Three Rogues and Their Ladies - A Regency Trilogy

by G. G. Vandagriff

  * * *

  The morning of Kate and Jack’s wedding was not promising. A blustery storm had blown down seemingly from the North Pole. It was very cold for the end of May. Fortunately, Aunt Clarice had decorated the music room with white roses the day before, or the flowers would have been torn to shreds by the storm.

  Waiting upstairs for her bridegroom, Kate was able to tell the exact moment he arrived by the sound of curses against the weather sailing up through the domed entrance on the first floor.

  He was in a worse temper than ever. Not an auspicious beginning.

  Lady Clarice’s vicar arrived shortly, and Jack was forced to moderate his language as they ascended the staircase together. Kate rose from her seat in the Chinese Saloon, a doorway away from the music room, where the ceremony would take place. She closed the door onto the hallway.

  Suddenly, she felt quite ridiculous. What a farce this was! How silly to be nervous about marrying someone who thought of her merely as a troublesome baggage! Doubtless, he would not even care how she looked. Staring in the mirror over the mantle, she wondered if the care she had taken over her appearance would betray her wish to appear beautiful and desirable. All at once, Kate was tempted to pull the rosebuds out of her hair, but knew she could not do so without wreaking havoc on her coiffure. Maybe she should take the whole confection of her hair down and scrape it back into the most utilitarian bun at her nape! But she knew she was too vain. And she did care what he thought.

  Kate twisted the stems of her posy of dethorned white roses. This is my wedding day! I will never have another. I am not dressed for Jack. I am dressed for the occasion.

  Even through the solid connecting door, she could hear Jack demanding to know where she was, and the indistinct murmur of her aunt’s quiet answer.

  “Determined to make the grand entrance, is she?”

  Are you going to let his scorn rob you of your grace? On your wedding day? Certainly not!

  New voices joined the small group, and Kate realized that the guests had arrived. Her mouth became dry. Was she really going to do this? Leg-shackle herself to the contemptuous Jack for the rest of her life?

  Then she remembered Joey, and all her doubts melted away. Who knew what horrors the poor child was enduring? What loneliness? Jack had promised to absent himself from Wiltshire to come back to London. She would not have to endure his ill temper for long.

  At that moment, she heard her aunt begin the Handel processional on the piano forte, and she opened the hall door, moving out of the room. Taking a deep breath, she raised her chin.

  A footman stood by and opened the door to the Music Room. Her eyes went immediately to Jack, facing her from the far end of the room, in front of the fireplace. He was dressed entirely in formal black, saving only his white shirt and cravat. For once, his hair was orderly, and he wore pumps instead of his Hessians. A white rosebud resided in his buttonhole. To her surprise, Jack was grinning such a large grin that his eyes crinkled, just as on the day she had first met him.

  It was a very short processional. In an instant, she was standing at his side, and he took her gloved hand and placed it on his sleeve. They faced the vicar.

  “Dearly beloved, we are gathered together here in the sight of God, and in the face of this congregation, to join together this man and this woman in holy matrimony . . .” Kate’s mind became a blur and suddenly all she could think of was that she had desired most of her young life to hear those words, and to stand before a vicar in this ceremony, but never had she dreamed that she would be doing so with a man who did not love her . . .”and therefore is not by any to be enterprised, nor taken in hand, unadvisedly, lightly, or wantonly, to satisfy men’s carnal lusts and appetites, like brute beasts that have no understanding; but reverently, discreetly, advisedly, soberly, and in the fear of God; duly considering the causes for which matrimony was ordained.”

  The hand in which Kate held her posy began to shake, setting the roses to vibrate. She was a fraud! This was far too serious a step to be taking with such little serious regard!

  Panic ensued, and Kate wanted to turn and run. However, as though he knew what she was thinking, Jack placed his free hand over hers on his arm and held her at his side. Closing her eyes, she tried to block out the words that seemed to be condemning her.

