Page 7 of Seven Nights with the Wicked Duke (Regency Beasts #3)
"There is the matter of the marriage bed, is there not?
" Lily asked sitting forward in her seat.
Cecilia sat a little forward as well, curious to know.
It was no secret that Eveline and Ava had married men who loved them deeply, but beyond that love it was obvious that they shared searing passion with their husbands as well.
It was there in how reluctant they were to keep their hands to themselves whenever they were with their spouses.
It was there in the hungry way in which those men looked at their ladies, as if they were fighting the urge to swallow them whole.
There was always this tension that promised to be explosive between them and she could bet that it did explode when they were behind closed doors.
"How did you know about that?" Ava asked, flushed, looking everywhere but at their faces.
"I am of marriageable age, Ava," Lily said dryly. "Besides I have heard the older ladies whispering about it. They seem to think it is one of the best things that exists."
"All I can say, is that when you marry a man who loves you, the marriage bed, as well as every aspect of your marriage, will be enjoyable," Eveline said, probably deciding to speak up in hopes of saving Ava embarrassment.
"That was a particularly disappointing answer," Lily said, flopping backwards. "It tells me nothing about what I want to know."
Cecilia agreed as well but from the look on both Ava and Eveline's faces, this was an uncomfortable topic and she understood, since most topics about marital intimacy were shrouded in secrecy.
It was funny, because if she was to marry, they would have to tell her, since while her brother served as a parent, he was still a man and could not be expected to prepare her for the marital bed like an older female was supposed to do for the younger ones.
Cecilia was about to point that out when Arabella chose that moment to wake, crying with hunger.
Immediately Ava turned a little to breastfeed the baby, while her husband rushed in, roused by the baby's cry.
Seeing the baby girl quietly nursing at her mother's breast, he sat quietly beside them watching the baby's face with such adoration, it was almost painful to watch.
Not for the first time that day, Cecilia once again felt envy for Ava and her baby girl for having the good fortune of having a man who loved them from the depths of his being.
Even now as she watched, he looked up to look at his wife; gratitude, desire and pure love radiating through his eyes.
The scene was so tender that Cecilia felt like an intruder.
Eveline and Lily must have felt the same, because they rose up in preparation to leave.
"Ava, Your Grace," Lily said, clearing her throat so that the couple finally broke eye contact. "Thank you for your hospitality, we will take our leave now."
"Please do come back," Ava said, standing up. Handing the baby over to her husband, she walked them to the entrance.
"Of course I will come back. I wouldn't want to miss my goddaughter for too long," Cecilia said with a smile, knowing the chaos that would follow her words.
Of course her friends didn't disappoint.
"How do you know you are to be her godmother?" Lily fired back.
"Be merciful Lily. You already get to call Arabella your niece, same with Eveline, since she also has a baby on the way as well. You will get another niece or a nephew soon. Grant me this one title would you?"
"There is no reason why I should. Eveline might not allow me to be godmother for her child," Lily replied.
"What makes you so confident that I would choose any of you to be my daughter's godmother? " Ava asked with an amused tone.
"You wouldn't dare," Cecilia and Lily chorused, turning their attention to Ava, causing her to dissolve into fits of laughter, Eveline joining in.
Cecilia refused to laugh, sticking to her serious facade.
"I do not see what is so amusing about this topic," Cecilia said, thoroughly enjoying the laughter in the air.
"Calm down, ladies" Ava said between fits of laughter. "I do not have any more friends. There is no way I could find one to be a godmother to Arabella at such short notice."
"Better," Lily retorted. "So which of us gets to be her godmother?"
Ava paused for a moment then a mischievous smile cracked her lips spreading until her eyes were shining with enjoyment.
"What do you ladies think? This is an important decision.
I have to take time to deliberate. She needs to get the right influences after all.
" With that, she flounced back into the house amidst groans of disappointment from her friends.
Cecilia allowed the footman waiting with the family coach to help her in.
Relaxing back in her seat as the carriage carried her home, she thought to herself that she had a great time with her friends.
The time spent with them were the few times when she was truly free from her brother's surveillance.
Even now, she longed for the next opportunity to see them again and share laughter with them.
But even while she loved her friends from the depths of her being, she couldn't pretend that she didn't desire what they had, the love of a good man.
But with her own life circumstances, she understood that the possibility of that happening was slim.
Her brother wanted to protect her from any and everything and she could guess that, when he decided to marry her off, he would choose a man he judged to be safe. Perhaps boring, not wild enough to fan the banked fires of the passion that she suspected were buried deep within her.
Cecilia shuddered at the thought of such misery, but that only sealed her determination to ensure that she enjoyed an exciting life, however secret it must be before she ever submitted to such a union. At least the memories of her secret wild days might keep her warm in her future boring marriage.
In no time they were home and she alighted with the help of the footman. She walked up faster, eager to return to her room, to change her dress and visit the library to complete the book she had been reading earlier.
When the butler opened the door, however, he smiled at her, extending a letter devoid of any distinguishing characteristics.
"You have a letter, my lady," he said. "It just arrived this afternoon for you."
"Thank you," she said, collecting the letter, her brow knitting with curiosity at its strangeness. It was uncommon that she would receive a letter with no address or seal.
She took the letter and climbed upstairs to her room. Placing it on her table, she proceeded to change her dress and unpin her hair, only turning to look at the letter when she was comfortable.
Taking a seat, she turned the letter over again in her hands in hopes of gleaning its messenger.
She had no friends besides the ones she just visited and none of them would have arrived home already to have enough time to write her. Gently she pried the letter open, slowly unfolding it until she could read its contents, her eyes growing wider with each word she read.
Dear Cecilia
As a master of scandal myself, I'm only too happy to guide you in your journey. For this reason, I am willing to be your aid as you wish. It is my hope that you get out of this experience unharmed. I cannot say the same for your innocence though.
My country home and its servants are at your service to host you in two days' time, my lady, It is my hope that by the end of your stay, you will have ticked the first item off your list. Your privacy would be ensured, I assure you.
Scandalously yours,
T
Cecilia had to make conscious effort to contain her shock. Theo was offering to help her get her first kiss. The question remained: did he intend to do it himself and most importantly did she want it to be him?