Page 9 of On the Ropes of Scandal (With Love in Their Corner #3)

Bidwell’s Bakery

Cranleigh, Surrey

I t had been two days since William had stumbled to this bakery and was reunited with his wife. Though he couldn’t remember anything about his life or what had happened to him to see him bloodied and battered past that night, he’d relied on Phoebe to help him fill in the details.

To be honest, recuperation in the cozy rooms above the bakery wasn’t bad at all.

His wife was a talented cook, and the foods that she brought him at various times throughout the day had left him quite satisfied.

It was a simple life, and he hadn’t been to his bricklayer position since he’d lost his memories; in fact, he didn’t even know where to go or who to speak with about that.

Though somehow it didn’t matter, for he needed to heal from his injuries first.

One thing he’d discovered was that his wife was a dear little thing.

While she worked downstairs in the bakery, he slept, or if he was awake, he would read from the few books he’d found in the rooms that were oddly devoid of decoration or anything that might have personal memories attached to it.

In the evenings after her stint in the bakery was over, she’d come upstairs with his dinner, and they would share the meal together.

Phoebe—he’d had to ask her name again—was pretty in a fresh-faced, provincial way, and her blue eyes drew a man in without letting go.

Petite, which put her a good several inches or so shorter than him, possessed curves that would tempt even the saints, and part of him was smug that she was his.

And she smelled delightful, like summertime in the country amidst wildflower fields.

As they’d readied for slumber last night, he’d caught her into his arms and kissed her, for he’d felt much better than he had the previous day.

It was just a chaste kiss without much heat behind it, but then they’d laid down in the narrow bed together, but his wife had blushed as if she’d been an innocent schoolgirl.

It was adorable, and gave him pause, for she was well past the first blush of youth, likely in her mid-twenties.

Perhaps it didn’t matter, and she was merely shy about such things, and if he was always away from home as she’d said, perhaps they didn’t have time to show affection for each other.

Well, that is going to change.

Then Phoebe came into their shared bedchamber with her customary ready smile. “Aunt Bess has asked us to dinner tonight at her cottage. She says she has a hunter’s stew that has been simmering all day long. With freshly baked bread, of course.”

“I don’t know what that is, but it sounds heavenly.

” He couldn’t help but peer at her in the slightly cloudy mirror over the basin’s table, for she’d stripped out of the day dress.

When she moved to the clothespress clad in her unmentionables, he followed her with his gaze.

“Uh, why does your aunt wish to have dinner with us?”

“She is worried about you, of course.” When she glanced at him as she pulled a gown from the clothespress, there were shadows in her eyes, but why?

“Ah.” Though he didn’t remember meeting her from before, he looked forward to doing so tonight.

“Do you wish for my assistance with the gown?” As he spoke, he came toward her, which was easy to do since the room wasn’t that large.

Seeing her with her petticoat and stays sent blood rushing to his member.

Where was the harm in tossing her onto their bed and having his way with her?

To reacquaint himself with her plump curves?

“That would be lovely. Thank you.” Again, there was a blush in her cheeks. Surely, she’d been clad in her underthings around him before. “Um, the gown is a few years out of date, but then, there hasn’t been much cause for me—us—to be out in high society, so it doesn’t matter.”

Since he had no idea about their finances since he couldn’t remember, if he discovered there was enough coin left over at month’s end, he would buy her a new gown.

“Well, the copper color will be fantastic against your pale coloring and eyes.” How had he been so fortunate as to win her? “Besides, it’s quite autumnal.”

“I do adore it.” She struggled into the gown then presented him with her back. “You can do up the laces.”

“Mmm.” The second he drew his fingers over the taffeta, the tactile feel of it was so familiar that he’d swear he had done this before… only not with her. “Before you and I were married, was I involved with someone else?”

“Oh, I…” Her swallow was audible. “I’m not certain. You aren’t originally from this area.”

“Then where do I hail from?” Gently, he tightened the laces and tied them.

