25

Jeremy waved a final farewell to Miss Pinson, who was stood at her parlor window madly waving her handkerchief, and helped Emmeline into the carriage. Teddy, who had decided midway through pudding that he wanted to stay the night at Plumtree Cottage, was still scowling.

“But why can I not stay the night, Papa?” he pouted as he settled back onto the seat, his arms folded across his chest. “The smallest bedroom would be perfect for me. No one else could fit in there.”

“In events such as these, my son, it is customary to wait until you are invited,” Jeremy said, climbing in behind them.

“Miss Pinson would have let me!”

“Nevertheless, you cannot simply decide these things yourself,” Jeremy retorted firmly, before glancing over his shoulder to tell Juggins to drive on. “It is the height of bad manners to invite yourself into someone’s home.”

They now took tea with Miss Pinson every Wednesday, and she came to dinner at Vance Park every Friday evening. They had quite settled into a routine. They were in the landau this evening, so the roof was down. With a huff, the boy turned his face away to stare out at the country lane as they bowled along it.

“Pinky likes to have plenty of notice before an event, Teddy,” Emmeline said placatingly. “You haven’t got your nightshirt with you, or any of your wash things. She would have worried about that. She likes to have everything planned out to the smallest detail.”

“So, I will be allowed to stay the night at Plumtree Cottage sometime soon?” Teddy asked eagerly, whipping around.

“If Miss Pinson invites you,” Jeremy said sternly. “And not before.”

His frown relaxed. “Oh,” he said, looking thoughtful. “I expect she will very soon.”

Jeremy eyed him narrowly. “You are not to start hinting outrageously,” he said with foreboding, but Teddy affected not to hear him, leaning his arms on the side of the carriage, and resting his head on his forearm.

“I think he’s tired,” Emmeline murmured. “He’s had a long day. Apparently, they traipsed all around the grounds sketching trees this morning.”

“Hmmm,” Jeremy answered noncommittally, his eyes still on his son’s curly head.

“How was your morning at the stables?” she asked. “Any improvement from Atalanta and Ajax?”

“Amyas,” he corrected her absently. “Some progress perhaps,” he said cautiously. “Though neither of them shines as brightly as Bucephalus did at their age.”

“Not all of us show promise in the first flush of youth,” she said lightly. “Bucephalus must have been a diamond of the first water.”

“He was,” he agreed, “but you are right. I shall not give up hope.”

“Perhaps you can still buff them to a shine,” she added. Then before he could answer, she said softly, “Pinky seemed very happy this evening, did she not?”

“She did, quite in her element.”

“I’m glad for her,” Emmeline said decisively. “I rather dreaded her leaving me, but I cannot regret it now. Not when everything has worked out so well for her.”

He answered her smile with one of his own, fighting down the twinge of guilt. Even Emmeline admitted it was for the best. “How was your morning?” he asked to distract himself.

“Oh, it was…fine,” she answered. “The vicar and his wife called on me and then Mrs. Needham and her daughter.” Dull and duller , thought Jeremy. No wonder she could not meet his eye. “Oh, and some good news. You will be pleased to hear that the next meeting of the Good Works committee will be held here at Vance,” she said continued with a valiant attempt at enthusiasm. “Lady Sharpe has been so kind as to confer the honor.”

Jeremy hesitated. “This pleases you?”

“Of course,” she said quickly. “I am achieving the goals you set me, am I not? It was very kind of Mrs. Ryland to propose my nomination.”

“I expect she was more than happy to bring it about. How did you find the Needhams?”

Now it was Emmeline’s turn to hesitate. “They were not really what I was led to expect,” she said at last.

“And what was that?” He tried to remember whatever he had told her about Mrs. Needham with her faded prettiness and her stiff, proud daughter.

“Mrs. Needham talks a lot about herself, doesn’t she?” she said vaguely, then added, “I know that is often the case with those who suffer ill health. By contrast, Miss Halperston barely said anything at all.”

“Ah yes.” Jeremy winced. “The daughter is not thought to have much by way of personality.”

“Really?” Emmeline looked surprised. “That is not what I heard.”

“What had you heard?”

