The Marquis She's Been Waiting For

by Ella Quinn

  If Lady Huntingdon was surprised at the suggestion, she hid it well. “Of course they may. That way Dorie and Exeter may have a proper honeymoon.”

  His sisters eagerly looked at him, almost begging him to agree. “I do not know why we didn’t think of that; it’s the perfect idea.”

  “That is settled then.” She rose. “Ladies, it is time we left the gentlemen to their port.” To her husband she said, “Do not be long.”

  Alex and his soon-to-be in-laws drank one glass of port and joined the ladies. Dorie won the game of spillikins and Penelope won at speculation.

  Later that night, just as he was wondering what was taking his betrothed, she entered his bedchamber.

  “I had to wait until I was sure everyone was asleep.” Shedding her nightgown, she slipped in next to him. “I also spoke with Miss Holliwell. She remembers Mr. Sterling, but it appears the infatuation was on his side only.”

  Well, that answered that question. “Did you tell her how he felt?”

  “No.” Alex kissed her lightly. Was this how all their nights would begin? Discussing the day? “That could have made her self-conscious. I do think you should mention she is our governess. At the very least, he will wonder about her name.”

  Dorie shifted and wrapped her arms around him. They made love slowly, as if they had all the time in the world.

  Just as dawn was breaking she whispered, “I must go back to my bedroom.”

  Alex would have liked to show her what morning lovemaking was like, but she was right. They could not let anyone know where she’d spent the night. His conscience was already berating him for having taken advantage of her parents’ hospitality.

  But we are betrothed, he argued to himself. He’d go back to his house today.

  “Will you ride this morning?”

  “No, my mother has arranged early fittings.” She drew his head down, kissing him, and he almost forgot his resolution. “She has plans for us for the rest of the week.”

  * * * *

  Alex saw Dorie at breakfast; then her mother took her off, and he went home. Once John arrived, Alex decided his friend should be sitting when he relayed his news.

  “Come into my study and have some tea. There is something I should mention to you before we start on the estate books.”

  Without any roundaboutation, he told John about Miss Holliwell.

  “Thank you.” John appeared thoughtful for a moment. “I have always wondered what happened to her. I am glad she is well.”

  After all the thought Alex and Dorie had put into this, that was all the man could say? Then again, it was probably for the best. They were just getting their household together, and did not need any more complications. The governess would be with his sisters this summer and would not meet John until autumn. Alex showed his friend and steward to the estate office on the opposite side of his study from Cunningham’s office. “The estate journals that are here date back three years.”

  He nodded. “I’ll read them. I think I should visit your holdings before too long.”

  “Lady Dorie and I are going to tour them after our wedding. You can come with us, and I shall introduce you.”

  John gave Alex an amused look. “That’s an interesting way to spend your wedding trip.”

  “It was her idea.” He grinned. “Afterward, we are going to France.” Depending on when they arrived, Paris might be thin of company, but there were other areas they’d visit that she would like.

  * * * *

  The intervening two weeks had been both the longest and shortest Alex had ever experienced. He’d had very little time with Dorie, but the days had been full of things he had to accomplish before leaving Town. Taking his seat in the House of Lords was much more complicated than he had expected. He and his valet had searched the town house for his father’s scarlet and ermine robes and the black hat. Then he had to contact his solicitor about the letters of patent for his title so that a new one could be drawn up on vellum. The day that Lord Huntingdon and the Marquis of St. Eth escorted Alex into the Lords where the ceremony took place had dawned warm and sunny. They had made sure he was completely prepared, and other than glares from a few older men all went well and he finally took his seat. It was exciting to be part of decisions that would affect the entire country.

  He stood before the peer glass as his valet added his quizzing glass fob to his waistcoat. “A quizzer for my wedding?”

  “One never knows when one might need to depress pretentions, my lord.”

  “Very true.” Although Alex could not imagine whose pretentions he would require depressing.

  Turley, who had agreed to be Alex’s witness, leaned against the doorway. “There are all sorts of people who wander into the church to see the wedding or stand outside waiting for a glimpse of the bride and groom or anyone else attending. I made sure your servants were armed with plenty of coins for the poor.”

