She came into the hall that evening to join them at their meal. “Sir,” she said to him, and he heard the irritation in her voice, “who gave you leave to tell my daughters that they might call you papa?”
“I did,” her mother quickly spoke up. “It is best the girls begin accepting Gabriel as their father right now.”
“I have not said I would marry him,” Autumn replied. “If I decide I do not want to be the Duchess of Garwood, it will confuse my babies entirely. Particularly if I do eventually remarry. It was not your place, Mama, to give the girls such permission.”
“You are being obdurate,” Jasmine said.
“I am my own mistress, Mama,” was the swift reply.
“I will only marry a woman who loves me,” the duke said quietly.
“And I will only wed a man who loves me,” Autumn told him.
“But I do love you,” Gabriel Bainbridge told her. “Do you not recall the day that Louis was born, when I told you so?”
“I do not remember any such thing,” Autumn replied quickly, but she had as soon as he had mentioned it, and her blush told him so.
“Well, madame, I do love you, although why I do I cannot tell. You are difficult and shrewish, as well as being charming and beautiful. You puzzle me, and yet I love you,” he finished with a shrug.
“Shrewish? Difficult? You have not had a great deal of experience courting a woman, my lord, have you?” Autumn snapped.
“But you have had a great deal of experience at being courted, madame. I must rely upon you to teach me what it is that will please you so you will keep a civil tongue in your head,” he replied blandly, his blue eyes twinkling wickedly.
Autumn flushed angrily, but then she said, “A gentleman never points out a lady’s faults of character, my lord. Not if he wishes to please her, of course.” She smiled sweetly, but the smile had no warmth to it at all.
He bowed to her. “I shall remember, madame. I hope you will enlighten me further on the subject of courting a lady. May I seat you at the highboard now?” He offered her his arm.
Charlie, back from court, caught his mother’s eye and swallowed back a chuckle. Jasmine, he could see, was also hard pressed not to laugh. It would appear that Autumn had at last met her match in Gabriel Bainbridge, Duke of Garwood. Unlike Sebastian d’Oleron, the duke, while in love, was not so bowled over by Autumn that he would entirely allow her her lead. There was going to be quite a battle between the two as to who would wear the breeches in their family, Charlie thought, amused. And even he was not certain on whom he would put his money.
September passed, and October came. Autumn had recovered from her son’s birth and was now ready to ride again. Lafite, who could write, had sent word that the harvest at Chermont had been a good one. When, he wondered, was madame la marquis and les deux petite mademoiselles coming home? Autumn did not have the heart to tell him that in all likelihood she was not coming back to France. She silently vowed, however, to send her daughters there next spring. Perhaps Mama would go with them, and then bring them back after the harvest. She knew that would please the people of Chermont. It was Madeline’s inheritance, and one day she must return to live there.
The Duke of Garwood was beginning to become familiar to Autumn. They continued to spar verbally, but his words were never cruel. He merely sought to exert his mastery over her, and Autumn was not certain she was willing to allow him that right. Sebastian d’Oleron, she now realized, while loving her had considered her a possession to be treasured and guarded. Had she been older, Autumn considered, as she now was, she would not have allowed him that prerogative, but rather she would have taught him that she was an independent creature.
She remembered how surprised he had been when she had devised the plan to free Queen Anne from Chenonceaux, and Cardinal Mazarin had approved it. She recalled how amazed he had seemed when it had all worked and the queen was returned safely to Paris. Prior to that she knew he had not believed a woman capable of being so clever. But the cardinal had appreciated her cleverness and had said so. He had even wished aloud that she would come to court. Autumn crossed herself. Cardinal Mazarin had died several months back, and King Louis, in a surprising move, had announced he would now personally run his own kingdom, down to the everyday details that had previously been the cardinal’s province. Louis was clever and had learned well.
