“I’m sorry, but I am afraid that I haven’t the time, for I have several pressing business matters that require my attention,” Gavin replied somewhat absently. “Be sure to take one of the grooms with you though, if you intend to venture far from the house.”
Spooning another bite of the delicious iced cream into her mouth to hide her frown of disappointment, Melody merely nodded. As much as she longed to start building a new relationship with Gavin, she reminded herself that she had to give it time.
Much to Melody’s continued disappointment, though she had done her best not to show it; the remainder of their stay at Rutherford Park had proceeded in much the same fashion as the first couple of days had. She’d seen very little of Gavin during the daylight hours, for if he hadn’t been locked away in his study, he’d kept himself busy with a number of other matters, matters that apparently hadn’t involved her. As such, she had endeavored to keep herself occupied as best she could.
The nights however, had gone a long way in making up for Gavin’s lack of attentiveness during the day. It was then that he’d focused every last bit of his attention solely upon her, and she’d relished every single moment of it. As on their wedding night, their passionate encounters had been everything she could have hoped for and more. Their unrelenting desire for one another was undeniable, a circumstance that gave her joy beyond measure and for which she was immensely grateful.
Now, on their last night at Rutherford Park, the night before they were to return to London, Melody once again lay draped across Gavin’s naked chest, exhausted and utterly sated. Listening to the steady beat of his heart and feeling the slow, even rise and fall of his chest beneath her cheek, Melody could tell that Gavin had dozed off. Would it be like this once they returned to London, she wondered? Would he still come to her bed each and every night, as he had done here? She certainly hoped so, for despite the hours they’d spent wrapped in each other’s arms; it seemed that each night she longed for his touch even more than she had the night before.
Raising her head, she rested her chin upon her hand so that she could gaze upon Gavin’s face. He looked so peaceful and relaxed as he slept, his handsome features lit only by the faint glow of the moon in the otherwise dark room. She could stare at him for hours and never tire of it, she thought, as her eyes leisurely roamed over every inch of his beloved face. How many times at the cottage had she wished that she could gaze upon him so? To know what he looked like and to wonder who he was, the man who had stolen her heart. Certainly far too many to count, she mused. And now here they were, after five long years they were together again, husband and wife. At times she wondered if it was all just another dream. But if it was, and even though their reunion wasn’t quite as perfect as it had been in her previous fantasies, she could only hope that she never woke up.
Chapter 26
The following afternoon, as they disembarked in front of their London home, Melody’s emotions were conflicted. Although she was anxious to see her son and daughter, for she had missed them dreadfully, she couldn’t help but feel slightly apprehensive as she stepped down from the coach. Everything had been so wonderful at Rutherford Park, well, at least the nights had been she acknowledged, but now that they were back in London she couldn’t help but wonder once again, somewhat fretfully, if that would change.
Fortunately, she had little time to dwell upon her fears once they entered the house, for as soon as she and Gavin had made their way into the foyer, William and Emma came bounding down the sweeping marble staircase, their faces glowing with excitement. “Mama, Papa, you’re home,” William called enthusiastically as he reached the landing.
“We’ve missed you ever so much,” Emma said, as she rushed into Melody’s outstretched arms.
“Yes, but Grandmother has done a fine job taking care of us,” William added with a wide grin as he came to a stop before Gavin.
For Gavin, the fact that his son had just called him Papa filled him with a profound sense of joy, and though he longed to scoop the boy up into his arms and hug him tight, he managed to refrain. “I’ll bet she has,” he said with a knowing smile, ruffling his son’s hair. His mother had probably been catering unabashedly to William’s sweet tooth the entire time.
“Well hello, dears. Welcome home,” Jane greeted cheerfully, as she made her way down the stairs at a far more leisurely pace than the children had.
“Hello, Jane.” Melody looked up after giving Emma one final squeeze, smiling warmly at her mother-in-law.
