relieved.

Except for the horrible shame of my situation and the way it has impacted you, I do not think I would mind so much.

I had given up on hoping for anything better.

But, I must admit," she said, closing the lid on the trunk, "that I am a bit more optimistic about my prospects with Lord Ashford than I ever imagined possible. "

"Though it is only a business arrangement," Cassie said with a teasing look in her eyes. "I hope it will turn to real love for both of you."

Laurel smiled at her friend. Cassie was a romantic. Laurel was not. Though, it would be a wicked lie for her to say she had not developed a flicker of hope over her relationship with Julian.

"There," Laurel said, tossing a book into another trunk. "I believe that is everything which can be packed in advance."

"I will miss having you here every day," Cassie said. "Do not misunderstand, I am happy for you but I am a wee bit sad for myself. It has been like having a sister while you were here at Winchester House."

Laurel rushed to Cassie's side and gave her a hug. "You have been too kind and I shall miss you terribly," she said, surprised by the catch in her voice.

They separated and Cassie grinned. "Nonsense, you'll be too busy with your husband to think about me."

Laurel's face heated. "I-I am not sure our business arrangement includes every aspect of marriage," she said softly, not daring to look Cassie in the eye. "Besides," she added in a rush, before she lost her nerve, "I am not even certain of what happens... between a husband and wife..."

There, she had said it. She was sure her face was so red that it was indistinguishable from her hair.

"I am equally uninformed," Cassie said. "Though I trust that my husband, whomever he may be, will be knowledgeable about such things."

The friends exchanged a glance.

"I believe," Cassie said, pausing to choose her words, "that there might be some books in the Winchesters’ library which might shed light on this subject."

Laurel raised her brows at Cassie.

"I might have seen a few volumes tucked away in a corner. I opened one once and was so shocked, I slammed the cover and returned it. I do not believe I have been back to the library since."

"D-do you think you could locate those books again?" Laurel asked, shocked at her own daring. "I think I would feel ever so much better if I had at least a small inkling of what might happen. What I am expected to do. Or endure."

She swallowed hard.

"I think so," Cassie said.

They left Laurel’s bedchamber and made their way to the library on the first floor. They moved stealthily, though they were both more than welcome to use the room full of books at any time. The naughty information which they sought made them both cautious.

Once inside the room, they looked about to make sure they were alone and then Cassie moved about amongst the shelves of books until she found the volumes. "Here," she whispered, gesturing to Laurel.

There were several thin leather-bound books tucked into a corner of a shelf.

"How did you find these?" Laurel asked, looking about at the impressive collection and wondering how Cassie had stumbled upon them amongst all the others.

"It was not intentional," Cassie said, defensively.

"I-I have always struggled to find conversation topics, particularly when I am with a gentleman, so I was looking for a book that might give me some ideas.

I saw this," she retrieved a volume titled Aristotle’s Masterpiece and held it in her hands, staring at the cover.

"I thought it was a book about philosophy. "

Then she passed it to Laurel who thumbed through the pages, face heating and eyes going wide when she came to the illustrations of a naked man. Laurel felt her knees go a bit weak and she slammed the pages shut. "I-is that what… do you mean to tell me …"

The two of them stared at each other, hardly daring to meet each other’s gazes. "I-I do not know," Cassie said. "I was as gobsmacked as you are."

"We should put it back."

"No, you are about to be married. Do you want to be completely ignorant?"

"Ah, I thought I might find the two of you in here."

Cassie shrieked and Laurel dropped the book on the floor at the sound of Lady Katherine’s voice.

"L-Lady Katherine," Cassie said. "How nice to see you." Cassie’s face flushed but Laurel was impressed by how quickly she recovered her senses. Laurel managed to pick the book up off the floor and then held it so that the title was obscured from Lady Katherine’s view.

She was sure her face flamed crimson.

"I went looking for you, Laurel," Lady Katherine said, and politeness forced Laurel to look at Lady Katherine.

"Oh?" was all Laurel could manage to say.

"Yes," Lady Katherine replied, taking the book from Laurel’s hand, a smile touched her lips as she read the title. "It seems we are of the same mind, this evening."

"Wha—" Laurel said, then clamped her mouth shut. Her face felt so hot, she thought she might faint from embarrassment.

"Come along, my dears," Lady Katherine said, turning toward a seating area near the window. "What I have to say is rather delicate, I will speak with both of you so as not to have to do this again on the eve of Cassidy's wedding."

Cassie and Laurel exchanged a glance.

There was a knock on the door and a maid entered with a tray containing champagne and three glasses. The maid set down the tray in front of Lady Katherine and left. Lady Katherine poured drinks for all of them. "Sit down, Laurel and Cassie. We shall need some libation for this discussion."