  When it came time for their vows, she reluctantly opened her eyes. The vicar spoke first to Jack: “Wilt thou have this woman to thy wedded wife, to live together after God’s ordinance in the holy estate of matrimony? Wilt thou love her, comfort her, honor, and keep her in sickness and in health; and, forsaking all other, keep thee only unto her, so long as ye both shall live?”

  Jack answered stoutly, “I will.”

  Then the priest turned to her: “Wilt thou have this man to thy wedded husband, to live together after God’s ordinance in the holy estate of matrimony? Wilt thou obey him and serve him, love, honor, and keep him in sickness and in health; and, forsaking all others, keep thee only unto him, so long as ye both shall live?”

  Swallowing hard, Kate saw Francesco in her mind, his eyes sorrowful. She also quailed at the word obey. Jack pinched her hand. When she still said nothing, he leaned down and whispered in her ear, “If I can so vow, so can you!”

  She remembered then that Jack was doing this for her. Taking a deep breath, she squared her shoulders and said firmly, “I will.”

  The vicar said to Jack, “Repeat after me, I, John Bailey-Wintersham, take thee Katherine Louise Derramore to my wedded wife.”

  Jack duly repeated the words.

  The vicar droned on, “To have and to hold from this day forward, for better for worse” . . .”for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death us do part,” . . .”according to God’s holy ordinance; and thereto I plight thee my troth.”

  When Jack finished repeating the vow, they loosed their hands, and she took Jack by his right hand and repeated her vows, in turn. It was like a dream. Someone else seemed to be speaking these familiar words. Someone else was plighting her troth.

  Jack then put a plain gold band on the Book of Common Prayer in the vicar’s hands. He returned it to Jack, who placed it upon Kate’s trembling ring finger, saying after the priest, “With this ring I thee wed, with my body I thee worship, and with all my worldly goods I thee endow: In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen.”

  After a short prayer, the vicar said in stentorian tones: “Those whom God hath joined together, let no man put asunder. Forasmuch as John and Katherine have consented together in holy wedlock, and have witnessed the same before God and this company, and thereto have given and pledged their troth either to other, and have declared the same by giving and receiving of a ring, and by joining of hands; I pronounce that they be man and wife together, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen.”

  Then, it was time for the kiss. Bracing herself, she closed her eyes. However, Jack merely placed a comradely kiss in the middle of her forehead, humiliating her completely. Coming out of her trance, she looked at him in fury. He had acted as though she were his sister!

  Jack returned her gaze innocently, one eyebrow raised.

  If the marriage had not cast such a pall of reverence upon her, Kate would have taken to her heels and run out of the room. Instead, she turned and faced the familiar faces, with Jack taking her arm again.

  The rest of the morning passed in a haze. Jack was merry and bright. She felt dazed and could not seem to comprehend what she had just done.

  Aunt Clarice presided over the wedding breakfast. The Duke proposed a champagne toast, “To my great friend Jack, the best of good men, and his beautiful bride, Kate! May your lives be filled with mutual discovery, mutual happiness, and plenty of good luck!”

  The duchess, who was sitting next to Kate, whispered, “I envy you that lovely ceremony. We were married by an uncouth blacksmith over the anvil in Gretna Green! Whenever I hear that beautiful service, I do
not feel married at all!”

  Kate fixed the woman with her eyes and said solemnly, “It takes more than a ceremony to make a good marriage. And from what I can see, you and the duke seem to have the best of marriages.”

  Elise squeezed Kate’s hand. “I know this is not exactly how you imagined your marriage would be, but Jack is a very good man. He will treat you kindly. There is not any reason that I know of why you should not be wonderfully happy together. Just give him a chance, Kate.”

  Her eyes filled with tears which she tried to blink away. At that moment, her new husband caught her eye, and seeing her tears, his jolly expression faded. He pressed his lips together in a grim line.

  All too soon, it was time to take leave of her aunt, Sukey, Caro, Somerset, and the duke and duchess. Aunt Clarice hugged her to her plump bosom and whispered in her ear, “Make an effort to be happy, my dear. I believe Jack to be very good raw material. How this all turns out depends upon your mutual willingness. Give him a chance.”