Her mind flitted back to the duke. Gabriel Bainbridge, she recognized, was every bit as stubborn as she was. He had to understand, however, that she was not a pretty toy that he might own. He must comprehend that she was a woman with an intellect she enjoyed using. But how was she to convince him? She finally went to her mother for advice. God only knew Jasmine had until the end managed her father, a man very much like the Duke of Garwood. Her mother would know what to do.
“Tell him,” Jasmine said simply.
“Tell him what?” Autumn said, confused.
“Tell him that if you are to wed him, he must accept you as an equal partner in the marriage. Gabriel is not a fool. He appreciates you already, although, like you, he is stubborn. He will not admit it until you give him an equal advantage,” Jasmine advised. “Stop fighting with the man and speak plainly to him.”
Autumn decided to take her mother’s advice. She simply didn’t know what else to do. Charlie would soon be returning to court with his two sons in tow, and the king was going to ask if she and the duke were married. If they were not, she knew Charles would damn well want to know why they were not.
Her opportunity came suddenly that same evening, when she suddenly found herself alone with Gabriel in the family hall. The meal was over, and everyone else had conveniently disappeared.
Autumn swallowed hard and said, “Don’t you want to kiss me, my lord? You say you want to wed me, and the look in your eyes says you certainly want to bed me, but you have yet to share any intimacies with me.” She blushed, much to her surprise, at her own boldness.
He was sprawled in a chair before the fire and, looking up at her standing there, he said, “Come here to me, Autumn.”
Was she a dog to be called to her master’s side? Autumn opened her mouth to spit out a rude reply, but then closed it and plunked herself into his lap, surprising him. “I am here, my lord. Now what?”
He smiled a slow smile at her. “Is this a change of heart, then, madame?”
“Do you really want to marry me?” she asked him frankly.
“Yes,” came the immediate reply. The blue eyes questioned her silently. “I have said I love you, Autumn. I have never, ever spoken those words to any woman. If I say them, I mean them.”
“Then why don’t you kiss me?” she demanded.
Without delay his lips met hers in a long and slow kiss that actually left her breathless for a moment. “Is that satisfactory, madame?”
The kiss had sent a tingle down her spine. Her nipples had half-hardened. “It will do for a start, my lord,” she murmured, brushing his big, sensuous mouth with her full lips. “Is that satisfactory, sir?”
“Quite,” he agreed. “What is it you want of me?” he calmly questioned her.
“There is a final condition to our marriage,” she said. “Whatever the law may say, I am not and shall never be your possession, Gabriel. I am a clever woman. I say it with all modesty, although I know men do not like to hear such words from a woman’s mouth. I know the land is yours to administer, and Garwood Hall will be mine to govern. There will, however, be certain decisions that we should make together. Will you listen to my opinions on such matters? And if my judgment is the better, accept it, not allowing your pride to overrule your common sense? I will promise you to do the same. I know it will not be easy, my lord, but if you can agree to this, then we will set a wedding date this very night. I know if you give me your word I can accept it, for you are an honorable man.”
He thought a long moment. Then he said to her, “I am a jealous man, Autumn. There is something I must know. I understand that you loved your first husband, but are you tr
uly a virtuous woman? I know what King Louis did, and that you did not go willingly to him. I even understand, although it was not easy at first, why you pursued King Charles to briefly become his mistress. But will you be true to me, and me alone? I could not bear it if you used your body for gain again, Autumn.”
Her first instinct was to be deeply offended, but then she realized that he had every right to ask such a question of her. “When I marry you, Gabriel Bainbridge,” she assured him quietly, “I shall be true to you, and you alone. There will be no other who comes between us, if you can truly put my past behind you as I mean to do.”
“I can!” he assured her. Then he kissed her once again. This time Autumn melted into his arms, her lips softening beneath his hungry mouth, her arms about him, her fingers threading themselves through his dark blond hair. “I love you!” he whispered hotly in her ear.
“And I will try to love you,” she promised him, “but whatever happens I will respect you and be true to you, Gabriel.”
“God, Autumn, how I want you!” he groaned, his big hand fondling her sweet, round breast.
She sighed with undisguised pleasure at his touch, but then she said, “Not yet, Gabriel. Please let us wait a bit longer.”
