Chapter 7

CHAPTER7

Leo had not attended many wedding breakfasts. In fact, he had attended none where he himself was the groom. This was the first time ever, and he was feeling somewhat uneasy in this role. He had to remind himself several times of the fact that it would all be finished soon, the guests would all disperse and leave to their own respective homes while he himself would be left with his… wife.

The notion was still as foreign as before. This morning changed little if anything. The vows they had exchanged, so solemn, almost emotional, brought nothing new, and now, he was seated by his wife’s side.

He had to admit that Jane looked absolutely breathtaking in white. Her gown was adorned with silk brocade and embroidered muslin, and the layered construction of the dress itself seemed to embrace Jane’s curves in a perfect manner. Her cheeks were blushing red, and during the actual ceremony, she hid most of her face underneath a delicate veil, making her resemble a creature from an old tale of yore where she graced some insignificant mortal with her presence for one blessed moment, only to return to the immortal realm once again. Now, that creature whose beauty seemed immortal was seated right next to him, and he had to employ most of his conscious effort not to gaze at her the entire time.

The actual breakfast was a mostly silent affair. All those present, of which there were few, knew why they were here, and they felt like there was very little reason to celebrate. On top of that, he felt that something had happened to Jane. He could sense the tension that reigned between her and her father. He was certain that they had argued again, but seeing she was here, she must have lost that argument.

Instead of feeling victorious, he felt like the villain in this story. He tried to banish that sensation from his mind, to explain it away, but the look on her face haunted him. Every time he turned to her in an effort to catch her gaze with his eyes, she would turn away as if she expected him to read her most secretive thoughts on her face.

“The ownership documents shall be ready for signing on the morrow,” Leo said, his ham and eggs still minding their business on his plate while he gazed away from them disinterestedly. Even the chocolate cake, which occupied the very center of the breakfast table, did not catch his interest. All he wanted now was for this to be over, so the two of them could have their most serious conversation up until this point.

“I shall be expecting them then,” the Earl nodded gravely, putting down his fork and knife.

It seemed that no one was particularly hungry this morning, despite the fact that they had all gotten up early, went to the church, did what was necessary there, then returned to Dunton Estate. So much effort, and yet, no one’s body was famished.

“Your home is lovely,” the Countess tried to stir the conversation to a different, more neutral direction. “Especially your garden.”

Leo welcomed the idea. The duration of the wedding breakfast had been an entire hour already, and it seemed that no one wanted to talk about anything. Now, the Countess formed her comment in such a manner as to allow either himself or his mother to reply. He was surprised to hear his mother answering first.

“It is lovely for sitting outside in the summertime when the sun isn’t particularly strong,” she said slightly indignantly, but Leo knew that the mere fact that his mother provided a response to this comment meant that she was trying to make this work. For him.

“Oh, I would love to see it,” the Countess said then suddenly turned pale as if she said something wrong. She quickly endeavored to correct her behavior. “Oh… I did not mean to invite myself there. Please, excuse my manner of speaking.”

Leo smiled. He was relieved to see that there was someone who felt equally awkward during this breakfast. It seemed like none of them felt quite right being here. Of course, that would be the case, he reminded himself. The lady next to him did not want to marry him—that much had been obvious from the moment he made his offer. At that time, he still could have backed out. He had that option, but he did not seize it. At first, he was certain that this was exactly what he should have done, but now that there was no going back, his mind was playing a different tune.

A few more superficial pleasantries were exchanged between his mother and Jane’s then the conversation quickly died down with no one willing to continue it or steer it to a new and unexplored direction. Everyone continued to eat in silence until after about fifteen more minutes, it seemed that Jane’s father had decided it was time to go.

He stood up suddenly, pulling his chair backwards so loudly that it screeched against the tiles on the floor. The cake was still intact. Not that Leo expected anyone to want a piece. But it was tradition, and every wedding breakfast needed a cake, so his cook made sure that there would be a cake present. Whether or not anyone would be in the mood for it, that was something he could not foresee.

“Well, that was about as much as I could take,” the Earl said, ambiguously looking at his food, but Leo knew well that his words could be interpreted in a completely different way as well. He chose to ignore them and merely smiled politely.

The Countess instantly followed suit, standing up and showing that she was by her husband’s side in everything. That much had been obvious.

“Thank you for… everything.” The Countess sounded slightly confused as if she wasn’t certain whether or not she should be grateful for this morning’s hospitality.

