by Ella Quinn
“They will love you.” Georgie grinned.
Dorie and Henrietta agreed.
Adeline yawned. “I do not know why I am tired. We stayed up much later in Town. It must be the country air.” She rose. “I shall see you in the morning.”
* * *
Adeline woke early but pretended to sleep as her maid laid out the gown in which she would be married. When she had shown the modiste the tulle fabric with seed pearls Augusta had sent from Paris when she visited there before traveling on, the woman came up with a design to use the fine netting over a Pomona-green silk gown. The effect was as lovely as Adeline had hoped it would be. Knowing she would be outside for much of the day, she had eschewed slippers and had leather half boots dyed the same color as her gown.
“My lady, are you ready to rise?” There was no fooling Fendall. “Your bathwater will be here soon.”
“I am.” She left the bedroom again. When she came back, Adeline was out of bed. “Why are you running back and forth?”
“We moved everything yesterday, and one of the younger maids did not hear the instructions that the items in the clothespress was to remain in this dressing room. Everything I need is here now.”
“What do my new apartments look like?” It occurred to her that every time she asked about them, the person she asked changed the conversation.
A knock came on the door and her maid opened it. Two footmen rolled in a bathtub, and others carried buckets.
Fendall picked up the towels from where they were warming on a screen placed in front of the fireplace. “I am told the place where they can obtain the hot water is closer to your new chamber.”
Adeline was going to ask about her new rooms again, but decided it was no use. She would see them later.
She was still in her wrapper when Georgie, Henrietta, and Dorie entered the room.
“We have things for you.” Dorie held out something wrapped in paper. “It is blue.”
Adeline opened the package to find a pair of beautifully embroidered blue garters. “These are lovely. Where did you find them?”
“I had them made.” Her friend beamed. “My sister-in-law showed me a pair she had.”
“This is something borrowed,” Henrietta said as she handed Adeline the two gold hair combs Dorie had worn when she married.
Georgie gave Adeline a reticule that matched her gown. “I knew you had not remembered to have one made.”
Next, her mother entered the chamber carrying a square, velvet-covered box. “I have been keeping these for your wedding day.” She put the box on the toilet table. “They were your great-great-grandmother’s on my side.”
Adeline opened the box and gasped. Inside lay a necklace with loops of pearls interspaced with emeralds and a pair of earrings. “Mama, these are magnificent.”
“My lady, you have to dress,” Fendall reminded Adeline.
Her mother gathered her friends. “I will see you in the chapel.”
“I’ll be downstairs, waiting with your father,” Georgie said.
Fendall made short work of getting Adeline dressed. She met her father and Georgie in the hall. “Where is the chapel? I have not even seen it.”
“There are inner and outer entrances,” Georgie explained. “We are to use the outside entrance today. People are already lining up to see you.” That was something Adeline had not expected. “That means you will have to walk down the aisle instead of coming in from the side, like Dorie did.”
It would be strange to be part of a promenade where she was the sole focus, but... “If I must, I must. I will not keep Frits waiting.”
She took one of her father’s arms and her friend took the other. Creswell bowed. “If you will follow me.”
Georgie had not been exaggerating. People lined the path from the front door around to what had been described as a small chapel, but was much larger than Adeline had expected. As she walked with her father and friend, she saw most of the pews were already full, but her focus was on Frits. He was splendid in a dark blue jacket and breeches, a waistcoat embroidered with silver thread, and a perfectly tied, snowy-white cravat with a large, square, emerald tiepin nestled in the folds.
He smiled broadly as he gazed at her and mouthed, I love you.
I love you too, she mouthed back, and Adeline could swear that most of the women and girls in the church sighed.
When she reached the vicar, the church, which had been a buzz of noise, became so quiet, one could hear oneself breathe. People leaned forward in their seats, and the vicar began the service. She and Frits spoke their vows in clear voices, and when he got to the part about worshipping her body, she could not stop her cheeks from heating, which caused light chuckles from several in the church. Frits slipped on her finger a ring of gold set with a large square emerald that matched his signet ring, and two square diamonds on either side of the emerald. Adeline was amazed that it fit so perfectly.
Finally, they were proclaimed man and wife, and the church broke into cheers.
“I have never seen a wedding like this one,” Georgie Featherton said as they went to the side of the church to sign the register.
“Neither have I,” Adeline admitted.
“Wait until you see the festivities.” Frits handed his wife the pen. She would be the first to sign. “They will go on until late tonight.”
Adeline signed the register and handed the pen back to him. “Are we required to remain until the end?”
“No, we’ll slip away quietly.” Frits signed his name and waited for Miss Featherton and Turley to do the same before placing Adeline’s hand on his arm. “Are you ready to brave our well-wishers?”
She looked as excited as he felt. “Lead on, Husband.”
“I like the sound of that, Wife.” By that time the church had emptied, and their tenants, neighbors, and friends had lined up outside.
The second they stepped out, children started throwing flower petals on the path that wound around the house to the lawn outside of the ballroom, and the adults shouted congratulations.