  He hadn’t thought of that. Then again, he had never attended a wedding before. Most people didn’t unless one was a close relation of the bride or groom. “Thank you.”

  “I wouldn’t have known if I hadn’t been at my sister’s wedding.” Turley flipped open his pocket watch. “It’s allowable for the bride to be late, but not the groom. We had better be on our way.”

  Alex’s valet stepped back. “Good luck, my lord. Her ladyship’s maid and I have already begun moving her possessions to her chambers. Her dressing room and her bedchamber have been completed. The rest will be done by the time we return.”

  He knew all of that, but it was reassuring to hear it. “The jewels?”

  “Delivered this morning, my lord, into Lady Huntingdon’s hand.”

  “There is nothing more I can do now, but go and wait for my bride.” And that would stretch all his nerves.

  * * * *

  Dorie had butterflies in her stomach and she could not understand the reason. Yes, today was her wedding day, but she and Alex had already made love. In fact, they may already have created a new life. When she had so glibly agreed to two weeks, she had not thought about her courses at all. And they were late. Only by a day or two, but she had never been late before. She placed her hand over her stomach. Another week or two and she would be certain.

  Curran brought out the gown Dorie would wear for her wedding. She had been unable to resist using some of the new fabric Augusta had sent and the result was magnificent. Her gown was a buttery yellow and two layers of tulle covered the silk skirts, making her feel like a fairy. Her hair was up and left to curl with ribbons of gold and purple twined through it, and hairpins with pearl tips.

  “I see I am just in time.” Mama held out a large, thin flat packet. “Exeter sent these for you.”

  Placing the box on the toilet table, she opened it. “Oh, my. That is what he was doing at the jewelers while I had my ring sized.” Inside the square container lined with satin was a long, three-strand necklace of pearls caught at intervals by amethysts and diamonds with earrings to match. “I have never seen anything like it. They are beautiful!” She narrowed her eyes at her maid. “Did you know?”

  “I might have been given a hint about the jewels used.” Curran grinned. “It is always a good idea to have good working relations with the master’s valet.”

  Dorie smiled at her. “Put it on, please.”

  As she attached the earrings, her sisters and Alex’s came into the room.

  “We were assigned the task of giving you something new and blue,” Penelope announced.

  The younger girls handed her handkerchiefs. Two were embroidered in white work, and one had violets and daffodils embroidered along the edges. “They are beautiful.”

  “This is your something blue.” Penelope handed Dorie a brooch made of moonstones and pearls. “I hope you like it.”

  “I love it. Where did you get the idea?” She handed it to her maid to pin on
her bodice.

  “I saw it at the bazaar and thought you might like it.” Penelope’s cheeks turned a rosy shade of pink. “The man said it would bring good luck.”

  “We can all use more of that. Thank you.” One by one she gave the girls a hug and kiss.

  Lady Huntingdon handed Dorie an old pearl ring. “I have been keeping this for your wedding day. It has been handed down through my family.”

  Tears pricked her eyes. I will not cry. “Thank you, Mama.” Dorie glanced at the clock. “We should be going. I am only surprised Henrietta is not yet here.”

  “I am. I wanted to be last.” She gave Dorie a decorative gold comb that she had almost bought, but Henrietta had purchased it before her. “This is borrowed.” Leaning down, her friend hugged Dorie. “I shall expect it returned at the wedding breakfast.”

  “You are afraid I shall forget to give it back to you.” She laughed.

  “Let us go.” Lady Huntingdon herded the younger girls out of the room as Curran affixed the comb to Dorie’s hair.

  “Is that the tulle?” Henrietta asked, looking at Dorie’s skirts.

  “It is. Do you like it?” She twirled around, allowing the skirts to float out.

  “I do. I believe I shall have a ball gown made of it.”

  “I intend to be able to wear this gown for evening events.” She had enough material to make a ball gown as well. And she and Alex were going to France. She could buy some other colors.

