‘My lady is waiting for you, sir,’ she said, with what looked like a far-too-knowing expression.
‘Thank you, Annie,’ Jonathan said. ‘You may retire for the night. You won’t be required again.’
Once the maid had bobbed her curtsy and vanished up to the attic where her room was, Jonathan walked to his wife’s dressing room and knocked gently.
‘Come in,’ she said.
Jonathan heard an unmistakable tremor in her voice. Was it timidity or desire that caused the quivering? He burned to find out. He entered and closed the door behind him.
Aurelia was standing as she always did, in the centre of the carpet in her bedroom. She was dressed in the flowing white peignoir under which he could see the folds of her nightgown. He was pleased to notice her hair was still piled on top of her head as he had requested.
‘Good evening, Mrs Harcourt.’
She returned his greeting and, although her voice trembled still, her cheeks were as pink as her lips and her eyes were bright. Her brow furrowed.
‘You’re still dressed,’ she said in surprise.
Jonathan stepped a little closer to her. ‘Yes, I am,’ he said quietly. ‘I hoped tonight you might assist me in preparing for bed.’
‘You want me to undress you?’ she asked in astonishment. Her eyes grew wider. Jonathan did not consider the request so outlandish, but perhaps it was.
‘Do you object?’ he asked, conscious that he might be committing an awful faux pas. Perhaps this was something men did not ask of their wives.
‘No... Only I’m not sure where to begin.’
Jonathan walked up to her and took her hand. ‘Well...perhaps you could start with my shirt,’ he murmured placing her hands on his chest, either side of the row of buttons. His heart thumped and he wondered if she could feel the steady rhythm in her palms.
She gave him a shy smile and bit the corner of her lip, then slowly slid her hands to his collar. Jonathan held his breath as every nerve in his body stood to attention. Silently Aurelia began to undo the buttons, starting at the top and working her way down. Her head was bent forward and the pearl-tipped comb glinted in the candlelight, catching Jonathan’s eye. Now that he was closer to her, Jonathan could see that it was not alone in restraining her hair. Deftly, he reached out and plucked one of the many small ivory pins from the number that held Aurelia’s hair in place. A lock of hair sagged to one side.
Aurelia paused, clearly startled by what Jonathan had done. She looked up at him, pausing in her task, and Jonathan could barely contain the lust that hammered through him when her gaze fell on him. Such innocence shone in her eyes. He held the pin up and grinned boldly.
‘What should I do?’ she asked.
‘Keep going,’ Jonathan urged. He was finding it hard to concentrate on speaking. ‘There are still some buttons to undo.’
She resumed her task, but this time, she kept her eyes fixed upon Jonathan, her gaze never leaving his. Every time she undid a button, he plucked out another hairpin. When she reached the lowest button that she could see, she stopped. Her fingers brushed against the waistband of his trousers. Jonathan put his hand over hers to stop her. If she touched him any lower than that, he would not be able to hold back any longer. Already he felt close to erupting and they hadn’t even touched properly.
In fact, what was he waiting for? Aurelia had already proven that she was willing and showing more interest in him tonight than he had seen before.
‘What happens now?’ she asked, looking down at their hands.
‘Now this happens,’ Jonathan breathed.
And kissed her.
Their previous kisses paled into insignificance. Greys and browns compared to this palette of colours. He kissed her and she was kissing him back eagerly, lips crushing against his with a passion he had never encountered in her before. A passion he had not realised he was capable of. He should never have left it so long.
He took her face between his hands, holding her close. His fingers slipped into her hair and he tugged the comb free. The edifice that Annie had so painstakingly created came tumbling down around Aurelia’s shoulders. Jonathan reached deeper into the mass of waves, twining his fingers to bring her closer.
