Page 95 of Marry in Scandal
George gave her a doubtful look. “I’ll take your word for it.”
Lily glanced out the window. “As a matter of fact, I thought I might go around to Galbraith House this afternoon while it’s still light, and see how it’s all going and get some ideas. Do you two want to come with me?”
• • •
“All this is frightfully old-fashioned,” Rose declared. “Thank goodness Galbraith is allowing you to order new furniture.”
“Whatisthis stuff?” George wandered around, examining the furniture they’d found under dust sheets. “I’ve never seen anything like it. A sofa with crocodile legs, animal feet on everything, people who are half man, half beast...”
“It’s the Egyptian style,” Rose explained. “It was all the rage when we were children.” She pointed. “That’s a sphinx, some of them are gods, I think.”
“And this table and those chairs are dogs,” George observed, stroking the head. “Aren’t they beautiful?”
“Edward told me to throw everything out.”
“You can’t throw these dogs out,” George objected, her hands going around them protectively.
“You can have them if you want,” Lily said. “We’re going to have to buy everything new.” The prospect was delightful. “But first we must decide how to dress the walls—the head builder said they’d be ready to paper them in a few days.”
They wandered through the various rooms, making suggestions and discussing possibilities. Rose wrote them all down in a little notebook. The light started to fade, and Lily suddenly remembered there was a place she wanted to see. “I need to see the nursery.”
Rose and George immediately stared at her middle. “Isn’t it too soon to tell?” George asked.
Lily laughed. “Not that, silly. Edward lived here until he was six. I want to see the part of the house he lived in as a little boy.”
She hurried upstairs in search of the nursery. The others followed. They found it eventually in the attic, a big, bare, dusty room, with two small bedchambers off it, one for Edward and one for his nurse, Lily assumed.
Not a very appealing place for a child, she thought. Gloomy gray paint, and no pictures or any decoration on the walls. Gas hadn’t been installed this high up, so the only light was coming from the slanted windows in the roof. No fireplace.
That window... She glanced around. George and Rose were poking through a low row of cupboards. A few toys, a small wooden sword—just one—and a moth-eaten toy dog. Remnants of a lonely childhood.
With some difficulty Lily forced open one of the windows, stood on her tiptoes and gazed out, thinking of the small dreamy boy who’d stood on a chair, gazing out overthe rooftops and chimneys, as he explored mysterious imaginary lands half hidden in the swirling smog.
It wasn’t mysterious, it was depressing. And this was no place to bring up a child, Lily decided.
“Come on, it’s getting dark and there’s nothing here,” Rose said.
George looked at Lily. “Still think this is going to be fun?”
Lily smiled. “I can’t wait.”
• • •
Lily’s life in London soon settled into a familiar routine—riding in the morning with either Edward or her family, morning calls in the afternoon, walks in the park and parties, routs, concerts and balls at night—the season was in full swing.
The only difference was that now she was a married woman and it was her husband who usually escorted her, not her brother or sister-in-law. And that they were living in a hotel, which she could not get used to. It was very comfortable and luxurious, and anything she wanted was instantly provided, but it didn’t feel homey. The only thing she liked about the hotel was that the only suite that had been available to them was a one-bedroom suite, with one big, very comfortable bed.
Because of it, she and Edward slept together every night. He made love to her, then curled his big hard body around her and went to sleep. It was bliss, sleeping in his arms. And often he’d wake in the morning and make love to her again.
Most days she dropped in at Galbraith House to see the progress of the work. She and Rose had a lovely time visiting furniture showrooms, getting samples of wallpaper, examining rugs and so on. It was all most exciting. Sometimes George went with them, and sometimes Emm.
She talked to Edward about it, but it was clear he wasn’t really interested, that he listened only to please her. Which was nice, but not very encouraging. The house was coming together, and she wanted to share her progress with him.
Edward was increasingly preoccupied. He was away most days and even spent some nights at his club. Because of having to conduct his business, he said. Lily was coming to hate his business, whatever it was.
Do not expect your husband to live in your pocket, as your brother, Ashendon, does with Emmaline. It is unfashionable and quite unseemly.It seemed Aunt Agatha was right.
Still, when he did come in at night, he made love to her so beautifully, there was really nothing for her to feel upset about, she told herself. It was a fact of life: Men’s business was outside the home and women’s arena was the domestic, and the sooner she got used to it the better.