Emmeline cast a quick warning look at Teddy, who was now listening with interest. “Oh, that she, well, that she is rather reserved but not without a certain force of character,” she said awkwardly.

“Miss Halperston is only pretty when you get her alone,” Teddy contributed suddenly.

“Pretty?” Jeremy repeated with surprise. “Miss Halperston?”

“Yes,” Teddy said. “When anyone else is there, she just fades into nothing. It’s because of her mother. I don’t like her mother at all.”

“ Teddy …” Jeremy began remonstratively.

“I don’t think I like Mrs. Needham much either,” Emmeline chimed in, her cheeks turning pink. “There’s, well, just something about her that I just can’t warm to. Something not genuine. She, well, she said a couple of things that quite gave me pause…”

“What kind of things?” Jeremy asked, not liking the troubled pucker between her brows.

“Nothing definite,” Emmeline said quickly. “It was more implied.” She lifted her chin. “I don’t think she can be an easy woman to live with. I feel sorry for that girl,” she said defiantly.

“ That girl cannot be much younger than you,” he pointed out wryly.

“I know, but I suppose being a married woman I cannot help but think of her that way.”

Jeremy smiled at her. He couldn’t help himself, despite the odd turn the conversation had taken. “We could always cut the acquaintance,” he answered with a thoughtless shrug.

“Cut the…?” Emmeline sat up straighter in her seat. “I thought you wanted me to repair relations with your neighbors, not reduce them even further!”

Oh yes . Silently he cursed himself. “I meant, you need not regard Mrs. Needham. She seldom leaves home in any case. I expect she only ventured out today out of curiosity to see the place. She’s never been to Vance before to my knowledge.”

“Mama, my other mama I mean, always said she was an invertebrate whiner,” Teddy said helpfully.

“Inveterate,” Jeremy explained hastily. “And your mama never had much patience with ill health.” He turned back to his wife. “Perhaps you could try to draw Miss Halperston out of her shell,” he suggested.

Emmie nodded. “Perhaps,” she said, but still looked puzzled by his attitude. Thankfully, they had now swung up the avenue to the house, so Teddy began his usual game of pointing out the statues as they came into view.

“There’s Hermes!” he exclaimed. “And Ares!”

By the time he had counted off the twelve major Olympians, they had reached the front steps of the house.

Teddy now seemed reconciled to the fact he was sleeping in his own bed that night, but Jeremy still accompanied him up to his room. Emmeline came along, too, as a matter of course.

“I need to put something in the nursery before I go to bed,” Teddy said with an air of mysterious import, pausing at that door.

“What is it?” Jeremy asked.

His son hesitated before reaching into his pocket and drawing out a little peg doll wearing a purple crocheted dress and bonnet. “Miss Pinson made it for me,” he admitted with some reluctance.

“Well, that was kind of her,” Jeremy said calmly, wondering at his son’s expression.

“It is Miss Pomfrey,” Teddy admitted, sending his father a faintly embarrassed glance.

“Miss Pomfrey!” exclaimed Emmeline. “Has she journeyed to the fort to visit with her ne’er-do-well brother?”

Teddy nodded again, this time with more enthusiasm. “She has come to plead Captain Gerrard for clementines.”

“Clementines?” Jeremy repeated. “Is she at risk of developing scurvy?”

“I thought that was limes,” Emmeline said, taking the proffered doll and examining it. “Look at her brown wool hair and little painted face. I declare I am quite jealous! Pinky never made me any peg dolls.” Teddy looked rather smug to hear this. “Yes, she looks just as I imagined her,” she concluded and handed her back.

“Pomfrey is up for court martial again,” Teddy explained patiently. “So, Miss Pomfrey wants the clementines for him.”

He passed Miss Pomfrey to Jeremy, who agreed she was most cunningly wrought.

“You mean clemency, ” Jeremy cut in, handing her back to his son. “She has come to plead for clemency.”

“Yes,” said Teddy serenely. “That’s what I meant.”

“Well, I am sure she will succeed,” Emmeline said confidently. “Captain Gerrard’s heart is sure to melt the minute he catches sight of her.”

Teddy darted inside the nursery. “You really do look remarkably pretty in that dress,” Jeremy commented as they awaited him in the corridor.