Long tables had been set up with all sorts food, and two multitiered wedding cakes were set in the middle of each table. Cider and lemonade were on two other tables.
“Look at those cakes.” Adeline’s eyes rounded. “When did your cook have time to bake them?”
“He had help. Ladies and women in the area contributed layers. The wedding of a lord of Littleton really is a community celebration.”
“I can see that.” She glanced toward a woman handing out small bags. “What is that?”
“Wedding gifts from our family to our guests.” Abney approached with large glasses of champagne, and Frits handed one to Adeline. “To us and a long and fruitful marriage.”
Tears blurred her eyes as she lifted her glass to him. “May we always be as happy and in love as we are now.”
“You cannot cry.” He was only partly teasing. He knew the tears were because she was happy, but he couldn’t stand to see a female cry.
“I’m not going to.” She sniffed. “This is so much better than it would have been if we’d wed in Town.”
Men, women, and children started coming up to them, and Frits introduced them to Adeline. He was happy to see that, as she had with their servants, she asked each person questions. Then friends of his and his parents had to meet her. Everyone who was present approved of her. After all the guests had had a chance to wish them happy, they cut the cakes.
Frits held her hand and did his best to appear to amble around. But his target was a small door tucked into the side of the house. Before opening it, he glanced around, making sure no one saw them, then whisked her inside.
Laughing, Adeline reached up and kissed him. “That was well done, my lord.”
“It was, wasn’t it?” He drew her into a longer kiss. “I think it’s time we found our chambers.”
“That in itself will be a surprise.” Her eyes sparkled. “No one would tell me what they looked like.”
Frits hoped it w
ouldn’t be too much of a shock. He led her up a set of secondary stairs normally used by the family to avoid having to go to the hall by the main staircase.
When they reached the second floor, she glanced around. “This is much different from the guest wing.”
“There are not as many rooms, so everything is larger.” Frits used his key to open the door.
“You keep it locked?”
“Only because of my friends, who might decide to play what they think of as a joke.” As a younger man, he’d done his share of wedding pranks and other things to a wedding chamber. “One would hope we’d all grown out of it, but it’s better to be safe than sorry.” He swung the door open to the large bedchamber. “This is it. Your dressing room and parlor are through the door on the right, and mine are through the door on the left.”
At first, Frits held his breath as she looked around the room, but she was taking too long. “What do you think?”
She turned around and smiled. “That I will have plenty of room for the things I like to keep in my bedchamber. It really is set up for two.”
“That’s always how I’ve seen it. I have never been able to allow myself to spread, as it were, to the other side of the room. I knew that one day it would be my wife’s.”
“Hence the empty bookshelf.” Her eyes brimmed with mirth. “And the bedside table, and wall.” She seemed more curious than upset.
He was about to open the door to her sole area when she turned her back to him. “Will you unhook me while I take down my hair?”
“Gladly.” The other parts of their apartments could wait.
Chapter Thirty-Five
Eight weeks later
Frits entered Adeline’s parlor as she finished reading a letter from her sister-in-law. “I am going to ride over to Fitzwalter’s to see how Gertrude is faring. I’d expected her back by now. Would you like to come with me?”
If her husband had not appeared so serious, Adeline would have laughed. For the past two days, he had been going to the stables every few hours to see if the heifer had arrived. “I would. Give me a few minutes to change.”
“My love, shall we take the carriage?”
“I think that would be a good idea.” She adored riding and had been indulging daily, but this morning Fendall and Mrs. Hubbold, the housekeeper, had felt they needed to tell Adeline that she was breeding. Not that she was completely astonished by the news. She simply hadn’t thought of it. Her courses had never been regular. Yet, once the women pointed out that she had all the indications of being in a delicate condition, she realized that her body had been changing. Ergo, she had to give up riding her horse for the next several months.
He had a relieved smile on his face. Had even Frits realized they were going to have a baby?
Once they arrived at Highend Hall, the Fitzwalter estate, they called on Mr. Fitzwalter and his new wife. She and Frits had attended the wedding breakfast, and been part of a few local entertainments with the couple. Both Adeline and Frits had to admit that marriage had improved Miss Tice.
They were welcomed warmly and offered tea. While the former Miss Tice poured, Mr. Fitzwalter asked, “Are you here about Gertrude?”
“I am.” Frits’s forehead creased. “Truthfully, I’d expected her back by now.”
Fitzwalter grinned. “Once we have finished our tea, I’ll take you out to see her.” He picked up a plate of seed cake. “You must try this. My wife brought the recipe with her and is the best I’ve ever tasted.”
Mrs. Fitzwalter colored with pleasure.
Indeed the cake was one of the best seed cakes Adeline had ever had. “May I have the recipe?”
The lady pulled a face. “I wish I could share it with you, but it is a family secret. I only received it when I married.”
“I understand.” Not that her family had secret recipes. None of the ladies had been that domestic. “I will have to visit more often.”
