“I’ll go down and speak to the cook right now,” Gillian replied. “Is there anything in particular you want?”
“Just whatever is quick and available,” she replied.
Gillian nodded her head and left the room straight away. Madeline walked over to the window and looked out, but there wasn’t much to see in the evening darkness. The meeting with Robert unnerved her and she shuddered as she played it over in her mind. She was both scared and excited by the prospect of her first real sexual encounter and knew it wouldn’t be long in coming. There was a wedding to worry about before that and she wished her parents were with her. She couldn’t have made her sick mother travel so many miles and knew her father needed to stay at home and look after her. It made her feel alone and when Gillian brought her the food she sat and ate it then changed out of her clothes to her nightdress and lay down on the bed.
She needed to rest before the trials and tribulations of the following day, but nodding off proved difficult as the events of the last few hours remained on her mind. Tiredness finally crept over her and as her eyelids drooped, she drifted off to a fitful sleep.
FIVE
Madeline was awake long before the early morning light began to filter through the curtains on the window. She lay thinking about what the day was going to bring, but it only made her nervous and she tried to clear her mind and get some more rest. Her head was still on the pillows when the knock on the door came. The intrusions seemed to be a normal part of life in the mansion and she guessed she would just have to get used to them.
“Come in,” she shouted when the second knock came.
“I didn’t wake you up did I?” Gillian said when she opened the door and stepped inside. “Mr. Cortege said I should come and help you get ready for the wedding.”
“No, I was awake,” Madeline told her as she sat up in the bed.
She watched as Gillian moved across to a table and put down the tray she was carrying. The smell of coffee and toast wafted across the room and made her feel hungry, so she got up and walked across to help herself. The coffee pot was lifted before her hand got to it.
“I can look after myself,” she said and couldn’t help laughing.
“It’s my job,” Gillian replied. “If Mr. Cortege sees you doing it yourself, he might reprimand me.”
“He isn’t here though,” Madeline pointed out.
“You might tell him,” the servant girl went on.
Madeline shook her head and laughed again.
“OK, OK,” she said and sat at the table. “I’ll let you get on with your job, but if I do something myself I promise not to tell Mr. Cortege. From what I’ve seen of him the rumors of his abrasive temperament are just that…, rumors.”
Gillian looked around nervously.
“From what I’ve heard since I started here there is some truth in them,” she said. “Not that I want to tell tales about my employer.”
Madeline remembered the darkening of Robert’s mood the previous evening when she didn’t obey his orders straight away. She guessed that a man used to getting what he wanted wouldn’t take kindly to being challenged and wondered what that meant for her marriage. Not that she was looking to defy him, but on the other hand she wasn’t sure she would happily just do everything he told her. She shrugged the thoughts aside as she accepted a cup of coffee from Gillian.
“What time is it?” she asked.
“It was just after ten in the morning when I came up the stairs,” Gillian told her. “You need to eat up and we can get your preparations for the day started.”
Madeline nodded her head, but didn’t rush her breakfast. Her stomach was already churning with apprehension, but she managed to get the toast and coffee down. By the time she finished, the shower was already running and she walked through to the bathroom. The jets of water pounded on her naked skin and she stood under them for a while before actually picking up a bar of soap to wash herself. It was a refreshing way to start the day and she felt good when she finally stepped out from under the water. She picked up a towel to dry herself then wrapped it around her body.
When she stepped back in the bedroom, Gillian went to turn off the water before returning. The servant girl then walked to the wardrobe and opened the drawer at the bottom. She picked out silk underwear and petticoats and moved to hand then over.
Madeline took them and liked the feel of the material when she stroked her fingers on it. The silk garments were more comfortable that her usual panties and bras and when she caught sight of herself in a full length mirror, she liked the appearance they gave her. She put on the petticoats and moved across to sit at the dressing table. Gillian came up behind her and used a fresh towel on her hair as she spoke.
“You must be a bit nervous about today.”
Madeline stared in the mirror and nodded her head. A bit nervous didn’t even come close to describing how she was feeling.
“But excited too?” Gillian went on as she reached down for a brush on the dressing table.
“Yes,” Madeline replied.
She watched in the mirror as her hair was brushed and it just felt strange that she wasn’t doing it herself. Her stomach was churning even more with nerves and as she glanced down at her trembling hands, she suspected she wouldn’t have done a good job of making her hair look pretty anyway. Gillian kept using the brush before picking up pins and clasps from the dressing table to create a gorgeous up-style that Madeline definitely knew she would never have managed on her own.
“Where did you learn to do that?” she asked as she turned her head from side to side.