“Ballentine,” she prompted. At his querying look, she added, “You have not called me that so much lately.”

“Haven’t I?” She shook her head. “You like it when I call you that?” She nodded and he felt his heart turn over. At least he was permitted this one leftover from their past. Even as he opened his mouth to reframe the compliment, Teddy reemerged.

“How went the introduction?” Emmeline enquired.

“He melted alright,” Teddy said, nodding in a satisfied manner.

Jeremy caught Emmeline’s eye, and they shared a look of amusement. “Come along, General Vance,” he said to his son, “let’s put you to bed.”

Once Teddy was settled in for the night, he escorted Emmeline back to her bedchamber. “I’m going to bathe and change,” he said, halting at her door. “Then, if you’re agreeable, I’ll return with my book for the night.” She nodded, looking strangely nervous. He paused. “Or would you prefer your own company tonight?”

“No!” she assured him swiftly. “I want you to come back!”

Thank God . He smiled at her and kissed her cheek. “I won’t be long,” he said and made for his own rooms. When he returned half an hour later clad in his dressing robe, Emmeline was not dressed for bed, but was sitting at her dressing table wearing a frilly wrapper he had not seen before.

It was very becoming, and he looked his fill as he walked over to the bed and lay down there to watch her apply her face lotion. Instead, she piled her hair on top of her head and skewered it there with a few pins, then rose from her stool and walked over to the bed, halting before him.

He looked up at her, eyebrows raised, but made no move. “I’ve had an idea of something I would like to try,” she said abruptly. “Will you indulge me in this?”

“Of course,” he answered at once, setting aside his book. “What is it?”

She held her hand out to him. Jeremy rose from the bed and stood before her.

She took his hand. “You are not allowed to say anything,” she explained quickly, “but must just follow me.” Somewhat bewildered, Jeremy did as he was told and was promptly led to her private bathroom.

Emmeline cleared her throat and squared her shoulders. “I have not yet taken my bath,” she said airily and pointed to a chair which Jeremy recognized as belonging to her sitting room. “You sit there,” she said imperiously.

For a moment, he did not move, so stunned was he. Then, obediently, he lowered himself into the chair. For one thrilling moment, Jeremy had imagined she was about to bathe in front of him, but to his crushing disappointment, the large tub was empty.

What was she doing? He watched, mystified, as Emmeline walked over to the cupboard and lifted out a large round object, setting it down in the middle of the floor. It took a moment for Jeremy to register what it was. A sponge bath . His heart gave a great leap, and he cast an incredulous look at his wife. She met his gaze squarely.

“Now you must sit there, and not stir, mind,” she told him warningly. “If you do, then I shall be forced to take steps.” When he sat forward in his seat, looking more intrigued than concerned, she added, “I will punish you in the fashion that goddesses always punish foolish mortals who overstep the mark. I shall transform you into a deer, or a star constellation, or a plant, something of that nature,” she concluded sternly.

“I will not dare to move a muscle,” he promised croakily.

Emmie nodded. “Then you may remain,” she said loftily, as though conferring a great favor. Jeremy could not catch his breath. He could not believe she was doing this. For him. His eyes tracked her as she walked across the room to fetch two large ewers of water and set them down, one after the other onto the floor next to the bathing tray. Next, she collected her rose-scented soap and her washcloth before returning to the center of the room.

Then she started to unfasten her wrapper in a businesslike fashion. Jeremy cleared his throat, wanting to tell her to slow down, and she paused in the act of untying a ribbon. She glanced toward him reproachfully, and he held his tongue, sitting back in his chair. Still, her fingers slowed in their progress, though whether to punish him or because she had read his mind, he was not sure.

Once her fastenings were dealt with, Emmeline took a deep breath and flung the wrapper open before shrugging it from her shoulders and casting it aside. Underneath it, she wore only a filmy petticoat which offered a scanty sort of modesty at best, and not for long either, as she soon whipped that up and over her head.

Then she was gloriously naked. Jeremy sat back in his seat, rapt and drinking in the view. He had never seen her nudity in its entirety before, all at once. Usually, his view was hampered by bedsheets or his own body. Not this time. This time he could see her magnificence unimpeded. It was a heady experience, and he felt somewhat intoxicated.

