Lessons for His Bride (Regency Matchmaker Book 3)

by Celeste Jones

  Yet another of his plans laid to waste by the selfish girl.

  Oh, when he got a hold of her…

  He downed a significant amount of champagne straight from the bottle before the carriage stopped in front of a well-appointed home in a fashionable section of London. Colonel St. Clair had done well for himself.

  Be that as it may, Colonel St. Clair had taken something from Lord Ross—stolen, to be more accurate—and he had every intention of getting it back. No one deprived Lord Alfred Ross of his property.

  With a tug to straighten his coat, he marched up the steps and gave a smart rap upon the front door. It was opened promptly by a serious faced butler who took Lord Ross’ card and invited him to wait in the sitting room while he ascertained the availability of Colonel St. Clair. Rather than sitting, Lord Ross paced the room, composing the words he would use to persuade Seraphina to come with him. He had glanced past the butler in an attempt to see if the girl was elsewhere in the downstairs of the house, but the servant had moved to block his view and then quickly ushered him into the sitting room.

  While he waited, three unruly beasts charged into the room and ran around the furniture and then circled him before starting another chase across the carpeted floor. “Bingley! Darcy! Wickham! Come back here you scamps!” The high-pitched calls were followed by the appearance of an attractive woman of middle age, winded from the exertion and clearly surprised at finding him.

  “Oh, I beg your pardon.” She halted her pursuit of the animals, though she did reach into her pocket for some pieces of meat which she threw on the floor in order to gather the mongrels to her. “I am Lady Calliope St. Clair. How may I help you?”

  Hmmm. How fortunate. The lady of the house seemed much less formidable than what he assumed Colonel St. Clair would be. He bowed. “A pleasure to meet you, my lady. I am here in search of a young woman by the name of Seraphina Moon. I understand she was taken into the Colonel’s care. Is she here now? I am most eager to see her.”

  “I am sorry to disappoint you, but Seraphina is no longer here. She got married.”

  “Married?” Hot anger suffused his face and he fought to remain composed. “Seraphina is married?”

  “Yes, we, my daughter-in-law Lady Tempest Knox and myself, took her to see Lady Ambrosia, the matchmaker and she made a match for her right away to a most charming man, a doctor. Here, let me show you.” Thereupon she rushed from the room, dogs at her heels, before she had even finished speaking. She soon returned, with the dogs again running circles round the room, waving a newspaper. “Here it is.” She pointed to the announcement.

  Notice, On Tuesday the Sixth, Doctor Lucas Spencer married Seraphina Moon. The couple to reside at Cherry Grove Manor, Briar Glen.

  His hands gripped the newspaper to the point they were shaking, his anger had grown to rage, his vision blurred with it. “Thank you,” he managed to say through tight lips. “I shall trouble you no further.” He walked from the room, taking the newspaper with him, left the house and went directly to his carriage. “To Briar Glen,” he shouted to the driver.

  16

  Seraphina gazed at her reflection in the full-length mirror and sighed. Her gown had arrived from Mrs. Shepherd and it fit her perfectly. Though she knew it was wickedly vain to do so, she simply could not stop looking at herself. She felt like a princess wearing the most beautiful article of clothing she had ever imagined. It fell in beautiful layers in a shade of pink unlike anything she had ever seen before.

  And, no one else would get to see her in it.

  Although Mrs. Fisk had prevailed upon the elders of the village to allow the assembly ball to continue, Lucas insisted they would not be attending.

  She loved her husband and understood his concerns... sigh... but to miss the ball... she was more disappointed than she had expected to be. Apparently, she had been looking forward to the ball more than she had realized. Plus, it would do Lucas a world of good to get out and enjoy himself. He had been running ragged tending to the ill and dying and she feared he would be the next to take to his bed with the fever.

  So far, he had not succumbed, but the dark circles under his eyes whenever he returned from a long night of calling upon his patients had given Seraphina great concern about her husband’s health.