  Papa, waiting for her in the hall, escorted her and Henrietta to the town coach. Mama and the girls would ride in their traveling coach. The ride was short and soon they got out at the side entrance to St. George’s Church in Hanover Square. The first person she saw upon entering was Alex.

  “He does look well,” Henrietta whispered.

  He was dressed in a dark blue jacket and breeches, a snowy white cravat, and his waistcoat was a dull gold with purple vines embroidered on it. He was the handsomest gentleman in all of England, at least. “He looks perfect.”

  Papa escorted her to where Alex and Lord Turley were standing with the cleric. “We should be ready as soon as the children are seated.”

  “Adeline and Georgie are here too,” Henrietta whispered. “And your brother and his wife.”

  Most people just came to the wedding breakfast, but Dorie had wanted her closest friends with her. It was a shame Augusta could not be here as well.

  The vicar looked at Papa and he nodded.

  “Dearly beloved, we are gathered together here in the sight of God…”

  They said their vows in strong voices, although she had to admit that she blushed when Alex promised to worship her with his body. Earlier Henrietta had given Dorie’s betrothal ring to Turley, and Alex slipped it on the ring finger of her left hand.

  “I now pronounce you man and wife.”

  She and Alex just stared at each other for a moment before he said, “We are finally married.”

  “Not until you sign the register,” Henrietta whispered.

  The vicar led them to the side where their names were written in a book, and they signed it.

  “Now we are married.” Dorie had never been so happy.

  “Yes, now we’re married.” Alex grinned and held out his arm. “Lady Exeter, shall we?”

  Their families gathered around them as they walked out the door. People she had never seen before were in the back of the church and on the steps. They climbed into a coach that had been decorated with ribbons and flowers.

  After she settled her skirts, he slipped an arm around her shoulders. “We just need to get through the wedding breakfast.”

  “We will not have to be there that long. My mother agreed to move the required parts along.”

  “Did she laugh?”

  “Of course she did.” Mama had almost gone into whoops when Dorie had complained bitterly about not having had any time for Alex during the past two weeks.

  Early that afternoon, when they were finally alone in their bedchamber, they made love. The following day they left on a tour of the Exeter holdings.

  Three weeks later, they arrived at the house Alex had so loved in Suffolk. They stood in a folly overlooking the sea. She took his hand and placed it on her stomach. “I am as sure as I can be that we are expecting an interesting event in February.”

  His eyes rounded. “A baby?”

  “Yes.” She nodded. “I had an idea I might be in a delicate condition on the day of our wedding, but now I am almost certain.” When he picked her up and started carrying her toward the house she was torn between vexation and laughter. “Put me down, I am perfectly capable of walking.”

  He stopped and gave her a doubtful look. “Are you sure?”

  “I am, and I fully intend to go to France.” She prayed she didn’t become ill either from her condition or the boat. “You can worry about me when I can no longer see my toes.”

  He set her feet on the ground, but drew her into his arms. “Why don’t I just worry about you, and not tell you until you can’t see your toes?”

  “Perfect.”

  Author’s Note

  I hope you enjoyed reading the story as much as I did writing it.

  Some of you might recognize that Alex has what we now called dyscalculia—sort of like dyslexia but of numbers, not letters—putting him at a disadvantage in managing his holdings.

  Many people have the idea that ladies of the ton did very little other than embroider, attend parties, and change clothes. In fact, they were trained to run large households, some consisting of hundreds of servants. As peers and Members of Parliament (to be an MP one had to have a certain amount of wealth and property) were in London for parliamentary sessions several more months than the Season, many ladies also learned to run estates and would oversee the holdings.

  Widows were required by Polite Society to mourn for one year. This was not a law, but it was enforced by family and social circumstances.

  If you haven’t read the Marriage Game series, you can find Huntley’s and Caro’s story in Desiring Lady Caro, and Will and Eugénie’s story in Enticing Miss Eugénie Villaret.

  If you want to know more about future books, sales, and other interesting information, please sign up for my newsletter at www.ellaquinn.com. You can also join my Facebook group, The Worthingtons, and follow me on Twitter at @ellaquinnauthor or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/EllaQuinnAuthor where I hold book giveaways almost every Monday!

  Ella