To his relief, Emmeline’s demeanor remained unhurried as she positioned herself over the deep, round tray and poured the first of the jugs of water all over herself, angling it to pour down her back, then her front, down her arms and legs, until her whole body was glistening wet. Then she turned around, affording him a lovely view of her backside, and crouched down to retrieve her bar of soap.

Jeremy caught his breath. Had she done that on purpose? Surely not. He scanned Emmeline’s face as she nonchalantly turned again, displaying her front, and started rubbing the soap over her lovely full breasts. He made an involuntary noise in his throat which he abruptly stifled when she paused. He held his breath.

Only when she was assured of no further interruption did Emmeline commence soaping herself again, under her arms and down her sides. To his fascination, her expression was entirely serene now, as though she had settled into her role of confident bathing goddess and felt secure in her divine status.

She proved this when she turned again, twisting to look over her shoulder as she soaped the backs of her plump thighs and her round buttocks. No statue of a bathing Aphrodite had ever made his breath catch in his throat as she did, however much they had caught attention.

Her abundant hair, only loosely confined on the top of her head, was escaping to cluster about her head and neck in damp ringlets, which he longed to touch and thread his fingers through. Bending down again, she retrieved her washcloth and started dragging it over her rounded limbs in circular sweeps, until no inch of her had escaped its attention.

He watched the whole process, enthralled, until she discarded her cloth at last and crouched down to pour the second jug of water over her body and wash away the soap. Jeremy sat forward in his seat to watch the last of the water run down her ankles.

In truth, he was torn. Part of him was content to sit here and watch his wife wield a drying cloth about her person. If he was lucky she might even reveal some kind of lotion. She had to have some trick for keeping it so perfectly supple and dewy. On the other hand, he was almost trembling with the need to touch her.

Emmeline looked directly at him for the first time since she started her wash. There was a hint of uncertainty in her eyes, as though now she had finished, she was unsure of her next move. Jeremy took the initiative. “May I dry you, Emmeline?” he asked huskily.

She appeared to consider before glancing around the room. “I think the linen towels are in that cupboard over there,” she said, pointing. Jeremy needed no further encouragement. He sprang up from his chair, and fetched a couple of towels, setting one down on the floor for her to step onto.

She accepted his proffered hand, and he helped her to step out of the sponge bath and then started carefully, almost reverently patting her neck and shoulders with the other.

“Your towel is rather small,” Emmeline murmured. “Lottie usually fetches me a much larger one.”

“Yes, but you see I want to keep you naked as long as possible,” he responded with perfect truth. She gave a soft laugh which warmed his heart. “Have you any lotion in here?”

“No.”

“No lotion?” He was surprised. How did she keep her skin so soft?

She shook her head. “There’s some in my room,” she volunteered. “But it’s far too expensive to use on my whole body. I only use it on my neck and face.”

“From now on, you use it on your whole body,” he said firmly. “Hang the expense. Direct the bill my way, you need not pay it out of your allowance.” It suddenly occurred to him that he had been somewhat remiss on that front. “Have we discussed the matter of your pin money, Emmeline?”

“No,” she admitted. “But I have not yet spent all the money you left me in Bath. You ended up paying Madame de Flores instead of me, so I still have heaps left.”

Jeremy gave a murmur of agreement. He was not sure he had left her enough to settle up that lady’s extortionate bill. Still, it had been worth it. Emmeline’s new wardrobe was a source of endless delight to him.

He knelt down to dry her stomach and hips and work his way down her legs. “I want to go and fetch your lotion, Emmeline, may I?”

“Yes, if you really want to.”

He scarcely waited for her assent, leaping to his feet and hurrying to her bedroom. Having retrieved the bottle of lotion, it occurred to him that he really needed a much more comfortable chair for Emmeline to sit in for what he had in mind.

Hesitating, he peered into her sitting room. Yes, she had been right. There was a pair of chaise longues in there which looked luxurious enough. Making up his mind that instant, he propped the door open, and, setting the lotion down, dragged the nearest one toward the door.