“Hello, Mother,” Gavin said, stepping forward to place a light kiss upon his mother’s cheek as she reached the landing.
“It’s good to have you back,” she replied, pressing her hand fondly against Gavin’s cheek for a moment as he stepped back. “Although I must admit that the children and I had a delightful time keeping each other company whilst you were away.”
“Grandmother took us to the circus,” William said to Gavin excitedly.
“Oh yes, it was marvelous,” Emma added, smiling brightly as she glanced back and forth between Gavin and Melody. “There were oh so many horses, and they did the most amazing tricks.”
“Yes, and there were lions and tigers too,” William said, “and even elephants.”
“Goodness, it sounds quite thrilling,” Melody said. “I’ve never been to a circus, so you must tell me all about it.” Leading the children into the front parlor, with Gavin and Jane following a short distance behind, Melody struggled to keep up with William and Emma’s animated chatter as they eagerly regaled her with the numerous highlights of their outing.
It wasn’t until later, long after they had eaten their dinner and the children had been sent upstairs with Miss Tibbs, when Jane, Melody and Gavin were once again seated in the front parlor, that Jane announced her decision to move out of Rutherford House and into a house of her own.
Gavin’s eyes widened as he looked at his mother in surprise.
Having just taken a sip from her glass of sherry, Melody regarded Jane over the rim of her glass, her own eyes widening, for she was just as surprised as Gavin was by Jane’s sudden announcement.
Setting his snifter of brandy onto a nearby table, Gavin regarded his mother curiously. “Mother, this is your home. Why on earth would you wish to move out?”
“Please say that it isn’t on my account,” Melody said, looking at Jane aghast from her position next to her on the settee as she realized that she might unwittingly be the cause of Jane’s decision. Had Jane mistakenly assumed that she wouldn’t want her living in their home, now that she was the Duchess of Rutherford? “I have no desire to usurp your role here.”
“No, no dear,” Jane assured her, reaching out to pat Melody’s hand affectionately. “That is not the reason at all. But truth in fact, this is your house now, it is all of yours,” she added, casting a brief glance toward Gavin.
“Then why? Why do you wish to leave?” she asked, eyeing Jane intently.
Gavin stepped toward them, his own expression probing as he searched his mother’s face.
“Gracious, the two of you act as if I said I was moving to another continent,” she said, glancing amusedly between Melody and Gavin, “when in reality, I shall only be a few blocks away.”
“But I don’t understand,” Gavin said, cocking his head to the side. “I thought you would want to stay here with us, especially now that your grandchildren are here as well.”
“I adore the children, you know that,” Jane replied warmly. “And I shall continue to spend as much time with them as I possibly can. But honestly, I rather like the idea of being on my own, to manage my own household, to have the freedom to come and go as I please, and to socialize with and to entertain guests in my own home, all the while knowing that I am but mere blocks away from the homes of both of my children.”
“I see.”
“Truth be told, since returning to London I’ve begun to feel like my old self again.” She smiled fondly at her son. “After losing your father and brother, I feared
I might never wish to return to Society, but now that I have, I must admit that I am starting to enjoy myself as I once did. I hope you understand.”
Gavin was silent, studying his mother’s face.
“I believe I understand,” Melody said, drawing Jane’s attention as she clasped her hand within her own. “But this will always be your home as well, I hope you know that.”
“I do, my dear. I do.”
“If this is truly what you want, then I won’t stand in your way,” Gavin said. “My only wish is for you to be happy mother.”
Rising from her seat, Jane moved forward and placed a kiss upon Gavin’s cheek. Stepping back, she smiled brightly. “Now, let’s finish our drinks, shall we? It’s getting late, and I think that I am about ready to retire to my room for the evening.”
