The Viscount's Runaway Bride (Marriage by Bargain Book 1)

by Ruth Ann Nordin

  “Nervous? Why?”

  She shrugged. “I don’t know.”

  It was a lie, but there was no way she could tell him that she had no idea how to act. No one had taught her what to do after she became a wife.

  “Do you regret marrying me?” Anthony asked, his voice soft.

  “No,” she quickly assured him. “Do you regret marrying me?”

  He shook his head. “I don’t. I probably should since we married in haste. But I don’t.”

  Sensing his honesty, she relaxed, and in doing so, she decided she could open up to him, at least a little bit. “I lied to you. I do know why I’m nervous. I have no idea how to act. Now that we are married, I don’t know who I’m supposed to be.”

  “Is that all?” He smiled. “Just be yourself.”

  That would be an easy thing to do if she knew who she was.

  He rose to his feet and held his hand out to her. “It looks like we’re both ready. We’ll have something to eat before we leave.”

  She accepted his hand and stood up. She thought he was going to let go of her hand, but he brought her closer to him and gave her a kiss. Though it was a soft kiss, she detected the underlying passion in it, which was reminiscent of the previous evening. Even after they’d shared a night together, he still desired her. That was nice. And very unexpected. So she hadn’t lost his interest after satisfying him.

  “Our marriage will be what we make of it,” he whispered. “Together, we will determine if it’ll be a good one or not, and I want you to know I’m committed to doing everything I can to make it the best it can be.”

  “I’m committed to doing that, too.”

  “So we have nothing to worry about.” He lowered his head and kissed her again. “Are you ready to see your estate?”

  “Yes.”

  “Good because I’m looking forward to spending the entire winter alone with you.”

  Her nerves easing, she helped him get their things ready to put into a carriage.

  Chapter Five

  It wasn’t until they were out of the small town that Anthony remembered his wife hadn’t brought any clothes except for the outfit she currently wore. Minus the comb, her valise had contained nothing but money.

  Ending their kiss, he cupped the side of her face with his hand and said, “I think we should stop at another inn for the night.”

  Her eyebrows furrowed. “I thought we agreed we’d go to your estate tonight.”

  “Well, yes, we did. It’s just that you only have one dress. If we stop at the next town, there’s bound to be a shop where we can get you more things to wear.” He wasn’t sure how many dresses they’d have since it was bound to be less than what they’d have in London, but even one or two new dresses were better than none.

  “You said you have a sister who’s my age.”

  Not sure where she was going with this, he nodded.

  “Are any of her dresses at the estate?” she asked.

  His eyes lit up with understanding. “Yes. Lots of them.”

  “Then why don’t I borrow hers? I don’t mind asking her permission.”

  “She’s staying in London through the winter. It’ll be just the two of us.”

  “In that case, it’d be a waste to buy more dresses, wouldn’t it?”

  He thought over her argument and decided she was right. Celia was a little shorter than her, but he thought she’d be able to fit them. “I suppose that will work. I should tell you though,” he added, “that I have plenty of money. You might have assumed I was a gentleman without means since you offered me money in return for marrying you, but the truth is, I have more than enough. When we go to London next year, I insist you get an entire wardrobe of your own dresses.”

  “Since you insist, I’ll do it.” She gave him a smile and squeezed his hand. “I promise.”

  Good. Now that the matter had been resolved, he didn’t have to feel guilty about putting her through such a long day’s journey. The day was going to be exhausting enough for him, but with her being a lady, it was bound to be even more so. His sister, after all, usually spent the entire way complaining about how miserable she was.

  He was surprised Damara hadn’t already mentioned something about how bumpy the ride was, how the constant swaying back and forth upset her stomach, or how time seemed to go slower and slower with each mile. Truth be told, it was a pleasant change.

  “Are you disappointed I won’t get dresses today?” Damara asked, breaking him out of his thoughts.

  Surprised, he turned his gaze back to her. “No. Why did you think I was disappointed?”

  She shrugged. “You didn’t go back to kissing me.”

  “I was just remembering my sister. She hates carriage rides.” When her eyebrows furrowed, he chuckled and brought her into his arms. “It was all the talk about her dresses that made me think of her. It had nothing to do with you.” Sensing she needed further reassurance, he kissed her. “You definitely haven’t disappointed me.”

  She relaxed against him and smiled, as if his answer had relieved her of unnecessary guilt. He wasn’t sure what to make of her strange reaction. He was certain there was a reason for it, but without knowing her better, he couldn’t even begin to guess what it was.

  He lowered his head and kissed her again, this time letting his lips linger on hers. Yes, the carriage would hit a bump in the road from time to time, and yes, the carriage was swaying from side to side, but in all honesty, he wasn’t going to let those things deter him from kissing her. He was enjoying it far too much, even if it did make his body ache to do more.

  When they arrived at the estate, he’d take her to his bed, and he’d be able to be more intimately entwined with her then. For now, he’d have to bide his time. There was no better way, however, to bide his time than kissing her. And so, that was exactly what he kept doing.