‘I want you,’ he panted, taking her around the waist and tugging her peignoir. He felt her fingers slip beneath his shirt as she began to slide it down his arms. Releasing her briefly, he shrugged it off, tearing it from his waistband and let it drop to the floor beside her peignoir. Aurelia slipped her arms around his shoulders and he lifted her into his arms, carrying her to the bed.
He tugged back the coverlet and laid Aurelia down. She stared up at him. Her face was flushed and her lips reddened from their kiss. He stripped off his remaining clothes and Aurelia’s eyes widened. It struck Jonathan that this was the first time he had been completely naked in front of her.
‘I want to see you, too,’ he whispered. ‘All of you.’
She nodded. He climbed on to the bed and knelt at her feet, then began to slide his hands up her calves, gathering the folds of cotton and raising them inch by inch, moving up between her legs as he did. He stretched out alongside her and pressed the length of his body against the length of hers, savouring the warmth of her body, the muscles of her thighs and the softness of her breasts.
He kissed her again, trailing his fingers slowly down between her breasts and over her taut belly until his hand came to rest against the jutting curve of her hip bone. He was ready for her. He would hazard a guess that, from the tone of her complexion and the way she lolled back, legs splayed and eyes heavy, she was ready to receive him.
‘I will make it as quick as I can,’ he whispered. The same thing he always said in an attempt to make her duty less gruelling, but this time, instead of nodding as she always did, she put her hand to his chest.
‘You don’t have to.’ She spread her fingers wide, causing Jonathan’s limbs to become molten iron. She drew herself up and put her lips close to Jonathan’s ear. ‘I don’t want it to be quick.’
‘Are you sure?’ he asked.
She slid her hand down between them, fingertips skimming across his belly and back up again.
‘Very sure. I want you to take as long as you want.’
She lay back and looked up at him with eyes full of passion. Jonathan hesitated, before deciding that he would use every ounce of control he possessed to take her at her word.
* * *
Afterwards, they lay together covered in Aurelia’s counterpane. Aurelia’s head fitted into the crook of Jonathan’s arm, a soothing heaviness that was causing him to drift in and out of sleep. Jonathan should have returned to his own room as soon as the weakening throes of climax had subsided. He always did that as he had promised, but somehow he could not bring himself to do it just yet and guilt of outstaying his welcome had begun to gnaw at him.
Aurelia was sleeping, making soft noises in the back of her throat. Jonathan wondered if she always did.
He closed his eyes and began to drift off, a wide smile on his face that seemed to spread throughout his body, warming him at the memory. He craned his head to look down at Aurelia. Her face was serene now and it would be all too satisfying to just lie here a little longer. He wanted to stay, but he’d promised she would not have to share a bed with him. Whatever enjoyment they had both taken from their encounter, he owed it to her to keep his word. Reluctantly he eased his arm out from beneath her head. She opened her eyes.
‘Where are you going?’ she asked sleepily.
‘Back to my room.’ Jonathan climbed out of the bed and tucked the counterpane around her. He laid her nightgown on the top. For the briefest of moments he contemplated kissing her. ‘I was trying not to wake you.’
‘You didn’t wake me, I wasn’t asleep.’
Jonathan thought about contradicting her, but what would be the reason?
‘Please will you blow the candle out in my dressing room as you go?’ she asked, stretching and stifling a yawn.
It was a clear dismissal. A bitter taste filled Jonathan’s throat. Of course she wanted him to leave. Even after such rare intimacy. Why had he imagined even for a moment that she wouldn’t?
‘Of course.’
Aurelia pulled the nightgown to her and disappeared under the covers, only to emerge a moment later modestly clothed. She sat up and stared at Jonathan as he gathered his clothes, hands folded in her lap. Seeing her demurely dressed after the way she had shown such abandonment when naked was a clear signal that the two parts of their life were distinct. He felt a prickle down his back, conscious of her eyes on him, and dressed with his back to her.
‘Is something wrong?’ Aurelia asked.