“You are always welcome in our home,” Leo said, accentuating the word our not only with his words but also by standing right next to Jane. He contemplated wrapping his arm around her waist, but that would have been too much, too soon. Instead, he just assured that he was standing close enough to her so that he could smell the delicate fragrance of her skin.

The Countess smiled, but her husband did not. That didn’t affect Leo much. Jane Pratt was his wife, and the brewery would be signed over to him as soon as the following day whether or not the Earl was satisfied with this outcome or not. His debt would also be paid as soon as the brewery was signed over. Everything was going according to plan. If that was truly the case, Leo couldn’t understand why he didn’t feel triumphant at all.

His mother excused herself, saying goodbye to the guests, who were also on the way out with Leo and Jane seeing them off. Leo watched as Jane hugged her mother, burying her face in her mother’s neck. The sight was moving. He thought Jane would cry upon seeing that her mother’s face was already wet with tears, but Jane managed to keep her composure. Leo had to admire her for that. Composure wasn’t much of a woman’s trait. From his experience, they were always subject to outbursts of emotions.

Then, it was the Earl’s turn. Leo expected Jane to hug him as well, but their goodbyes were cold and detached. Leo figured that Jane was still upset with him for deciding on this marriage for her. He could understand that feeling although he never lived it.

A few minutes later, Jane’s hand was waving a soft farewell to the carriage that was disappearing into the distance, leaving her alone with her husband in her new home. Then, she turned to him. Leo could feel her gaze burning the side of his cheek. He knew she was looking at him, but he wasn’t returning her gaze, and that made him the one in power. He lingered in this limbo for a few moments longer then faced her.

She was stunning. Her face was a sculptor’s dream with its soft lines and perfectly symmetrical features. Even now, she looked like she was pouting, but she was not. It was merely the effect her full lips had. How he longed to taste them, even for one breathless moment, but he doubted that she would ever allow that. Perhaps that was for the better. After all, they were not married to be a real husband and wife although he would not refuse such an offer.

“Would you care to return to the drawing room for some tea, Lady Jane?” he asked, offering her his hand to lean on.

She hesitated, as if she were looking at a stranger she was seeing for the first time, and she had always been taught never to trust a stranger, then she gave in. Her hand rested on his arm, and the touch felt surprisingly soft. He walked slowly with her keeping up. They returned to the drawing room in silence where she immediately released him and took a seat on the chaise lounge. She did not take her eyes off of him for even a moment.

“I suppose we are to discuss the conditions of this arrangement then,” she told him, her voice devoid of any emotions as her hands rested in her lap.

“That would be a good thing to do, yes,” he nodded, taking a seat opposite her, thinking that it wouldn’t leave a good impression if he remained standing. “May I start?”

She pressed her lips together, and he believed she would not allow him to go first, but then, he saw her nod. “By all means,” she told him.

“I am of the opinion that you should remain with me,” he started then quickly added so that there would not be any confusion as to what he was referring to, “I mean, stay here in this house—at least for the first several months.” He paused for a moment, expecting her to say something, but she was quiet, so he continued. “The reason I am suggesting this is that this way, we won’t raise any suspicions among the ton and cause gossip which might negatively affect our mutual business endeavor. What do you think?”

He had no idea where that last part arose from. He wasn’t planning on asking for her opinion about much, especially not this. He simply wished to tell her what their best course of action would be, and he expected her to follow it.

She seemed to ponder it for a few moments then she nodded. “I believe that would be best.”

He expected her to say something more, anything really, but the tone of her voice assured him that, at least for today, she would be talking to him only about things that were required to be spoken about. She waited for a few moments longer then she stood up. He immediately mirrored her action.

“If you don’t mind, I would like to be excused,” she said softly, her voice down to a whisper. “I have an unpleasant headache, and I wish to lie down a little.”

“I can have the servants bring you some tea to your room,” he quickly added.

“No, thank you,” she cut him off, and without any other word exchanged, she left the room, gently closing the door behind her. He was left alone on his wedding day.

It was certainly not the kind of wedding day he expected to have. Then again, it was certainly not the kind of wedding he expected to have either. It was all odd and new, and he didn’t really know how to adjust to this new situation. It was still too early. He was certain that he would find a way.

Perhaps this evening, at dinner, they would both be in a better mood. They would both understand that this marriage was a necessity. Once they both accepted that, things would be better.

He inhaled deeply, feeling overwhelmed. Perhaps he ought to lie down as well. He doubted that he would be able to get any work done. The very knowledge that she was near him was enough to distract him. There was lust, there was curiosity, and there was concern. There were so many things intertwined inside of him, keeping his mind occupied, and he knew that only time had the power to disentangle them.