“London,” she said in a hushed voice. “Apparently, living in Town was too expensive so you set out looking for work elsewhere, but close enough that you could easily access London if you wished.”

“That makes sense. No doubt I’d want to remain close to family.” Then the heat of her distracted him. He slipped his arms about her waist and pressed his lips to the crook of her shoulder. As she gave into a shiver, it transferred to him.

“No doubt,” she said in a rather breathless voice. “But you are here now with me, and we have a good life.”

“We do, but perhaps we should at least write to my family and inform them about my memory loss. If I could speak with them, see them in person, it might help.”

“It might, of course, and it is something we can discuss,” she said, yet there were shadows in the blue depths of her eyes, which had him wondering why.

Then he put the thoughts out of his mind. “There is one good thing about me losing my memory, though.” William followed that by placing a soft kiss to the side of her neck.

“Oh? What’s that?”

“We have the opportunity for a new honeymoon period, since I don’t remember the first one, and I can have the fun of exploring you all over again.”

“If you think it’s necessary?”

“Of course it is. You are quite the temptation.” Then, because he could, he turned her about, put a curled forefinger beneath her chin, raised her head, and fit his lips to hers.

Damn but she felt good in his arms, and those two pillowy pieces of flesh tasted even better.

Each movement he made over her mouth, she mirrored, and that slight hesitation there had the odd effect of lighting tiny fires in his blood.

How was it that his wife could still retain the air of being an innocent?

Eventually, he held her at arms’ length while a bemused expression crossed her face.

“We should finish our toilettes, else your aunt’s dinner will be quite ruined. ”

Her eyes widened, and those impossibly blue pools threatened to pull him under. “Or I will be, hmm?” she asked in a soft voice.

That was rather odd, for hadn’t she said they’d been married for six months?

Surely, within that time frame they had lain together.

William frowned. “I can easily arrange that if you’d like.

No one would fault me by taking my wife to bed.

” And that led him to another odd thing.

His body felt tight and strained, as if he desperately needed to break the tension building inside, but how was that possible?

Hadn’t he bedded his wife with regularity?

A blush stained her cheeks. “As lovely as that sounds, we should probably leave for Aunt Bess’ cottage. She doesn’t like it when her schedule is interrupted or delayed.”

“I’ll have to assume that’s the truth since I don’t remember, but I do look forward to having you to myself in the meanwhile.

” And perhaps he would have an opportunity this evening to question of the two of them.

It was one thing to have lost his memories, but it was quite another to have answers that made sense.

*

A half hour later, William held out a chair for his wife at her aunt’s dining table.

It was a sturdy piece of furniture, oval in shape, that could seat six, and it was perfect for the three of them.

What was more, Aunt Bess apparently didn’t stand on ceremony, for instead of courses, the whole of the meal had been laid out on the table on platters, which made for a rustic appearance, and he for one heartily approved.

As the chicken was carved and passed around, Aunt Bess continued to shoot puzzled glances at him. Finally, once everyone had a full plate of food, he finally huffed out a breath, sat down, and then frowned.

“What is it you will say to me then, Aunt Bess? You continue to look at me as if you have a multitude of questions, but you never speak a word. So I’m curious. What is it about me that you find offensive or otherwise?” At least then he would know how to correct an issue if there was one.

Across from his location, Phoebe gasped. “William, for shame. She means no ill will.”

Aunt Bess lifted a hand. A faint grin curved her lips.

“He has every right to ask questions, dear. It must be difficult and quite frightening to know he had a life before and now can’t remember any of it.

” For whatever reason, she narrowed her eyes at Phoebe.

“We can only hope that if this amnesia is a permanent condition, he can make peace with it.”

“Of course, Auntie. I just want him to be happy, no matter what.” An odd air crackled between them, but William couldn’t puzzle out why. “Haven’t we both shown that his recent knock on the head hasn’t changed anything between us? There has been no change in affection.”

“Perhaps.”

With a slight frown, William bounced his gaze between them. “Don’t be at each other’s throats because of me, ladies. I’ll get better. You’ll see.”