“My mother works as a beautician for a very rich lady,” Gillian replied, “She taught me a few tricks. Turn around and I’ll do your makeup.”
Madeline did as she was asked and closed her eyes while the servant girl worked. It was almost twenty minutes before her makeup was finished, but by the time she looked in the mirror again she could barely recognize herself.
“Wow,” she said and almost let out a laugh. “Is that really me?”
“Do you like the look?” Gillian asked.
“It’s…, it’s perfect,” Madeline replied.
It was definitely the prettiest she’d ever looked and it gave her some confidence. Not enough to take away the butterflies in her stomach though.
“Come and try on your dress,” Gillian went on.
She walked over to the wardrobe and brought out a white dress. Madeline moved beside her and stared at the long gown she would be wearing. The strapless top looked tight and would cling to her curves, while the bottom flared out to a ruffled style that was decorated with beaded petals.
“It must have cost a fortune,” she said almost to herself.
“See if it fits,” Gillian encouraged her.
She helped Madeline put on the dress and fussed around to check the size. There were a few minor adjustments required to get it fitting perfectly and she quickly attended to these once the dress was back in her hands.
Madeline sat and watched the work being done then tried on the dress again when it was given back to her. She ran her hands over the material as she moved to the mirror to look at her reflection. It seemed unbelievable that she was staring at herself, but the gorgeous girl in the beautiful dress staring back was definitely her.
“Not the plain girl in town now,” she murmured under her breath and a smile spread across her face.
“Mr. Cortege is going to love you,” Gillian commented. “You look absolutely gorgeous.”
The smile disappeared from Madeline’s face at the mention of love. The truth was that she was marrying a relative stranger and she wondered if love would really blossom between her and Robert. Her mind went back to the previous evening. There was no doubt he lusted after her and she’d responded to that in a way that surprised her. She liked the way he looked at her naked body, but she knew at the end of what was going to a long wedding day he would be doing more than just looking. The mixture of emotions welled up at the thought of i
t and she tried to clear her mind.
She continued to stare at herself in the mirror and didn’t notice Gillian taking a box from the wardrobe. When the servant girl moved up behind her, she became aware of her presence and watched as the small floral headdress was secured in place. It was a nice final touch and she looked across the room towards the sound of the knocking on the door.
“Ready?” Gillian asked.
“No,” Madeline answered with a rueful grin.
She took a last look at herself in the mirror before stepping in the shoes that were brought to her then walking to the door. It was time to go and she tried to compose herself before opening the door and stepping out to the hallway. Gillian stayed by her side as they made their way along it then down the staircase to the ground floor. She didn’t know quite what to expect and just followed the instructions given to her. It led her out to the carriage she arrived at the mansion in the previous day. It was decked out in flowers and the driver looked resplendent in his finest livery. He helped her up into the back and she glanced back at the house to see the servants standing watching. It was nerve wracking to be under so much scrutiny, but she suspected that it would only get worse as the day progressed.
She tried to calm herself as the journey started. It lasted around ten minutes and she saw the spire of the church as they approached it. Only the minister was waiting outside when the carriage stopped. He opened the door and helped her get down.
“Mr. Cortege asked me to meet you,” he said and smiled.
Madeline settled her hand on the arm held out to her and they walked towards the entrance. She tried to prepare herself for what was to come, but the large crowd of people sitting in the church interior was a surprise to her. Robert obviously pushed out the boat for their wedding and it looked like half the town had been invited to come and see them get married. The sight of them sent a jolt of apprehension through her and this increased tenfold when the organist started playing. It was the signal for her arrival and she saw the heads turning to look in her direction. She was suddenly the center of attention, with all eyes on her and the quiet murmur of voices filled the church.
She clutched the arm of the minister tighter as she tensed and looked at him as he patted her hand. There was a calm smile on his face, but it did little to keep down her jangling nerves. Being in the spotlight was an unfamiliar position for her and one she wasn’t sure she liked that much. Her legs trembled as she was led down the aisle towards the altar and she kept her gaze fixed straight ahead.
Robert was virtually the only person she knew in the church and when she saw him watching her, she kept her eyes on him. The smart suit he was wearing sat well on his muscular frame and the smile on his face gave him an even more handsome appearance. The flicker of attraction was there and she found herself thinking about the previous evening again. She’d found out the excitement of being with a man that wanted her and a shiver rippled through her body.
The music came to a stop when she reached Robert’s side and he reached out to take his hand. The tingle of anticipation came on as he held her fingers gently and she fixed her gaze on his and smiled. The next hour or so seemed to rush past in a blur as the ceremony took place.
