A Merchant's Extraordinary Lady: A Historical Regency Romance Book

by Aria Norton

  He did, but it was all for a good cause. “You will not remember how terrible you felt once you see the happy look on her face. Just a few more hours to go, and then we may celebrate.”

  “I am certain she will love all her gifts. You put so much thought and care into them. I am surprised you could get them all in such a short time.”

  It had been difficult getting the gifts into the house and hiding them away from her, but he had done it. Nanny, Millie, and Netty had been most helpful in planning this birthday and were currently on their way to see her. They were her last gift, making the total eighteen.

  “When you have money, things tend to move faster than usual.”

  Books, art supplies, opera tickets, and pianoforte were among the gifts he had bought. Of course, the pianoforte could not be hidden away in his study, so he had asked a neighbour to keep it in a safe place at a price. The man would bring it on the back of his horse and carriage later this afternoon. It did occur to him that he had probably done too much, but he didn’t mind. In fact, he had enjoyed purchasing her gifts and organising this little celebration. Would she be pleased with him?

  “Hijo.”

  “Yes?”

  “I have never seen you so nervous before.”

  “I am not nervous.”

  She raised an eyebrow.

  “Very well. Perhaps I am a little nervous. Aurora is my wife, and I wish to make her happy. Surely you cannot judge me for that?”

  “I am not judging you, merely making an observation. I cannot remember any woman affecting you like this, and it makes me wonder.”

  He narrowed his eyes. “What are you wondering?”

  “Whether you love your wife. I know that you married her out of necessity, but perhaps you have come to love her, yes?”

  Stupefied, he could only stare at his mother. How could she say that? There was no possible way he could love Aurora ... could he?

  “This is to keep her happy, that is all. A means to an end, if you will. Do not read into something so simple.”

  However, his heart knew that he was lying. He had come to care deeply for Aurora and didn’t know what to do about it.

  Carlos sat in the drawing-room sometime later, waiting for his mother to bring Aurora inside. Nanny, Netty, and Millie had hidden behind the pianoforte, and all her gifts sat piled on top of it. The dining room was prepared, ready for them to eat a celebratory meal, and cut her cake. Everything was set, but he couldn’t be more nervous.

  “This colour becomes you, my dear,” he could hear his mother saying. “You should wear it more often.”

  He smiled. A seamstress had agreed to make a lovely green silk dress at short notice, but getting Aurora to wear it had been challenging. Vanessa had to get her dirty in the garden so that she would have to clean up, and after a few words from his mother, agreed to wear the dress. My wife can be stubborn.

  The door opened, but he remained sitting, a newspaper hiding his face.

  “Oh, we have a new pianoforte,” Aurora commented. “When did it come in? I didn’t hear a thing.”

  No, she wouldn’t have. When the servants and pianoforte arrived, he had ordered everyone to make a loud noise, talk over each other, banging things about the house, and dropping tools outside to mask the carriages' sound and getting the instrument into the house.

  “Just today, dear,” his mother answered. “Perhaps you will play for us, yes? Carlos told me that you play beautifully.”

  “But I have never played for him before.”

  “Indeed? Perhaps he heard about your skill from someone else. Oh, what are all these gifts doing on here? Do you know?”

  Carlos had to smother his laughter. Mother is a terrible actress, but at least she is trying.

  “No, not at all,” said his wife. “Perhaps Carlos will know?”

  He lowered his newspaper when he felt them looking at him. “No, I do not know myself. Perhaps there’s a name on them.”

  “Take a look, dear,” his mother urged.

  Frowning, his wife picked up the closest parcel, her eyebrows rising when she saw her name.

  “It has my name.”

  She sounded so confused that he decided to reveal everything. “You can come out now.”

  “Surprise!” Nanny, Netty, and Millie shouted, jumping out from the pianoforte.

  Aurora leapt back in surprise, staring at them for some time before she uttered a cry and flew into their arms. Feeling pleased, Carlos left the room. Let her have some time with them; she needs it.

  Chapter 18

  Aurora gazed at the scene below her bedchamber window, enthralled by all the activity. London was truly a cacophony of noises with vendors selling their wares, carriages rambling by, and feisty birds vying for attention as they squawked and cooed to each other.

  One of the birds came to rest on a tree branch within touching distance, rigorously shaking its feathers before preening itself. It didn’t take notice of her at first, prompting Aurora to lean further out of her window for a closer look. The action seemed to scare the little thing as it took immediate flight, disappearing through the smoke of a chimney some feet away.