Now he sighed, for his male member was throbbing as if he were a boy with his first woman. He reluctantly said, “It will be in your own time, my love. Will that please you?”
“Yes,” she answered him, knowing the sacrifice he was making for her. Perhaps he really did love her, Autumn considered, a tiny plume of happiness beginning to take root in her heart. Was it possible that she could love and be loved again? Maybe she wasn’t being punished after all.
They set their wedding date for the first of December. When told, Jasmine protested that there was not enough time, but Autumn was most adamant, and Gabriel supported her decision.
“But why so quickly?” Jasmine demanded. “There is no time to prepare properly, or have a gown made for this most special occasion.”
“Mama, I am thirty years old,” Autumn said, “and it is my second marriage after some rather shameless adventures. I want a simple wedding with just a few family members. Henry and Rosamund, but certainly none of their extended brood. Charlie and my two nephews. Rohana and Toramalli, and Fergus. As for Gabriel, he has no one. I want only people I truly care for who are nearby, not a great family gathering. Please let me have my way in this. When Charlie returns to court he will be able to tell the king his wishes have been fulfilled.”
“Is that why you would have this quick marriage? For the king’s sake? Could Charlie not say you and Gabriel are being wed in the spring in a grand party to which he is invited? We could bring all of the family together once again. The Blackthornes, the Burkes, the Edwardes, the Southwoods, the Gordons, the Lindleys, the Leighs, the O’Flahertys, and the Leslies. What a grand fête that would be!”
Autumn saw the hope in her mother’s eyes. She took Jasmine’s hands in hers and looked deep into the wonderful turquoise eyes. “Mama, there is no reason you cannot have your party, and have it whenever you want it. You do not need a wedding as an excuse to bring the family together. Gabriel and I have decided together that we wish to be wed on December first. Please, Mama, please, accept our decision.”
“What will you wear?” her mother asked despairingly.
“I shall go into the attics and see if I might find a gown as my niece Sabrina did. Madame Skye had some wonderful gowns in her day, and if I find one I like, it can be altered in time.”
Jasmine sighed. “You will be with child by the spring,” she said knowingly. “I shall plan my party for summer of the year after, and you had best be able to travel down from Durham then!”
Autumn threw her arms about her mother and hugged her. “Thank you, Mama!” she said, and Jasmine heard happiness in her daughter’s voice for the first time in a great, long while.
Autumn went up to the attics that very day to see if perhaps there was a gown that might be worn. She found trunks of old-fashioned garments, all carefully packed away, but it was a gown of pure apple green silk that caught her eye. Pulling it from the chest, she held it up to herself. The color was wonderful, and just perfect for her gardenia skin. She brought it downstairs to show her mother.
Jasmine gasped with recognition. “Oh, my!” she said. “Oh, my! I cannot believe it still exists after all these years!”
“You have seen this gown before, Mama?” Autumn said.
“Your great-grandmother wore it when she was married to your great-grandfather. It was made in France. They were wed at Archambault. Your grandmother, my mother, wore it when she wed Alexander Gordon. The marriage ceremony was celebrated here even as yours will be, and as mine was when I wore this gown to wed Rowan Lindley. If you wear it, Autumn, you will be the fourth woman in the family to do so.” There were tears in her eyes as she said it. “Every bride who has dressed herself in this gown has been happy, and that, my dear child, is what I want for you and Gabriel.”
Autumn clutched the gown tightly to herself. “Oh, Mama! What a lovely history. I do want to wear it, but I don’t even know if it fits! I haven’t tried it on yet.”
“It may need an alteration or two, but if you want it, you shall have it!” Jasmine said firmly.
Autumn nodded. “I want it,” she replied happily.
“Then it is yours!” her mother said.