  CHAPTER NINETEEN

  IN WHICH A MARRIAGE BEGINS

  Jack had not yet made up his mind how to deal with the awkwardness of his wedding night. He did not intend to be a husband in name only; however, he knew that Kate had different ideas on the matter. After all, she professed to be in love with another. Yet, he had made her very angry with that kiss on the forehead, in front of all her nearest and dearest. It was not well done of him. However, he had some idea of tempting the woman until she was both ready and willing to receive him as her husband.

  As they tooled away from Blossom House in the Northbrooke carriage, followed by her maid and his valet and all their baggage, his first words to her since the ceremony were, “You think we have made a horrible mistake, do you not? I thought you were going to swoon during the service. What has happened to your spirit of adventure?”

  “I cannot believe I took a vow to obey you.”

  “It was not much to ask, considering I took a vow to endow you with all my worldly goods, not to mention worshipping you with my body! Then there was the bit about foregoing other women.”

  She looked up at him, her eyes speaking her anger. “You will not keep that vow, I would be willing to wager.”

  “I most certainly will, unless you give me reason not to. Perhaps they should have a separate service in the Book of Common Prayer for people who are only marrying for convenience.”

  “I agree.”

  He patted her hand, which was clutched into a tight fist. “I want you to know, Kate, that I fully intend to try to make our marriage work. But we must both try.”

  She did not respond, but merely looked out of the window. Finally, she said, “I have no idea where we are going. Surely we are not driving all the way to Wiltshire today?”

  He gave a small sigh. So she was not willing to try. He really should have kissed her. “No. We are going to stop in Reading at The Angel. It is a lovely old Inn from the Restoration period.”

  After that, she remained silent for a while.

  When she spoke, it showed him the direction of her thoughts. “How soon shall we be able to go to Eton to bring Joey home?”

  Making a sudden decision, he turned to her, took her cold hands in his, and said, “Now that we are alone, I think it is time we shared our first kiss.”

  She stiffened. He gathered her up into his arms and spent some moments massaging the tense muscles in her neck and shoulders until he could feel her begin to relax. “Kissing one’s wife. What a novel experience this will be. I have never done it before.”

  When their lips first touched, wild desire shot though him. He had known before that he was attracted to her, but had never expected to be so moved. His mouth opened over hers and he drew into his mouth her full lower lip, the one that had so tantalized him. He was, quite simply, unable to get enough of her. She was his! Wanting more, he pulled her onto his lap and twisted her body so he could feel it against his. He was entirely suffused with warmth and longing. So this was what it felt like to be in love. He had never guessed how different a mere kiss could be.

  Jack wanted to make Kate feel cherished and adored and safe. Reining in his passion, he actually trembled as he bestowed a series of gentle kisses on her lips, at the corner of her mouth, on her bottom lip, and then on her upper lip. He feathered kisses along her jawline, through her lilac-scented hair, down the side of her neck, and then back to her lips. She melted into him, actually kissing him back.

  She had some experience, this wife of his. As she opened her lips slightly, he took her full lower lip into his mouth again and ran his tongue lovingly inside of it. He could no longer refrain from giving into his feelings, and kissed her with greater urgency. She responded in kind. Could it be that in their mutual passion, he had finally found the bridge from his heart to hers? A richness of feeling involving his whole being—emotional as well as physical—welled up inside him and, with it, a desire to possess. He wanted this woman, not just as a lover, but as a wife, a companion to his restless soul, the mother of his children. He wanted her forever. His hands roamed over her body with impatience.

  Before he could start on the buttons down the back of her dress, she whispered, “We are in a carriage, Jack.” She pulled away, her face wearing its most minx-like expression.

  “Confound it,” he whispered, looking into eyes soft with desire. “We clearly need some time to ourselves, you and I, before we go to Eton.” He ran his fingers through her hair, dislodging pins and trying to master himself. “When we get to Northbrooke Park, you may write Joey and tell him to expect us in a week. And we are going to spend that entire week in our bed. Maybe we will even make a niece or nephew for him while we are at it.”