  ***

  When they arrived at the estate, Damara could only make out an outline of the manor. If the moon had been brighter, she might have made out some of its details, but as it was, it seemed to loom in front of her like an imposing structure. Much like the one she’d left only days ago.

  With a shake of her head, she forced the thought from her mind. This wasn’t her parents’ estate. It belonged to Anthony. And because of that, she had nothing to dread here.

  She turned her attention back to him. He was asleep. She couldn’t blame him. The day had been a long one, and they hadn’t slept much the night before. She should be asleep, too. Or at the very least, she should be sleepy. But she was wide-awake.

  There was too much happening for her to sleep. All in the span of two days, she’d been able to escape, find a husband, and come to a place where she would be secure. All of her problems were behind her. She would have cried with relief if she had any more tears in her.

  The carriage came to a stop, and Anthony stirred. “Are we there already?” he murmured.

  Thinking he was rather adorable as he struggled to wake up, she leaned toward him and kissed his cheek. “Yes. We’re at your estate.”

  He straightened up and rubbed his eyes. “My sister says I can sleep through anything. It looks like she’s right.”

  “Well, a lot has happened. It’s no wonder you were tired.”

  The footman opened the door and peered into the carriage. “We’ve arrived. The coachman will wake the butler, and then we’ll bring your things in, my lord.”

  Yawning, Anthony nodded.

  Damara’s smile widened. Yes, he was so incredibly adorable.

  Since the footman extended his hand to her, she accepted it and let him help her down. Anthony picked up her valise and soon followed.

  The footman led them to the entrance of the manor, and she was able to get a better look at the smooth walls and the arched doorframe. Once inside, she noted the dark red rugs that led to a winding staircase. Above hung a chandelier, which was lit with so many candles she couldn’t count them all. A mirror and a bench with trimmed plush fabric were to her right.
The hallway was wide, giving her a good view of doorways to the rooms that lined it.

  Even with this small amount of the manor she was seeing, she could tell he was wealthier than her parents by the quality of his things. She wondered why he hadn’t laughed when she’d shown him the money in her valise. She wouldn’t have blamed him if he had. A gentleman in dire straits would have benefited a lot from her dowry, but Anthony had no need for it. Still, he had made sure to carry her valise instead of letting any of the servants do it ever since he had agreed to marry her, so he did value it to some extent. Well, why wouldn’t he? Money was still money, regardless of the amount.

  The butler hurried toward the entryway, the coachman close behind. “My lord, we didn’t expect you until tomorrow.”

  “I know,” Anthony hurried to assure him. “I recently married,” he gestured to her, “and thought it best to arrive early.”

  The butler bowed a greeting to her. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, my lady. Would either of you like a drink or something to eat?” he asked as the coachman went back out to the carriage to get Anthony’s trunk.

  Anthony glanced at her, finally looking as if he was fully awake. “Would you like anything?”

  “Just something to drink,” she replied. “Anything will be fine.”

  “Bring some wine and a pitcher of water up to my bedchamber,” he told the butler.

  “I’ll do it at once.” The butler turned and hurried back down the hall.

  As Anthony led her up the stairs, she said, “Your staff is attentive.”

  “They’re good at their jobs,” Anthony agreed. Then, in a lower voice, he added, “No doubt, they’re relieved my sister isn’t here. She’d have Cook make her a full meal, even if she wouldn’t eat more than three bites.”

  Noting the way he rolled his eyes, she asked, “What is your sister like?”

  “She’s the kind of person that’s hard to say no to.”

  Up to now, she hadn’t given his sister much thought, but then, why should she? His sister wasn’t here, and she wouldn’t have to meet her until next year when they went to London. Even so, it was probably a good idea to know something about her. “What’s her name?”

  “Celia.” He placed his hand on the small of her back and added, “I’m glad she decided not to come here for the winter. It’ll be nice to have you all to myself.”

  Pleased, her skin warmed. “I’m looking forward to being here with you, too.”

  He smiled. “In the morning, I’ll show you all of my sister’s dresses, and you can pick whatever you want. We’ll have the maid assist you with getting ready for the day. She’ll be your lady’s maid until we hire one in London.”

  “I hope that won’t be too much work for her. This is a large place, and I’m sure she’s already busy enough as it is.”

  They reached the steps, and he stopped to turn to her as if he hadn’t expected her response.

  “Did I say something wrong?” she asked.

  “No. It’s just that… Well…” He laughed. “If you knew Celia, you’d understand why you surprised me.”

  Surprised him? “How did I surprise you?”

  He guided her down the hall. “I love my sister. Really, I do, so please don’t misunderstand what I’m about to say. The fact of the matter is…Celia would never have asked after a maid’s comfort.”

  “That’s probably because she has a lady’s maid already.”

  “No, it’s not that.” They reached a closed door, and he opened it. “The hour’s late, and I have other things I’d rather think about than my sister.” He shot her a suggestive smile that made her entire body tingle. “I’d rather focus on you.”

  “Well then,” she took his hand and led him into the bedchamber, “you may certainly do so.” She wrapped her arms around his shoulders and kissed him.