“Well, then.” Fitzwalter rose. “If you are ready, we can visit Gertrude.”
Frits stood and Adeline followed suit, as did Mrs. Fitzwalter. The walk to the field where the cows were kept took a good half hour, but the weather was fine. They reached a fenced-off portion, and Gertrude was there, next to a young bull. Both had their heads down, chewing grass.
Adeline watched as they stopped every so often and rubbed their heads together. “Good heavens.”
“I’ve never seen such a docile bull,” Frits remarked. “Where did you get him?”
“From a gentleman farmer,” Fitzwalter replied. “The bull’s mother died, and instead of putting him with another cow, his daughters started to hand-feed the calf. Soon, they were making daisy chains for him and leading him around like a dog. To make a long story short, he became too tame.”
“When we saw him,” his wife said, “and after what John told me about Gertrude, I suggested we buy him as company for her.”
Fitzwalter nodded and put his arm around his wife. “It was an extremely clever idea. She made a chain of herbs and grasses to hang around both their necks, and they became fast friends. To our delight, last week, they decided to take things further. I expect we’ll have a calf late next spring.”
“I never would have believed it.” Frits shook his head. “I suppose she’s all yours now.”
“You’re not the only one.” Fitzwalter laughed. “My father said we were full of nonsense, but he’s had to admit he was wrong.”
Having met Lord Fitzwalter, Adeline could imagine the older man’s chagrin. Then she took a good look at the bull. “Is he a Friesian, by any chance?”
“You’ve a good eye, my lady,” Fitzwalter said. “He is indeed.”
“Could you give us the name and direction of the farmer? We have been discussing the breed.” She would not say more than that.
“Of course.”
She wrote it down in her pocketbook, and the four of them made their way back to the house.
“Speaking of clever ideas,” Frits said after they’d left Highend. “Yours was ingenious.”
“Thank you. We can try the milk from the Friesian without having to journey to Holland.” Now that she knew she was carrying, Adeline did not wish to travel.
“Indeed.” He nodded thoughtfully. “And next year we will be able to sample the milk from the cross between our cows and the Friesian.”
“Still, the most important thing is that Gertrude is happy.” Adeline had been almost as concerned as Frits about the heifer.
“Yes.” He glanced at her and grinned. “I almost forgot. I received a letter this morning from my shipyard manager that Mrs. Rymer has settled in, and he and his wife will keep a close eye on her.”
“That is excellent.” Adeline and Frits had set up an account for the woman to draw upon, but decided staying away from her would be the best thing for her. One never knew if they were being watched. “Eugénie wrote to me, saying that Mr. Rymer is on his way to England.”
“That’s even better news.” Frits’s look was so happy and contented, Adeline felt as if her heart could not contain its joy.
She touched her stomach. Their life was turning out exactly the way they both wanted it to.
AUTHOR’S NOTES
I hope you enjoyed Littleton and Adeline’s story.
If you read Enticing Miss Eugénie Villaret, book 5 in The Marriage Game, you will already have been introduced to Eugénie and Will Wivenly. England ended the slave trade in 1807 under the Slave Trade Act. In 1808, the British navy established the West Africa Squadron, whose job it was to stop the transportation of slaves. These efforts were hindered by other countries that had not yet stopped the trade. It was not until 1833, under the Slavery Abolition Act, that they forced the slave owners in their colonies to free the slaves by paying the former owners the equivalent of twenty million British pounds over a period of years. As I state in the book, if a slave left the British West Indies and went to England, Wales, or Scotland, they were automatically free. However, if they returned to the West Indies,
they could be enslaved again. Interestingly, if a slave from another Caribbean island managed to make it to one of the British islands, they were considered free. The British West Indies were the only islands that did not require legal or court documents proving the person’s freedom.
There really was a smuggling trade between the Danish islands and the British ones. No one knows how many slaves were actually smuggled in to the British West Indies, but if it was discovered that a slave had been, the person was automatically freed. Slaves also had certain rights, among them to be treated well. In 1811, a slave owner was convicted and hanged for murdering one of his slaves.
It is true to this day that under English law, a marriage that is legal in the country in which it is performed, it is legal in England. The only exception is having multiple wives (or husbands).
All the extramarital activity in this book did occur in the upper and lower classes. The Regency has been described as the 1970s but far, far laxer. Except for well-bred young ladies, of course. The middle class was much more moral in its views and looked down upon adultery or extramarital sex.
Weddings were very different then than they are now. Betrothal rings did exist, but they were also used as wedding rings. Brides did not walk down the aisle, nor was there a large, invited presence for the wedding in church. Usually, only the bride and groom’s parents or guardians and their witnesses attended. However, anyone could come in and watch. The wedding breakfast was the huge celebration. Additionally, the bride would wear a gown that could be worn again later.
As always, if you have any questions or comments, please feel free to contact me. If you enjoyed the book, I’d love it if you joined my Facebook group: The Worthingtons. If you are interested in all things Regency, I monitor a group called Regency Romance Fans.