  Aurora pulled back somewhat disappointed, adjusting her nightdress where it had caught beneath her knee before settling back on the spacious window seat. Returning to watch the novel scene below, she smiled to herself.

  “Look at how they fuss! Everyone seems to have something important to do or somewhere to go. I cannot recall it being this busy some years ago.”

  She had only been a child when she first came to London. However, Aurora had not ventured far from the house she had resided in during her stay and had probably missed a lot. Beyond straying into the Earl of Totnes’ property to see his dogs, she had not done much else.

  “I seem to recall that the area I visited was considerably quieter than this hustle and bustle of people and animals. I find it all rather exciting.”

  To think that she had dreaded coming to London! That wasn’t to say that her fears had simply disappeared, but for now, they were firmly stowed away until she had to worry about the ball this evening.

  The sole purpose of her presence in London was to attend a ball filled with the type of people Aurora preferred to avoid. London itself was a maze of life waiting to be explored, but Carlos’ need to rub shoulders with society’s upper echelons was like an annoying fly circling around a tasty pie. If the fly managed to sit on the pie, it would ruin it, but the pie could still be enjoyed if the fly flew away. Needless to say, Aurora wanted to enjoy the pie, to take in all that London had to offer, from its beautiful parks to lovely stores that held all sorts of wonderful goods to purchase.

  “If only Carlos would change his mind. It would be a weight off my shoulders if he decided that attending the ball was no longer necessary.”

  He could send a note of apology with a believable excuse for their absence, and no one would question it further. Right now, walking about London was pleasurable because no one knew yet who she was. Using her new title as Mrs Fernandez had come with wonderful perks, the best of them being the blank but mildly interested looks that many people had given Aurora when introducing herself.

  “Londoners are a curious lot. One need only promenade a few feet from one’s house to be stopped and questioned about one’s identity.”

  It was as though her slate had been wiped clean, and she could simply be a woman enjoying a visit to the area. Not that Aurora despised her prior life experiences, but she had detested the behaviour and words of ‘well-meaning’ people who had only reminded her that she did not fit in. Aurora could gladly do without whispered words about her lack of propriety, considerable oddness, and love for the lower classes. It was refreshing to have Londoners unaware of who she was and to be rightfully treated by all.

  “That will end the moment I step into the ball, and my identity is revealed.”

  Even if she did not reveal that the Baron of Leeds was her father, someone at the ball would either recognise her or
know about Carlos marrying Lord Leed’s daughter.

  “Even if I were to spot someone I know during my outings, my bonnet and parasol should give me sufficient coverage to avoid them. A ball, however, is an entirely different matter.”

  These events were mainly to put people on display and to put your own best foot forward. The men would socialise, talk business, and play cards, while the women would gossip and compare each other’s gowns and hairstyles.

  Oddly enough, Aurora had not yet come across anyone she recognised, even when shopping in Bond Street. Perhaps London was big enough to keep her from running into old acquaintances, but it was inevitable that someone would eventually see her and know who she was.

  “More so because of this darned ball. What if I were to plead a headache?”

  No, Carlos would know that she was lying. That man was far too shrewd for her own peace of mind. Aurora could never seem to hide anything from him, which she found disconcerting. How was it possible that this man – whom Aurora did not consider her husband – could read her so well? Granted that they had been married for over a month, but that was hardly any time to get to know each other considering that they had barely spent any time together in meaningful conversation. Carlos was simply always there no matter where Aurora looked, rarely taking part in any discussions Aurora had with Lydia or the servants. He would simply watch her from doorways or take a seat in a corner of the room with a newspaper in hand. Carlos seemed to be under the impression that she wasn’t aware of his keen observations, but Aurora could always feel his eyes on her. Was he trying to make amends for forcing this marriage on her?

  “I do not think there is enough he can do in return for the loss of my freedom, but I cannot rightfully claim that this marriage has been altogether unpleasant.”

  Aurora had come to this revelation shortly after her eighteenth birthday. Carlos had put time and effort into making her birthday special, going as far as to bring Nanny, Millie, and Netty for a short visit. The women had sung his praises, telling Aurora of his eagerness to please her and make her happy.

  “Well, he undoubtedly gave me much joy that day. I was grateful for all his gifts, particularly the pianoforte, but his thoughtfulness in inviting the very people I consider family for my sake and treating them equally has elevated his status in my eyes.”

  Carlos had treated the women with respect, giving them guest rooms to sleep instead of the servants’ quarters. Most people would have relegated them to sleeping conditions befitting their lowly positions, but he hadn’t. Carlos had even insisted that they sit together at the dinner table rather than have them eat in the kitchen, surprising the women.

