10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

N ick woke up to the intoxicating lavender scent that haunted him in the years he had been apart from Eliza. He nuzzled her hair and inhaled deeply, never happier knowing that he had her back in his arms. She shifted her bottom against him, and his cock sprang to life. She stirred and shifted so she faced him.

“You’re here,” she said, smiling with her eyes half open. “It wasn’t just a wonderful dream.”

“I’m here,” he said, placing a soft kiss on her lips. “We must dress, though.”

She pouted. “What if I don’t wish to dress?”

He laughed and kissed her forehead. “Your maid shall arrive at any moment, and we should speak with our hosts as soon as possible,” he said before bringing his lips close to her ear. “The sooner we depart, the sooner I can make you come many times in the carriage.”

“Promise?” she asked, winking at him.

He released a low growl. “I must make up for lost time.”

Nick kissed her again before climbing from the bed and pulling his breeches on. At least if Eliza’s maid should knock, he might not completely scandalize her. He grabbed his shirt and wrapped it around himself. He worked the buttons as Eliza threw back the covers, grabbing her dressing robe and tying it around herself.

“I shall change clothes in my chamber and will meet you at the top of the stairs,” he said. “Wait for me there.”

“I’ll be there as quickly as I can,” she replied. She stepped around the bed and gave him a quick kiss. The kind of tender, loving kiss they would share many times a day for the rest of their lives.

He grinned at her, acknowledging that he was the luckiest man alive. “Have your maid pack for you so we can depart.”

As much as he didn’t wish to leave, he turned and cracked the door to check the hallways, then crept out of her chamber. He hurried by the door next to hers but noted he heard a man’s and a woman’s voices on the other side of the door.

Nick smiled to himself and hurried down the hall. He and Eliza hadn’t been the only ones who had a sleepover last night. Their hosts might be scandalized to know so many were taking advantage of their house party to pursue their private entertainment in the night. He made it to the other wing of the house without being seen by anyone and swept into his chamber.

A half hour later, his valet had given him a fresh shave and helped him to dress in fresh clothing. He had informed the man of their travel plans and left him to his work to prepare for their departure. Nick was the first to reach the top of the staircase and waited for his love with his hands clasped behind his back. He rocked on his feet, antsy to have her by his side again. After their time apart, he wasn’t certain how long it would take with her at his side before he would no longer feel unease that she might be taken from him.

After another quarter hour, he was rewarded with the beautiful sight of his future wife. She was all smiles, and he rushed to her and brought her hand to his lips. “Are you ready?” he asked.

“Very much so,” she replied, smiling up at him with nothing but love in her expression. It reminded him of the many moments they had shared hiding behind her father’s stables, where he had first told her he loved her. He meant it then, as much as he still did.

“Then let us find our hosts,” he said, offering her his arm. More guests and servants were moving about the halls. A few guests eyed them curiously as Nick and Eliza moved from room to room looking for Lord and Lady Ockham, but thankfully, no one stopped to engage in conversation.

When they couldn’t find their hosts anywhere, Nick stopped their butler, Baxter. “Do you know where their lord and ladyship are? We wish to speak with them right away.”

“They are in the nursery, my lord,” Baxter replied.

“Might you take us to them?” Nick asked. “I had wished to meet their babe.”

“Follow me, and I shall check with them,” Baxter said.

Nick and Eliza did as the man said and followed him back up the staircase to the family wing where the nursery was. Baxter motioned for them to wait there while he knocked on the door and entered the nursery. He returned in a few moments and waved Nick and Eliza into the room.

“Craven,” Ockham said. “This is quite a surprise but do come and meet our son.”

Nick laughed to himself at the pride radiating from his friend as he bounced his son in his arms. He hoped Eliza was already carrying their babe. He would adore a sweet babe who looked like their mother. Nick stepped closer to the sleeping babe and smiled down at him. The boy very much favored his father .

“So are you going to tell us what this is about?” Lady Ockham asked, smirking and motioning towards Nick and Eliza. Ockham set his son to rest in the crib.