Madeline automatically repeated the words that the minister said and was transfixed as she watched Robert do the same. By the time she was standing at the front of the church again and posing for a photo with her new husband, she could barely even remember saying I do or their first kiss. When the photographer moved away, they kissed again and she blushed as a cheer went up from the surrounding crowd.
Robert then led her back to the carriage and helped her up into it. He got in beside her and reached for her hand as the driver urged the horse on.
“So how does it feel to be Mrs. Cortege?” he asked with a grin.
In truth, it felt weird and unreal like she was in a dream that she would eventually wake up from, but she wasn’t about to tell him that.
“It’s wonderful,” she said.
He let go of her hand and put his hand on her knee to squeeze it. The memory of him doing the same thing on the carriage ride the previous day came in her mind. On that journey she was still Madeline Harper, an unmarried small town girl with little real experience of life. Now she was the wife of a wealthy businessman and the mistress of a huge mansion. It was a monumental change that she wasn’t sure she would cope with and she turned to look at her new husband.
“What happens now?” she asked him.
“Now we party to celebrate becoming man and wife,” he said and squeezed her knee again.
Madeline settled back in the carriage to try and relax. It was difficult considering she could make out the warmth of Robert’s hand on her leg through her wedding dress. It was an innocent enough touch, but she wanted to squirm as the thought of his fingers sliding up her thigh came in her head. She knew it wouldn’t be long before that actually happened for real and she was both scared of the moment arriving and looking forward to it as well. The mix of emotions was confusing and she tried to clear them from her mind.
“Get a grip,” she muttered under her breath.
“What?” Robert asked.
Madeline tensed as she realized she’d been heard and wracked her mind for an excuse.
“Oh…, I asked where we are going,” she finally said after a slight hesitation.
The lie brought a blush of red to her face and she cast her gaze down to the floor of the carriage to try and hide it.
“I arranged for a banquet hall in the town’s best hotel,” he replied. “We’ll stay for a few hours to celebrate then go home in the early evening.”
The breath caught in Madeline’s throat as the words brought her mind back to her wedding night and losing her virginity. She tried to think about something else, but what was in store for her later in the day remained in her head for the rest of the short journey. When they arrived at their destination, the hotel manager was waiting for them. He moved up to the side of the carriage and helped them down.
“Everything is ready Mr. Cortege,” he said.
Robert nodded and they followed the manager inside the impressive entrance to the building. He led the way along to a large hall that was beautifully decorated with floral arrangements. The place appeared huge and Madeline wondered just how many people were invited to the reception. It wasn’t long before she started to find out as the hall began to fill up with those from the church and more. The manager waited around thirty minutes or so after their arrival to give everyone a chance to get there before asking for the guests to take a seat.
It set in motion the hotel staff to serve a meal and Madeline sat at the top table by Robert and watched the proceedings. She was glad when the wine was served and quickly emptied a glass. Her intention wasn’t to get drunk and she wanted to keep her wits about her, but she needed some Dutch courage to get her through the reception and on to her wedding night.
When the meal was finished, she watched as the manager uncorked a bottle of champagne and served her and her new husband. He led the way with a toast to the happy couple before Robert got to his feet.
“First of all I’d like to thank you all for coming,” he started. “This is a big day for myself and my new wife and we’d like to get our married life off to the happiest of starts.” A grin spread across his face. ”But before you all indulge yourself at my expense, I would ask you to make another toast to the most beautiful woman in the room.”
Self consciousness washed over Madeline as Robert turned to her and lifted his glass.
“To Mrs. Cortege,” he said and raised the glass of champagne he was holding to his lips to take a drink.
The others in the room repeated the toast and Robert hauled Madeline to her feet to kiss her. The flush of embarrassment came on again that everyone in the room was watching them, but she tried to keep herself calm. When they sat down again a band began to play and the cry went up for them to be the first ones on the small dance floor. Madeline felt all the mor
e self conscious as she became the center of attention yet again. She was helped to her feet and they moved across the room.
Robert swept her up in his arms when they moved on the dance floor and a shudder rippled through her as his muscular body pressed on hers. His hand settled on her lower back and as they moved around to the music it slid lower. She rested her head on his muscular chest and could make out his rapid heartbeat matching her own. They were on the dance floor alone for only a minute or two, but Madeline barely noticed when other couples began to dance.
Robert’s hand on her lower back held her firmly against him as he led her around the dance floor. When they eventually moved back to their seats, her heartbeat was still racing and she played the dutiful wife as she was introduced to guest after guest. Some more alcohol went down well and helped her to relax as she chatted with people. Most were friendly and welcoming although as the afternoon ran into early evening, the crowd of well-wishers around them thinned out until they were sitting alone watching the revelry taking place around them.
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