  Unable to resist, he kissed her again, and she leaned into him with enthusiasm, breaking away to kiss the planes of his cheeks, his ear, his jaw. Did she just desire him? Or did she love him, even a tiny bit as much as he loved her?

  He was on fire. She had no idea what she was doing to him. Setting her away from him just a bit, he said, “I must temporarily take my mind off your luscious delights, or we will soon be in the suds, Kate.” He buried his face in the hollow where her neck met her shoulder, trying to think. It was well nigh impossible. He was so overwhelmed by her response and his desires that rational thought had fled. Joey. They had been talking about Joey.

  He lifted his head. “Suppose you tell me about all the larks you and your brother cooked up together.”

  Kate-like, she had to have the last word, and so bestowed a quick kiss just under his ear. “If you insist.” Sitting primly with her hands folded in her lap, she said, “May I just remark on how very lovely that was?”

  “So I measure up to Francesco?” He could not help himself.

  “Do not preen yourself excessively. We are to talk of Joey, remember?” She put her gloved index finger on the cleft in his chin and kissed him there. .

  “Joey is a very physical child,” she said. “Quite large for his age. He has been riding since he came to us. Papa taught him. He has an excellent seat on a horse.”

  “Does he have his own mount?”

  “Yes. In Devonshire, at Cousin Freddie’s. Mine is there as well. Oh, and another thing that I hope may please you. Apollo, my father’s stallion. My father left him to me. My entire wardrobe was purchased with his stud fees. He will be a nice addition to your stables, my lord. Consider him a wedding gift.”

  He pinched her cheek. “No more my lords, minx. As it happens, I have a fine broodmare. Perhaps Joey will have some fillies and foals to train.”

  “He would be very good at it. Both of us love horses. We have both trained them and competed in jumping tournaments in Devonshire. Joey is a magnificent jumper. Especially on his own gelding, Caesar.”

  “Caesar?”

  “Unlike most schoolboys, Joey is very fond of Latin. Caesar is his hero.”

  Jack could not sustain the conversation a moment longer. “Hang Caesar and hang Joey. All I want to do is kiss my wife.”

 
And so he did. He was more than pleased to find her more than willing. Things were very nearly out of hand by the time they reached The Angel.

  CHAPTER TWENTY

  THE ANGEL

  Kate had surprised herself. Jack’s kisses had actually made her forget everything but the wonderful reality of him holding her, caressing her, kissing her. He was her husband. These kisses had not been stolen. They were even blessed by the church. This man was hers, to comfort, to cherish . . . to love, if she would.

  His kisses were not those of a lovelorn youth. No. She was being kissed by a grown man, fully aware of nuances she had never experienced. Kate’s senses, not bound by the carriage, had whisked off to some magical dimension. This place contained only her and Jack. She had not known such a place existed. She inhaled the smell of his sandalwood soap and the wet wool of his jacket. She felt the beginning stubble of his thick beard, and the silky chestnut curls she had long wanted to run her hands through. The broad expanse of his chest pressed against her, and his hard, muscular arms surrounded her, holding her to him. Jack knew just how to arouse passions she was not aware she possessed. Though she was fully clothed, her entire body had become exquisitely sensitive to his lightest touch.

  More than that, she was captivated by his gentleness. It was entirely unexpected. She marveled at the feel of his lips, and arched herself into his roving hands. She did not feel ravished, she felt valued, cherished . . . even loved. Her heart, which had been shriveled as though passing through a long drought, swelled in her breast. She responded willingly and happily in its full resurrection. She and Jack were the beginning of a new family, their own family. She was no longer an orphan.

  And she had told him that unless things changed materially between them, she was not going to allow him in her bedroom. Surely, the events in the carriage this afternoon counted as a material change?

  He may not love her, but he certainly desired her. Could that desire be a spark that, if sufficiently fanned, could burn brightly into love? Kate realized that she viewed her husband as a challenge. She obviously had this power over him, at least. She was going to make him love her! She was going to make him love her more than any man had ever loved his wife. He would never have cause to stray from her side.