Nothing was wrong. It had been the most satisfyingly, exhilaratingly, exhausting night of Jonathan’s life. What they had done and the ways and places they had touched each other had been wild, almost animalistic. He grew short of breath as he remembered the breathy, high-pitched gasps that Aurelia had made while he sank himself into her, deeper and slower than ever before. Her face had contorted and he’d feared she was in pain, but when he slowed and tried to pull out she had wrapped her legs and arms tightly about him and refused to release him and he’d yielded willingly to the ecstasy.
He was ashamed now to think of it.
‘I’m sorry,’ he said, straightening and turning to face her. ‘What I asked of you before was... Well, it was different to what I’ve asked before. I treated you like...’
He stopped before he insulted her and shook his head.
‘I liked it,’ Aurelia said. She climbed out of bed and stood before him. ‘It was different, but I liked what we did. What you did. How it made me feel.’
‘Really?’
‘Yes. Do you think I shouldn’t have?’ She wrinkled her brow.
‘I think you should,’ Jonathan said. He couldn’t measure the relief that filled him. ‘I think we both should.’
‘That’s good.’ She looked relieved.
‘Goodnight, Mrs Harcourt, sleep well,’ he answered, taking her hand. She held on to it and when he looked at her questioningly she gave him a nervous smile.
‘I think after what we’ve just done it would be proper if you called me Aurelia,’ she murmured.
Jonathan filled with elation. It was such a small gesture, yet meant so much. ‘Then I am Jonathan from now on. Yes?’
‘Yes, Jonathan,’ she said.
He walked to the door and looked behind him. Aurelia was already lying back down, nestling back beneath the counterpane. He let himself out and closed the door softly. He held on to the handle and leaned his head against the panel of the door.
‘Goodnight, Aurelia,’ he whispered before making his way back to his room and his cold, solitary bed.
* * *
‘The weather looks set to stay dry today. I was wondering if you would care to join me for a walk around the mill site this morning?’
Jonathan put his hand on Aurelia’s shoulder and looked down at her. Aurelia tried to hide her astonishment at his words. The intimate touch was less of a surprise as they had grown increasingly physical with each other in the two weeks since the night they had dined with Edward. The night that Jonathan had decided, seemingly on a whim, to make changes to their lovemaking. The night he had knocked on her door and asked her to undress him.
Welcomed changes, of course. There was a passion in their lovemaking now that had not existed up until that night. He had seemed reluctant to touch her and she had ascribed that to his indifference to marriage, but he was being quick out of consideration for her, wishing to spare her the indignity of intercourse. It showed a sweetness in his nature that was endearing. But how fortunate he had accidentally revealed it and how fortunate she felt daring enough to correct his misapprehension.
Now that they both acknowledged the attraction they felt for each other, their nights together were much more adventurous and fulfilling. Jonathan regularly knocked at her door in various states of dress and Aurelia waited for him likewise. Last night, for example, she had removed her dress and shift, but kept on her corset and underclothes. Jonathan had barely closed the door behind him before he was upon her, desperately attempting to unlace it. His fingers had been fumbling, unused to the tiny hooks and laces, and the frustration that built because of the delay had only increased their longing and the satisfaction when they finally coupled.
She took a sip of coffee from the cup that had been halfway to her mouth when he had spoken, then placed it carefully in the saucer.
‘Unless you have other plans for today,’ Jonathan continued.
He was watching expectantly, eyes alert. Aurelia tried to comprehend what might have brought about this new change in him. The intimacy had stayed firmly in the realm of lovemaking, however, so, whatever his reasons for inviting her today, she welcomed the indication that he wanted to share a little more of his life with her.
As Edward had indicated, there was a capacity for affection within her husband, she believed, and if she had the opportunity to install herself into another part of his life she would not pass it up.
‘I would like that very much,’ she said. ‘My sisters are coming here for afternoon tea, so the morning would be most convenient if that suits you. I have to spend an hour with Mrs Barnes to plan menus for the week and I need to give Sarah another lesson in dusting every part of the room.’