Not long after Jane had retired to her room, Melody had made her way to her own bedchamber. She stood there now, before the vanity mirror in the room adjacent to Gavin’s, preparing for bed. Pulling the brush one last time through her long blonde hair, she then set it down upon the vanity’s marble top. Since coming upstairs, she’d been frantically pondering the night ahead, and she’d finally reached a decision. After the glorious nights she and Gavin had shared at Rutherford Park, she knew that she could leave nothing to chance, for how could she possibly bear the loss of his touch or the warmth of his embrace if he didn’t come to her bed?
Squaring her shoulders, she walked purposefully across the room and opened the door to the large dressing room that connected their two chambers. Moving silently across the carpeted floor, she stopped before the door leading into Gavin’s bedchamber and stood, listening for any sound of movement from within. Hearing nothing, she turned the knob and opened the door. As she’d hoped, the room was dark and empty. Gavin had yet to retire, and as he had made no mention of going out after dinner, he was likely still downstairs. Breathing a small sigh of relief, Melody walked barefoot to the side of Gavin’s immense four-poster bed. Shrugging out of her white silk dressing robe, she tossed it onto a nearby chair and then reached to pull back the heavy coverlet, exposing the pristine white sheets beneath. Naked, she sat down upon the bed and then slipped determinedly beneath the sheets.
Downstairs, Gavin sat alone in his study, gazing absently at the nearly full whiskey decanter that sat upon the edge of his desk. He’d been sitting there for a while, just staring at the amber liquid, listening as the house had slowly grown quiet around him, fighting the fierce desire to either get stinking drunk, or to go upstairs, to Melody. Damn it! He hadn’t expected to feel like this, to want her with such an overwhelming intensity. Foolishly, he’d thought that the past week might have assuaged his inexorable craving for her, at least somewhat, but clearly that wasn’t the case. He still wanted her, just as much as he had that very first night, perhaps even more so if he was to be completely honest with himself. As much as he longed to deny it, his need for her was like an unquenchable fire racing through his veins, building rather than diminishing with each passing day. With a resigned sigh, he finally tore his gaze from the bottle and rose to his feet. Although the whiskey might lessen the burn temporarily, he knew that it wouldn’t be nearly enough to put out the fire.
Entering his bedchamber a few minutes later, Gavin was about to summon his valet, but then his gaze fell upon the bed, and the woman lying naked within it. She was asleep, her left arm flung out above her head, resting on the pillow. The action had apparently caused the sheet that covered her to slip downward, baring one of her naked breasts to his hungry gaze. Though he was surprised by her bravado, boldly insinuating herself into his bed as she had, a part of him couldn’t help but admire her daring. Clearly they both wanted the same thing, in one respect anyhow. Walking toward the bed, Gavin slipped his arms from his jacket and tossed it nonchalantly onto a nearby chair.
Hearing the faint sound, Melody stirred in her sleep, and a moment later her eyes fluttered open. She blinked and attempted to focus. She hadn’t meant to fall asleep. Turning toward the sound that had awoken her, she saw Gavin standing at the side of the bed, his hands working at the buttons on his shirt, his eyes fastened upon her. He didn’t look angry, she noted, relieved. In fact, if his smoldering gaze was any indication, he was feeling a vastly different emotion. Sitting up, Melody allowed the sheet to fall away, baring herself to the intensity of Gavin’s stare. His eyes widened slightly and for a moment his hands stilled. The hungry look she saw reflected in his gorgeous green eyes gave her all the courage she needed. Sliding her legs from under the cover of the soft linen, she rose slowly to her feet and moved to stand before him. With her eyes locked on his, she reached forward and then leisurely began to unfasten the remaining buttons of his shirt.
Chapter 27
Seated within the quiet of his study, the sound of William and Emma’s laughter as they scampered merrily about the rear garden, suddenly distracted Gavin from his perusal of the household accounts. He, Melody and the children had been living together at Rutherford House for nearly a month now, and as always, the sound of his children’s voices filled him with happiness. Looking up from the stacks of papers scattered across his desk, he turned his head toward the window. Gazing through the glass, he smiled as he caught sight of William bounding across the grass in pursuit of what looked to be a rather plump, bushy-tailed squirrel. Chuckling, he watched his son’s expression turn into a glower of frustration as the nimble rodent quickly scurried up the nearest tree, climbing swiftly through the branches until he was well out of William’s reach.