Once he had got it out into the corridor, it was only a few feet to Emmeline’s bathroom. Giving a soft tap on the door, he opened the door and wedged it open with the chair, dragging the purple and gold couch into the mosaic bathroom. It was a good thing the room was a large one.

“It actually doesn’t look too bad in here,” he commented with surprise as Emmeline watched him open-mouthed. He noticed with displeasure that she had helped herself to a bigger towel and was presently cowering behind it. “It all adds to the high Roman theme.”

“I thought you went to fetch lotion!” she commented, looking in confusion from the chaise to him and then rather pointedly at his empty hands.

“One moment.” He disappeared back into the corridor to fetch the bottle which he left in her sitting room. “I have it,” he announced, returning, and turned the chair about to wedge it under the door handle. “Don’t want anyone interrupting us, now, do we?”

Emmie agreed nervously and he approached her, holding out his hand. “Still willing for this undeserving wretch to service you?” he asked, unable to keep the heat out of his voice.

“Of c-course.” She faltered, blushing warmly and placing her hand in his and dropping the towel. His heart swelled at her gesture of trust.

“How about reclining on that for me?” he said, glancing over his shoulder at the chaise. “While I lotion your limbs.”

Her eyes grew very wide. “Like Venus?”

“Like my own personal Venus,” he agreed, walking her over to it and seeing her seated upon it.

“We will have to be careful. The velvet will be quite ruined if we spill lotion on it.” Emmie sounded nervous.

“It is I who has to be careful,” he corrected her, “lest I incur your divine wrath.”

“Oh yes, of course,” she agreed, “that’s what I meant.”

Jeremy hid his smile as he removed the stopper and poured the milky fluid into his hand.

“Warm it between your palms first, shepherd. If it is cold, I will not be pleased,” she prompted him, lowering herself onto the couch. “I’ve decided you’re a shepherd, by the way.”

“So I gathered.”

She shifted around a bit, trying to arrange herself comfortably and yet not indecently. It turned out there was no way that she could recline without showing the patch of curls between her legs. Finally coming to that conclusion, she gave up the struggle and occupied herself by trying to drape one arm across her breasts in a pose that did not look wholly unnatural.

Jeremy watched her below his lowered lids as he massaged the lotion between his palms. “Anything else?” he asked huskily.

“Yes, you may remove your robe. Your beauty is pleasing to mine eye, and I do not see why I should be the only one naked here,” she pronounced grandly.

This time Jeremy could not hide his grin, but as his hands were covered in lotion, he had first to wipe it over her calves and knees before he could shrug off his robe. It was a good thing today had been a warm day in June, otherwise they would both be covered in goose pimples by this point. As for Jeremy, he felt far too hot to suffer from that condition.

“Not cold, are you, beautiful?” he whispered as he smoothed the lotion in leisurely sweeps of his hands over her skin.

“No,” she sighed, and he could see when she finally relaxed to his ministrations, for she let her arms fall and stopped worrying about affording him a view of her spectacular breasts.

“Won’t you put one arm behind your head?” he suggested respectfully. “You might be more comfortable that way.”

“Is it that way in the painting?” she asked.

“Do you know, at this precise moment, I can’t even bring the painting to mind,” he admitted. “It pales in comparison to the reality.”

She held his gaze for a moment, then reached up to rest her head against her arm. “Like this?”

“Beautiful,” he repeated as she settled into place. He took his time, until he had coated her all over, including her hands, her feet, her ankles, her wrists. No patch of skin was left untouched. Then he brushed kisses against the indentations at the insides of her elbows.

“Is this permissible?” he whispered, gently rearranging her legs so that he could kiss the dimples at the backs of her knees.

“Yes,” she agreed in a murmur, her eyes half closed by this point. “Oh yes. Wherever you want.”

“Wherever?”

She gave a sound of drowsy assent.

“Even if it wakes you up, oh great one?”

Her eyelids flickered. “Even then,” she agreed.

Jeremy grinned and kissed up her thighs. “Don’t dare take offence now, goddess, for I gained fair permission,” he warned.

Emmeline gave a sleepy smile and then sucked in her breath. “ Ohhhh! ” she said, eyes opening wide. “Well, what a very impudent young shepherd you are!”