Nick took Eliza’s hand in his. “I’d like to introduce you to the woman I’ve been pining after.”

Their hosts’ jaws dropped, and Nick fought his laughter.

“But,” Lady Ockham started, “you said she had married someone else. I am not aware that Lady Eliza has ever been married.”

“A cruel lie from my father,” Nick said. “It seems both of our fathers wished to keep us apart. They hated each other, and we were manipulated by both of them.”

Ockham patted his friend on the back. “I’m happy for you that you’ve worked it out. You are far happier than I’ve seen you in a long time.”

“Thank you,” Nick replied. “We wish to wed right away, so we hope you won’t be upset with us that we wish to depart today. We have lost far too much time together already.”

Lady Ockham stepped close to Eliza and gave her a tight hug and then patted Nick’s arm. “Of course not. Hopefully, we shall see you both after you have settled into married life.”

Ockham caught his wife’s attention. “I guess this means we both lose. ”

Nick and Eliza eyed him curiously.

“What are you on about, Ockham?” Nick asked.

“We attempted to guess who had captured your heart, but we were only considering married ladies of the ton ,” the man said, shrugging his shoulders.

“Actually, I believe I still win. I did have Lady Eliza at the top of my list of prospects for you,” she said to Nick before focusing her attention on her husband. “So that is a win for me, my love.”

Ockham rolled his eyes, but his smile was one of mirth.

“Well,” Nick started, “we might not have found our way to each other again had it not been for your house party, so we are eternally grateful.” Nick held out his hand to his friend for a shake.

Ockham shook his hand and then wrapped his arm around his wife.

Nick and Eliza said their goodbyes to their hosts, as well as the sleeping babe, and then departed. On their way to the staircase, they passed by Eliza’s chamber and then the door next to hers opened. Eliza’s friend, Juliet, exited the room.

“Oh,” she said, startled by the two of them. Then a confused expression formed. “What happened here?”

Interesting she should ask that, given that Nick very clearly heard a man’s voice coming from her room, but that was of no matter to him .

Eliza reached for her friend’s hand. “Nick and I are to marry. We are departing now to do so and take up residence at our country estate.”

“What?” Juliet asked, shocked. “How did this come to be?”

Nick could tell from the lady’s reaction that she wasn’t certain if she trusted him with Eliza.

“Things weren’t as they seemed. We were both tricked,” Eliza quickly explained. “I shall share all the details soon, but we must depart. I hope you won’t hate me for leaving you to enjoy the party without me. I hope you shan’t be bored once I am gone.”

“I am sure I shall manage,” Juliet said, smiling at her friend.

I’m sure she will , Nick thought to himself.

“I am so happy for you, truly,” Juliet exclaimed, wrapping her arms around Eliza. Juliet shifted her focus to Nick. “I look forward to getting to know you, too, my lord.”

“Nick, please,” he said. “I’m sure we will see you often.”

“But not for at least a few weeks,” Eliza said, staring at her friend pointedly. “We won’t be accepting callers for a while.”

The ladies laughed and hugged each other again. Nick and Eliza escaped the house and requested their carriages without being stopped by any of the other guests. They didn’t wish to explain their situation to anyone else just then.

Their trunks were being brought and loaded onto one of Nick’s carriages. They requested that Eliza’s carriage be sent back to her father with only a message that she wouldn’t return. He could stew for a while and wonder what had occurred. The man deserved far worse.

A quarter hour later, they found themselves seated beside each other in their carriage. Once they started their journey, Nick released the ties that held the curtains so they could shut out the rest of the world and focus on each other.

“You certainly don’t intend to waste any time, do you?” Eliza asked, giggling.

“Not a single second,” he replied, pulling her close to kiss her.

She kissed his jaw and licked the lobe of his ear before whispering, “Good, because it’s my turn to remind you to whom you belong.”

There was no question, but he would happily play her game and stop in the first village to purchase a jar of oil.