  Much as she had been looking forward to the ball, she hoped at least this would be a night when Lucas would not be called out, yet again. She did not wish to complain, but she had spent too many nights sleeping alone in the large bed in the master bedchamber. Though she had never shared a bed before in her life, after just a short period of marriage, she found the prospect of Lucas’ absence from their marital bed dreary, to say the least.

  With another sigh, Seraphina turned away from the mirror, and reached behind herself in an effort to open the fastenings at the back of her stunning pink dress. She would store it away in hopes of another opportunity to wear it.

  “You look quite enchanting in that gown, my dear,” Lucas said as he entered the room.

  Seraphina turned and smiled at him, pleased at his praise. She had wanted to go and find him to show him the new dress, but she also knew he had much occupying his mind of late and did not wish to disturb him. So, his arrival in their bedchamber while she was trying on the garment was fortuitous timing.

  “Thank you,” she said running her fingers along the fine fabric of the skirt. “It is the most beautiful gown I have ever owned, thank you for purchasing it for me.”

  “I suppose I ought to say I am sorry you will not be able to wear it at the ball,” he said walking around her slowly to examine her from every angle, “but I do not trust the men of Briar Glen to behave themselves properly in the presence of one as beautiful as you. And, if truth be told, I do not believe I wish to share you, even if it is only to allow others to gaze upon your beauty.”

  He took her in his arms and buried his face in her neck, dropping kisses along her collarbone which was exposed by the deep bodice of her gown. Under other circumstances, Seraphina might be concerned about getting her dress wrinkled, but since she had no plans of wearing it anywhere for the foreseeable future, she decided to enjoy her husband’s caresses instead.

  Lucas raised his head and cupped her face between his hands, looking deep into her eyes. “I truly am sorry we will not be able to attend the ball this evening, I know you have been looking forward to it. And I was looking forward to introducing you to my friends and neighbors here in Briar Glen. But I simply will not risk your health. I am still quite dismayed the dance is going forward despite my strong recommendation for cancellation. Apparently, my word does not hold as much sway as that of Mrs. Fisk.”

  “I understand, my dear. I am disappointed at not being able to attend the ball, but I realize you would not make such a recommendation unless you felt it absolutely necessary. And I have seen the way you have been caring for people near and far who have been afflicted. Just because Mrs. Fisk has not seen anyone in her household come down with the fever does not mean it is not widespread. I am sorry she behaved so irresponsibly.”

  “Thank you, my sweet wife. Mrs. Fisk is not the only person in the community who has been less than supportive of me, and so your belief in me makes me quite happy. And, I truly am sorry you will miss an evening of dancing.”

  “Well,” Seraphina said looking a bit embarrassed, “I do not have much experience at dancing, so I was looking forward to an evening of music and socializing.”

  “You do not know how to dance? Well, we shall remedy that. At the last assembly, Mrs. Fisk hired a dance master to teach all of us the waltz. And then she insisted I partner her daughter. As a result, I believe I’m a rather accomplished dancer and I shall teach you.”

  “We have no music. How can we dance without music?” Why she was objecting, Seraphina had no idea, since she had no wish to be anywhere other than in her husband’s arms, whether dancing or otherwise.

  Lucas placed his right hand on her back and placed her left hand on his shoulder, then clasped he
r right hand in his left and pulled her in tight to his hard frame.

  “Hmm. Did you dance this closely with Miss Fisk?” Seraphina peeked up at her husband from beneath her lashes. The hand which he had placed on her back moved swiftly to land a swat on her bottom.

  “I need to keep you close to keep an eye on you and your saucy ways.” He kissed her softly on the lips and then said, “Shall we dance?”

  He began to hum, rich tones floated to her ears. “Now, just relax and let me lead you, can you do that for me Seraphina?”

  “Yes, I believe so.” She already felt like she was in a dream, wearing a beautiful gown, her handsome husband’s loving arms around her and the sound of his voice reverberating in the room. Taking a deep breath, she closed her eyes and allowed him to take charge. Miraculously, her feet moved in response to his, his strong hands guiding her upper body as they made graceful circles around the large bedchamber.