Jonathan grinned, causing the corners of his eyes to wrinkle appealingly. ‘Shall I expect you to meet me at the factory gates with your bucket and dusters?’
Aurelia laughed at the reference to their first meeting. ‘Do you think all married couples share such strange memories?’
‘I don’t know what most marriages are like,’ Jonathan said. ‘My experience of them is very limited.’ The merriment in his eyes faded and Aurelia felt a rush of anger towards the father who had left his son with such a terrible view of life.
‘In any case, I don’t expect you to clean my house, Aurelia,’ he said.
‘I know that,’ she reassured him. ‘But now it is my house, too, and I still want to take everything in hand. There is a lot of work to be done.’
‘Speaking of which,’ Jonathan said, ‘I should be going.’
He drained his coffee cup and walked to the door. As he passed Aurelia he paused beside her and touched her shoulder once again, letting his hand linger as he looked down into her eyes.
‘I hope you slept well last night.’
She smiled up at him, feeling a blush stirring at the back of her neck. They never referred directly to the nights and the acts they committed together outside the confines of Aurelia’s bedroom and Jonathan never stayed once it was over. As soon as he had recovered his strength and composure he rolled out of Aurelia’s arms, dressed in whatever clothing he had discarded and returned to his own room.
As they had both agreed before they wedded, their marriage was strictly split into two halves and the intercourse was for one purpose alone: to get Aurelia with child. It was a happy accident that it turned out to be so pleasurable. Jonathan’s eyes might tell the story of the passion that passed between them, but still he left her to sleep alone each night.
Aurelia knew she shouldn’t mind. After all, the condition had been one that she had put in place and which he had readily agreed to, but more than once she had fallen asleep with a memory of him in her arms and his scent upon her skin, then dreamed that he had stayed with her until morning. Those mornings in particular felt empty. Aurelia never felt the day truly began until she and Jonathan met at breakfast and sat together, drinking coffee. It was a small indication of how used to marriage she was and how she had come to value Jonathan’s presence in her life.
‘Come to the gate for ten,’ he said. ‘I will wait there for you.’
<
br /> Aurelia drank her coffee and poured another cup, thinking of everything she had to do. She buttered another piece of toast, but ate without enthusiasm. Her appetite this morning was not as great as usual and she hoped she was not sickening for something. Her fears seemed to be justified because her discussion with Mrs Barnes about the week’s menu and the preparations that must begin for Christmas fare left Aurelia feeling nauseous to the point that she had to sip a glass of mint tea and lie on her couch for a quarter-hour before she felt well enough to meet Jonathan.
* * *
Jonathan was waiting for her at the gate as he had promised. He was speaking to a tall man, but when he saw her he shook the man’s hand, clasped him on the shoulder and came over to admit Aurelia. She walked through the gate and into the small yard set with large cobbles. A group of four boys, all dressed in identical grey shirts and breeches, were busily heaving crates on to a flat wagon.
‘They are heading for the canal at Manchester,’ Jonathan explained. ‘From there to London. Let’s go down to the riverside. I’ll just fetch my coat. Are you warm enough?’
Aurelia pulled her fur-trimmed cape closer around herself and adjusted her hat. The rain had stayed away, but so had the sun and the frost had not yet melted off the railings and walls. She was a little chilly, though the crisp air had helped her to stop feeling nauseous.
Jonathan dashed inside one of the doors, presumably the office he shared with Edward. Aurelia gazed around her at the high walls of the mill which she had only seen from a distance. Even from outside the thick brick building she could hear the clattering and thrumming of machinery. Inside it must be deafening and she had no wish to go any closer.
‘Don’t you find it makes your head ache?’ she asked Jonathan when he returned.
Jonathan shrugged. ‘I’m so used to it that I barely remember it was ever different. Shall we go?’
The Silk Merchant's Convenient Wife Page 13