  “Millie was so afraid to eat that evening, but Netty was too busy critiquing the food to dwell on that. Nanny was the only one who acted as naturally as she could, but I could see that she was taken aback by Carlos’ charity.”

  His gestures had spoken volumes of his character, making her doubt her earlier summations of him.

  “That is not to say that he isn’t the man who wed an unwilling bride, but I have seen another side to him that has slowly but surely plucked at my heartstrings.”

  It was this side of him that had put her at odds with herself. On the one hand, Aurora wanted to please him and treat him kindly, but on the other, she wanted him to pay for taking her away from her loved ones. Lydia complicated matters further because Aurora didn’t want to do anything that would upset the woman, therefore halting her plans to repay Carlos for his folly.

  Propping her elbows on the window frame, she gazed up to the heavens.

  “Who is he? The man who did not think of my feelings and opinions at the very beginning, or this man who seeks my happiness at every turn?”

  She was so confused! Dropping her head to her folded arms, Aurora listened to the noises outside, hoping it would drown out her uncertainty. Her resolve to punish Carlos was slipping through her fingers faster than she could hold onto it, and it worried her.

  Lifting her head, Aurora squinted at the morning sunlight, wincing when she pulled a tendril of hair trapped beneath her arm. She rubbed the tender spot, cursing her hair.

  “I should cut this nuisance called hair and be done with it! After all, Nanny is not here to grab the scissors out of my hands.”

  The older woman had once walked in on Aurora attempting to cut her long locks and had practically flown across the room to grab the instrument out of her hand. Sighing, Aurora finger-combed her hair to one side, plaiting it just as Millie had taught her. Once done, she left the window seat to start her day. Breakfast would be announced any time soon, and Aurora had yet to complete her daily ablutions.

  “Ha! I have yet to start, but I know that Carlos will not eat without me. I should make him wait and delay his day, but I do not incline to do so.”

  Aurora would have done it before and with relish, but these days she was filled with the alien feeling of wanting to please him.

  “I cannot fight it. Sometimes I aim to do something such as spill his tea over his lap or put holes in all his shirts, but something always stops me.”

  Aurora’s reasoning seemed to have less to do with keeping Lydia happy and more to do with her heart.

  A brief knock at her door paused the removal of her nightgown. Had Carlos sent someone to her once again? When they arrived in London some days ago, he had stationed a maidservant to serve her, but Aurora had declined the help. She was accustomed to doing things for herself and saw no need for someone to assist her in something as simple as bathing or dressing.

  It was only on special occasions that she would have Nanny and Millie help her with her gown and dress, but those occasions had been far and few between. Aurora had explained as much to Lydia, but Carlos had decided she would need one in London for some inexplicable reason.

  “Come in!”

  Aurora first saw a large bouquet of beautiful flowers enter her room before Prudence’s face peeked around them.

  “Good morning, missus,” the maid said, dipping awkwardly.

  Intrigued, Aurora came towards her, sniffing the blooms. “Good morning, Prue. These are lovely.”

  “Indeed they are, missus. They were delivered moments ago, and Mr Fernandez ordered me to bring them to you immediately.”

  Aurora’s heart warmed. She had deduced that they were for her, but she had decided never to assume anything concerning Carlos until she was certain. It was on the tip of her tongue to ask the maid to relay her gratitude to him, but Aurora paused. Perhaps it was time to speak with him directly; they had danced around each other long enough. That decision in itself was surprising. Have I become so mellow that I am now willing to speak with him? The thought filled her with some apprehension. Aurora still did not know Carlos’ true reasons for marrying her, which posed a threat to her weakening walls.

  What if she decided to set aside her grievances against him, only to be hurt once she found out what this arranged marriage meant to him? Carlos does not love me, but he is kind, and he has not shown any evidence to disprove his good character. If anything, he was long-suffering towards her. I often wonder if his good nature is merely a red herring. Only time would tell.

  Aurora sniffed the flowers once more, closing her eyes as their fragrant aroma filled her nose.

  “Would you be so kind as to put them in a vase of water? And please inform my, uh, Mr Fernandez that I will be down to breakfast in a little while.”

  Aurora had almost said ‘my husband’, but thank goodness she had caught it on time! The maid was none the wiser to the significance of Aurora’s near blunder, merely nodding and grinning as she dipped and left the room. As soon as Prudence was gone, Aurora walked a tad unsteadily to her bed, heavily collapsing on it as her legs gave out. The very thing she had promised never to say had nearly fallen from her lips today! Shaken, she remained on the bed for some time, staring into space.