  The movements of the dance and the thrum of her husband’s voice was nearly hypnotic for Seraphina and she wondered why she had ever wished to go to a ball with a large crowd of people.

  “You are a beautiful dancer, my sweet Seraphina. Of course, I had no doubt you would be. Your body is pleasing in so many ways.”

  His words, and the underlying message of desire, sent a thrill of heat and longing through Seraphina and she opened her eyes to gaze up at her husband. The love shining in his eyes filled her with joy.

  The dance stopped and he pulled her close for a kiss filled with love and desire, all the pent-up loneliness they had both experienced over the last few days disappeared as their mouths melded together. Seraphina slid her hands into her husband’s thick hair and held his face to hers. As the kiss continued, Lucas sought the closures of her dress and began to open them one by one.

  Seraphina’s heart pounded so hard, it was all she could hear, the bang, bang, bang as it beat in her chest. Those nights sleeping alone were over and she would soon be naked and pliant in her husband’s arms.

  But wait...why was he stopping? Why had he pried her hands away from his neck?

  She opened her eyes and took a moment to focus. The bang, bang, bang was someone pounding on the front door, no doubt in search of Dr. Spencer.

  Her entire body sagged with disappointment and she looked up at him with pleading eyes. “Lucas, no. Please. You have barely been home long enough to get fresh clothes—” Her words died on her lips as Lucas kissed each of her hands.

  “I am sorry, my darling. I took an oath to provide care for my patients.” His eyes pleaded with her to understand as he turned and left the room.

  “What about the vow you made to me…” but he was gone before she had uttered the first word.

  The Boyds had left before her dancing lesson with Lucas. Although Mrs. Boyd had indicated an interest in going to the assembly, Seraphina knew they would not go in contradiction to Lucas’ recommendation. Not only were they loyal to their employer, but they respected his opinion on the subject.

  “The fools in this village,” Mrs. Boyd had said. “I cannot believe anyone in the village could question the doctor’s motives—actually I can believe it of Mrs. Fisk—she has always been prone to dramatics and selfishness. ‘Tis a crime the way they are behaving, if you ask me.”

  The notion that the people of Briar Glen were critical of her husband, especially after seeing the toll which the most recent outbreak had taken on him, made Seraphina’s blood boil. She’d like to give that troublemaking Mrs. Fisk a piece of her mind, and a punch in the nose.

  How dare she act like the serious danger Lucas feared was just a trifling? After all the sacrifices he made to care for the people, including Mrs. Fisk and her family, and this is how they treat him? They have a big party with dancing and music while he is out, yet again, spending the night trying to save lives? Oh, she was so angry, and it did not help that she could hear all the traffic on the road running past Cherry Grove Manor as the rest of the village—at least those who were healthy enough—traveled to the assembly. Their laughter wafted in through the windows as though it was mocking her.

  The truth was, she wanted to go to the assembly. And she wanted to go with her husband. And wear her new pink gown. Was that so much to ask for?

  Anger, disappointment, loneliness all swirled through her body as she walked toward the staircase. She might as well take off her party dress and put it away. Maybe she would stop by Lucas’ library and find a book to distract her from her current misery and self-pity.

  After her detour to the book room she felt a bit better having found two different volumes which she believed would hold her interest. The prospect of an evening spent with a good book had lifted her spirits. It was far from an adequate substitute for her husband’s company, but of the options available to her, it was the best.

  Still wearing her elaborate gown, she made for the stairway just as yet more pounding commenced on the door. Sighing deeply she wished desperately to ignore it, but as Lucas had said, someone might need help. As she walked to the front door, a sense of horrible foreboding overcame her and she, again, considered ignoring the clatter, but she did not.

  The sight on the other side of the door shocked her. Angus, who worked as their stable hand, gardener and general handyman, stood on the step panting heavily, as though he had run a great distance, though behind him she saw a horse tied to the fence.

  “What is it, Angus? Why are you here? I thought you would be on your way to the ball.”