Unlike Emma, who took after her mother in both looks and personality, William looked and acted almost exactly like he had as a young lad. He was full of boundless energy, wildly curious as well as intelligent, too handsome by far, and he could already charm the ladies with little more than a smile. He couldn’t have been prouder, and of Emma as well, for both of his children were all he could have hoped for and more. However, as he sat watching William, he found his thoughts turning unexpectedly to Charles Cavendish, and a moment later to Nelson Bingham. With all of the fuss and attention surrounding his and Melody’s engagement and subsequent marriage, he realized somewhat guiltily that he’d hardly given a thought to Nelson since his accident.
Entering the front doors of Westminster Hospital the following morning, Gavin proceeded to the front desk and presented his card to one of the two middle-aged women who sat behind it. “I believe Dr. Fielding is expecting me,” he said.
The petite, grey-haired woman glanced at the card and then immediately rose from her seat. “Of course Your Grace,” she said, bobbing a brief curtsey as she came around to the front of the desk. “I’m Nurse Boyd. If you would care to follow me, I’ll direct you to his office.”
Following the woman down a series of long corridors, they stopped a short time later outside of the hospital director’s office. Knocking softly upon the door, Nurse Boyd then opened it and motioned Gavin forward. “The Duke of Rutherford is here to see you, Dr. Fielding.”
Coming around his desk, Dr. Fielding extended his hand. “Thank you, Nurse Boyd,” he said, nodding to the woman as she pulled the door closed behind her. “Your Grace, it is a pleasure to make your acquaintance.”
Shaking the elderly physician’s hand, Gavin repeated the sentiment. “It is a pleasure to make yours as well, Dr. Fielding. Thank you for seeing me on such short notice.”
“Of course, of course, please have a seat,” he said, motioning toward the small leather sofa that sat against the wall. “May I get you anything?” he asked politely. “Something to drink perhaps?”
“No, I’m fine. Thank you.”
“Well then, what is that I can do for you Your Grace?” the older man asked, settling himself into the chair that sat next to the sofa.
Over the years, the Montrose family had made several generous charitable contributions to the hospital, but this was the first time Gavin had actually visited the facility himself. “I am here to inquire about one of your patients, Nelson Bingham, Lord Hat
tford.”
“Oh? Are you a friend of Lord Hattford’s?” Dr. Fielding asked.
“We attended Eton together,” Gavin replied, in lieu of affirmation. “And my wife was previously married to Lord Hattford’s uncle, prior to his death.”
“I see.”
“In any event, it recently came to my attention that Lord Hattford hadn’t been released from the hospital as of yet,” he began, “and considering the length of time since his accident occurred, I found that news rather surprising.” He eyed Dr. Fielding questioningly. “Were his injuries that serious?”
“Yes, well, normally we do not discuss our patient’s conditions with anyone other than immediate members of the family,” Dr. Fielding replied, shifting uneasily in his chair.
Gavin merely quirked his brow as he continued to look the physician in the eye.
“However,” clearing his throat, Dr. Fielding again shifted slightly in his chair, “considering Her Grace’s relationship with Lord Hattford, I suppose there would be no harm in discussing his situation with you.”
“I would appreciate that,” Gavin said with a slight nod of his head.
Ten minutes later, Gavin knew the full extent of Nelson’s injuries. To say that he was shocked would have been an understatement. “And the condition is irreversible?”
“I’m afraid so. As I said before, the damage to Lord Hattford’s brain was quite extensive. Although he is able to open his eyes and is somewhat responsive to external stimuli, he is for the most part catatonic, and in all likelihood he will never regain the cognitive abilities he once had.”
Dreaming of You Page 24