It was decided to redesign the gown slightly so it would conform with the fashions of the day. Shimmering apple green in color, the bodice’s low, square neckline became a low, scooped neckline. It was embroidered with golden butterflies, daisies, and tiny seed pearls, some of which needed to be removed and then restored to the adjusted neckline. The overskirts were looped up on one side to reveal the darker green velvet underskirt. This skirt, which had a wide panel of embroidery to match the bodice, was moved about so that the decoration showed to its best advantage, and additional embroidery was added to it so that all the dark velvet underskirt was now embroidered and glittered. The leg-of-mutton sleeves with their tiny gold ribbons were left fairly intact but shortened, and now ended just below the elbow. The gold lace ruffs that had formed cuffs were removed and a waterfall of golden lace was added to each sleeve. The wasp waist was still fashionable, but the bell-shaped shirts had to be altered to flow over petticoats rather than fit over a farthingale. Even the pale green silk stockings embroidered with grapevines and the delicate silk slippers remained. To everyone’s surprise, and Autumn’s delight, they both fit.
“Oh, look!” Jasmine almost sounded like a young girl again. “Here are the cloth-of-gold roses Bonnie, the seamstress, made for my hair! We didn’t have fancy tailors like Monsieur Reynaud back then.”
“How did you wear your hair?” Autumn asked her mother.
“The same way you do,” Jasmine replied with a smile. Then she said, “I also wore my grandmother’s pearls. You shall have them, Autumn, not just for your wedding day, but to keep.”
Autumn cried, much to her mother’s surprise. “I have always loved those pearls,” she said, “I know how precious they are to you, having belonged to Madame Skye.”
“You are precious to me,” her mother replied. “My baby. My very last baby,” and she sniffled.
Learning from his soon-to-be mother-in-law what his bride would be wearing, Gabriel Bainbridge disappeared from Queen’s Malvern for two weeks before his wedding day. When he appeared in the family chapel on that morning, he was garbed most fashionably in deep green velvet, apple green silk, and elegant gold lace. Even his shoes were of dark green leather and had gold rosettes on the toes. On his head was a wide-brimmed green hat with a shallow crown and two magnificent ostrich plumes. He carried a long green and gold enameled walking stick. He winked at Autumn as Charlie brought her to his side.
They were married at nine o’clock in the morning. Outside the small family chapel with its beautiful stained-glass windows the sky was gray-white, only the horizon toward the east showing a pale peach, darker
gray, and rose color. There was no wind, and while not bitter, it was a cold day, with a hint of dampness in the air. After the ceremony that made Autumn the wife of the Duke of Garwood, the few guests adjourned to the family hall, where the morning meal awaited them.
There were eggs, poached in heavy cream and Marsala wine and sprinkled with freshly grated nutmeg; salmon broiled in white wine and sprinkled with dill; a pink country ham; a silver plate of lamb chops; a half-wheel of hard, sharp yellow Cheddar, small tubs of sweet butter, and newly baked cottage loaves. Autumn’s daughters delighted in the heavy cream and egg custard with its burnt sugar topping, and when the small wedding cake came they squealed with delight at the spun-sugar figures atop, demanding they each be given a figure to eat, though Autumn said no.
“I shall keep these figures,” she told them, “and then one day when each of you weds, we shall have them to put atop your wedding cakes, mes filles. Is that not a nicer idea?”
The two little girls nodded, although neither was honestly certain it was such a fine idea. Still, they had been allowed watered wine with the feast and decided not to complain. If they did, Grandmama might not take them back to Cadby with Uncle Henry and Aunt Rosamund. Jasmine had decided she would allow her daughter and Gabriel a few weeks’ respite before she brought Maddie and Margot to them. The bridal couple would depart in two days’ time for Garwood Hall in Durham. In deference to the bride and groom, the guests were gone by half after twelve o’clock.
“I’ll bring the children up to Garwood Hall in time for Christmas,” Jasmine told her daughter. “Unless, of course, the roads are not passable.” Then, as the coach pulled off, her granddaughters laughing at some silliness of their own making, she waved gaily to her daughter and new son-in-law. Well, Jemmie, she thought silently to herelf, I believe I have made it all right for our last bairn. Finally. And she chuckled.
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