  Angus straightened and looked her straight in the eye. “If the good doctor says it ain’t safe to go to the dance, then I willna go.”

  “I apologize, Angus. I did not mean to offend. I am sure the doctor appreciates your loyalty. I know I do.” She felt awful for assuming he would go to the assembly. Despite her loneliness and awful sense of foreboding, she was pleased to know the people who worked for her husband, and therefore knew him best, felt such a sense of loyalty to him.

  “It is Mrs. Boyd,” Angus said, practically cutting her off. “I think she has the fever. Is the doctor here?”

  No. Not Mrs. Boyd!

  “Doctor Spencer has gone to Hemmerly. He did not leave long ago. Perhaps if you hurry you will be able to catch him.”

  With a tip of his hat, Angus hurried down the stairs and mounted his horse, rushing off in the direction she had told him.

  Seraphina stood in the doorway, still holding the books in her hands. No doubt that was the sense of foreboding she had experienced. In a short time, she had come to care a great deal for Mrs. Boyd and the thought she might be deathly ill sent a cold chill through Seraphina. Just when everything in her life had turned out so well, a wonderful husband and a happy, cozy household with the Boyds as the parents she never knew and now the horrible fever was keeping her husband away from her and might permanently take Mrs. Boyd away as well.

  Determined to follow her husband’s strict instructions, she turned and closed the door behind her. She needed to trust Angus would find Lucas and he would get to Mrs. Boyd in time. There was nothing she could do to help, so best for her to just follow instructions.

  She told herself that and actually made it up three steps before tossing the books on the side table in the entry and rushing out the door toward the Boyds’ house.

  Pushing thoughts of Lucas’ reaction from her mind, she hurried down the dirt road not even caring for the damage it would no doubt do to the most beautiful dress she had ever owned. If she could move fast enough, she could check on Mrs. Boyd and be home in an hour. Lucas would be none the wiser. If asked, the Boyds would keep her confidence.

  Yes, it would all work out perfectly. Lifting her skirts, she broke into a full run.

  If only she’d seen the large stone in the road.

  17

  The moon was high in the night sky by the time Lucas finally made his way back to Cherry Grove Manor.

  He patted Marcella’s neck. “Good girl,” he said. She was as weary as he, the two of them the only beings on the road. On h
is way to the Boyds’ he had passed the assembly hall and the party was in full swing. He did not wish ill upon the partygoers, but he knew within a day or two, he would be overrun, if it was possible to be more overrun than he was now, with more ailing patients in need of his skills.

  Regardless, he approached Cherry Grove Manor with a smile. Inside awaited his beloved Seraphina and tonight he would sleep with her held close in his arms.

  Angus had caught up with him just as he had reached Hemmerly. As he was already there, he tended to the sickly family who had called for him and then rushed to Mrs. Boyd’s side. Fortunately, it was the early stages of the illness and he felt confident she would be much improved in a few days.

  Lucas prided himself on his professional demeanor and worked hard not to become emotionally involved with his patients, but seeing the usually lively and jovial Mrs. Boyd pale and weak in her bed had hit him hard. In addition to medical care, Lucas had sent up a bevy of prayers to the Almighty for her recovery. He was a man of medicine, but he was not so arrogant as to be above calling in reinforcements.

  After seeing to Marcella—the stable hands were long gone for the night—he made the short trek to the house and his awaiting Seraphina.

  The house was completely dark, but enough moonlight shone through the windows for him to make his way to the second floor and the master bedroom. Moving quietly, he stripped off his clothes, poured water from the pitcher into the basin and washed away the dirt and germs of the day. Pleased he had not disturbed his wife, he crawled between the sheets and reached for her.

  Then reached further. And yet further still. When his hand touched the edge of the mattress, he bolted upright and threw back the covers.

  If his little wife was not in the bed at this hour, where could she be? Working to still the panic rising inside him, he donned his dressing gown and lit the lamp on the bedside table before exploring the rest of the house. She had probably fallen asleep in one of the first-floor rooms while waiting up for him.