  He pulled her closer to him and deepened the kiss. She melted against him. He was turning out to be an easy gentleman to like. She doubted there were many like him, so she considered herself fortunate that she found him.

  The knocking on the door pulled her out of her dreamlike state and to the butler who was carrying a tray of the items Anthony had requested.

  “Oh, right,” Anthony said as he turned to the butler. “You may put that over there.” He gestured to the table by his bed.

  As the butler set the tray down, the coachman came in with a large trunk and set it by the wardrobe.

  “We can get to that tomorrow,” Anthony told the butler. “It’s late. Let’s retire for the night.”

  The servants nodded and hurried out of the room, probably more out of a courtesy to the newlyweds than because they were eager to go to sleep.

  “Though your servants aren’t afraid of you, they are eager to comply with all of your wishes,” she told Anthony once the door was closed.

  Anthony glanced her way, his eyebrows raised in interest. “Your parents do things differently with their servants?”

  Perhaps she shouldn’t have voiced her observation aloud. She didn’t want to think about her parents, not when she was having such a wonderful time. Hoping to take his mind off of them, she began to remove her clothes. Thankfully, the tactic worked.

  She used to think it would be a dreadful experience to be at her husband’s whim since her mother had referred to it as a duty every wife must bear. The sooner he gets started, the sooner it’ll be over, her mother had advised. But Damara was finding that she was enjoying it. Did that mean her mother was right when she said there something wrong with her?

  Damara paused as she was pulling the last of her clothing off. No. She wouldn’t think about it. Not now. And not here. If she must give into any of her insecurities, she’d be better off doing it when she was alone.

  Forcing all doubts aside, she cast off the rest of her clothing and went over to Anthony, who was already undressed and pouring wine into their glasses. Good. He hadn’t noticed her hesitate. That meant there would be no awkward questions to answer.

  He pulled her to him and gave her a kiss. “I hope this winter never ends.”

  Smiling, she returned his kiss. “I hope it never ends, too.”

  And she meant it. Here, in this estate, secluded from the rest of the world, she could pretend the past had never happened. She could pretend she’d woken up here and was starting life with a clean slate. For this brief time, she was given a reprieve. She could be anyone she wanted to be, and Anthony wouldn’t know the difference.

  She sipped the wine, and almost at once, it warmed her. Relaxing, she drank some more. Yes. This was a new start. The past could stay in the past. She was now free to create the person she’d always wanted to be, and that’s exactly what she’d do. Once she finished her glass, she was kissing Anthony again, and before long, she was back in the wonderful dreamlike state of bliss she’d been in only moments before.

  Chapter Six

  Damara giggled as Anthony tickled her feet with his. They had chosen to linger in bed the next morning, and after making love twice, he continued to hold her, something she was enjoying immensely.

  “I had no idea someone could be so ticklish,” he murmured in her ear.

  “My feet are sensitive,” she replied, giggling again as he brushed her feet with his.

  “I should say so.” He chuckled and stopped teasing her. “Is it just your feet, or are there other areas on your body that are sensitive?”

  “Well, there are other areas that are sensitive, but they aren’t ticklish.” She wiggled her eyebrows suggestively at him. “I think you already discovered those.”

  “It was fun discovering them.”

  “It was fun for both of us.”

  “I have a feeling everything we’ll do together will be fun.” He kissed the skin below her ear, and she squirmed against him and laughed. He lifted his head and looked at her. “You’re ticklish there, too?”

  She shrugged. “I can’t control where I’m ticklish and where I’m not.”

  “No, I suppose you can’t.�
� He gave her waist a gentle squeeze then kissed her on the lips. “Tell me, do you ride horses?”

  “I’ve ridden on occasion.”

  “Do you enjoy it?”

  “Not as much as I enjoy being in bed with you, but yes, I find it entertaining. Do you want to go riding today?”

  “I was thinking about it. The weather’s still nice, and the sun’s out. I thought it might be a good day to go for a ride. I don’t get to ride nearly enough while in London. My attention is usually on business ventures.”

  “Oh?” Interested, she shifted so that she could make eye contact with him. “What kind of business ventures?”

  “Mostly, I finance captains who sail to other countries. When they bring back their bounty, I take a portion of the profits.”

  “What do they bring back?”

  “Sometimes spices, linens, precious metals. But next year, I’m thinking of investing in the whaling industry.”

  “Whaling?”

  He nodded. “Whaling is a risky venture. That’s not to say that sailing in general isn’t without its risks. It is. Many men have lost their lives at sea. But with whales, you’re going after a formidable opponent. It makes whales all the more valuable. As with most things in this world, the higher the risk, the greater the reward.”

  Considering the situation that led her here, she couldn’t agree more. Being with him made everything she’d gone through in the past worthwhile. “I suppose you appreciate things more when you have to risk something in order to get it.”

  “Yes, you do.” He smiled and gave her a lingering kiss. “I want you to know I don’t often go around picking up ladies who happen to ask for a moment of my time.”

  Unable to avoid teasing him, she asked, “You mean, you’ve let other ladies into your carriage?”