"As it is the eve of your wedding, Laurel," Lady Katherine said after a sip of champagne, "I have come to have a rather delicate, but I believe, immensely important, conversation with you.

Of course, this is usually the domain of a bride's mother, but the two of you will have to make do with me.

" She smiled and they all knew she was not really so modest.

"Drink up, girls," Lady Katherine gestured to her blushing audience. "It will make what I have to say a little less embarrassing."

Laurel took a sip and then giggled as some bubbles went up her nose. It was a nice reprieve from the utter shock she’d been feeling for the last few moments.

"Actually," Lady Katherine said, topping up her glass, "embarrassment is the last thing this should be.

Relations between a man and woman can...

and should... be pleasurable. It is only because of platitudes and ignorance that young ladies are kept in the dark about such matters.

This is much too important to be left to chance. Or to your husband, if I am honest."

"Please, Lady Katherine," Laurel said, "this is too much. It is too embarrassing."

"Hush," Cassie said, waving off her friend's comment. "I want to know."

"I suppose you’d like me to give you a few pointers before your wedding night, that is what a best man is supposed to do, is it not?" Maxwell Darlington tipped back his glass and finished off the amber liquid inside. He raised his eyebrows and smirked. "That is my strong suit, you know."

Julian refilled his guest’s glass. They were seated in the library of Rose Crest House.

"Thank you for that magnanimous offer," Julian said, giving his friend a sardonic look, "but I believe I shall be able to manage.

Besides, this is a business arrangement.

I have no expectations of great romance. "

"Who said romance was a necessary part of a good rutting?" Maxwell said.

Julian knew he was supposed to laugh this off in a manly sort of way, but surprisingly he found himself shocked at his reaction to Maxwell’s crude reference to Laurel.

His attitude must have shown on his face because Maxwell said, "It appears I have caused offense. I seem to do that regularly."

"No, no offense," Julian said because that was what men did when talking about women.

Maxwell watched him for a moment. "You have feelings for this young lady," he said, with a sly smile. "How fantastic. I did not realize that was the case or I never would have made such a crass comment."

Julian nodded, not exactly trusting himself to speak, though he wasn’t exactly sure why. He had, to the best of his ability, not given much deep thought to Miss Laurel Harwood, his soon-to-be bride.

But that did not mean that thoughts of her, unbidden, did not enter his brain at all hours of night and day.

Particularly at night and then he found himself thinking about her sweet smile or the way her eyes sparked when she was angered.

A shudder ran through him as he considered the possibility that this lovely bride-to-be might have been shackled to the likes of Onslow for the rest of her life.

The idea that a scoundrel like that might take…liberties…with Laurel.

He shook his head to banish the thought.

Maxwell cleared his throat. "I’m not sure what you were just thinking about, but it certainly seemed to upset you. Would you care to elaborate? Or shall we talk about copper mining?" Maxwell wrinkled his nose in disdain.

Julian took another sip of his drink and waited for it to burn all the way down his throat before he spoke. "My bride is quite lovely and I feel certain I would like very much to introduce her to the pleasures of the marriage bed, but we have entered into a business arrangement."

"Hmm." Maxwell sipped his drink, looking at Julian as he did so. "Did you not make a provision for conjugal visits in the document you signed? Seems like that ought to have been at the top of the list."

Julian shook his head. "Did you honestly think I would suggest such a thing to a young lady? ’Twas probably scandalous enough that we were alone when discussing these things, let alone writing them down."

"So, the option of visiting the bedchamber of the new Countess of Strathmore is still an option?" Maxwell raised his brows and tilted his head. "Why not at least consider the possibility?"

"There is no place for emotions or an unexpected pregnancy in our arrangement."

"You would not welcome children? Is that not why you want to keep control of that godforsaken mine?"

Julian blew out a breath. "It is all very…complicated…" he said, rubbing his left temple.

"Ah," Maxwell said, leaning forward to poke his index finger in Julian’s direction. "You are not so virtuous as you would have me believe. You are afraid that she will be repulsed by your one-eyed lovemaking!"

"No woman would have me unless she was desperate and I am not willing to force myself upon her."

There. He had said it. The words hung in the air between the two men leaving Julian feeling exposed and vulnerable but also relieved that he had given voice to his nagging anxiety.

Maxwell studied his friend for a moment and Julian forced himself not to look away from the other man’s scrutiny. Finally, Maxwell blew out a breath and shrugged. "You sell yourself short, Ashford. You are much more than that blasted patch."

Julian let those words sink in, but that did not make them true.