Vicar's Daughter to Viscount's Lady (Transformation of the Shelley Sisters 2)

‘There are the rooms we use for married couples and single ladies, my lady. They’ve all got dressing rooms.’

‘There are a lot of rooms,’ Bella commented. ‘But not so many large ones for couples.’ Perhaps some rearrangement could be carried out to create better dressing rooms and make small suites?

‘Oh, yes, my lady. The rooms are rather old fashioned. But his late lordship did not give that much mind—his house parties were mostly single gentlemen and females.’

‘Females?’

‘Yes, my lady.’ The housekeeper fiddled with her keys. ‘Not ladies, if you get my drift.’

‘Indeed.’ My goodness, Elliott might have had a mistress, but at least he does not bring loose women home. Then it struck her that he could have been holding veritable orgies at Fosse Warren and Mrs Knight would not have known. She doubted it somehow, even though Elliott obviously had a healthy interest in sensual matters. ‘Thank you, Mrs Knight. I will go back to my room and rest now. Could you ask someone to bring me up a tea tray?’

‘My lady.’ The housekeeper bustled off, her bunch of keys swinging at her side, and Bella went to her sitting room, making a conscious effort not to drag her feet. Elliott had told her to rest, and she should obey him, she knew. And now she was tired, so there was no virtue in her obedience, she acknowledged wryly. Marriage was not easy, especially if one had a conscience.

The next morning, as soon as Elliott had gone out, Bella went straight back to the room she was already thinking of as the nursery. They had enjoyed a very civilised breakfast together with no reference made to the fact that he had not come to her room last night, saying that she seemed tired and should get a good night’s sleep. How long such forbearance would last she was not sure, but thinking of something else was decidedly more comfortable than speculating on when Elliott might return to her room and demand that she work harder at satisfying him. The very thought filled her with alarm for she knew that nothing had happened to make her any more likely to please him.

Bella stood in the middle of the space and half-closed her eyes, imagining the chairs and tables replaced with a cot and a nursing chair. There would be light curtains at the window and soft rugs on the floor. Toys would be scattered about…‘Perfect.’

‘Perfect?’ said Elliott’s voice behind her.

‘This room, for a nursery,’ Bella said as she turned. But it was not Elliott, it was Daniel Calne standin

g there in breeches and riding coat, looking windswept. And almost handsome, she thought, making the comparison with Elliott and finding that Daniel did not quite match up to his cousin in looks.

‘You sound so like Elliott.’

‘People often remark that we sound alike—he and Rafe and myself.’ Daniel came into the room, big and amiable and smiling. He was restful to have around, she thought. She felt quite safe with Daniel, a friendly man who wanted nothing from her she could not give. ‘A nursery, two days after the wedding? You are obviously a planner, Bella.’

She knew she was blushing, knew her hand had gone betrayingly, to her stomach. ‘I…’

Daniel Calne’s face changed from cheerful greeting to what, under other circumstances, would have been amusing astonishment. Then he had his expression under control again. ‘You are with child?’

‘Yes, I am. And I would be obliged if you would keep that in confidence, Daniel.’ All she had to do was be calm, he could not possibly guess it was Rafe’s child, Bella told herself. ‘You may imagine I am a trifle embarrassed about it, as well as delighted, of course. I will not be able to conceal it for much longer.’

‘I will be discreet.’ He had gone positively pink. ‘I was momentarily taken aback. I was convinced Elliott was cour—convinced he had no notion of marriage in mind…I am delighted, of course.’

What had he almost said? Not courting, surely? Elliott had told her he was not in love with anyone. She felt uneasily that it had not been the entire truth.

‘I have been clumsy, I am so sorry. I should have kept my mouth shut. I felicitate you on the forthcoming happy event and I will be suitably surprised when I hear about if officially, so to speak.’ Bella turned her head away, still worrying about that unfinished word. ‘Bella, forgive me. I will not speak of this to anyone, I swear.’

‘Thank you. I would not have Elliott embarrassed for the world. And there is nothing to forgive.’ She should ring for tea. It still had not quite sunk in that she was mistress of this house and could order the staff as she wished.

‘And what is Daniel to be forgiven for?’ How could I have ever mistaken someone else’s voice for Elliott’s? Bella wondered. His was deeper than Rafe’s, more flexible and expressive than Daniel’s.

‘For making Bella jump out of her skin just now,’ Daniel answered before she could think of anything to say. ‘She was lost in thoughts of wallpaper and curtains and I walked in and startled her.’

‘I was just going to ring for tea,’ Bella interjected. Now she was committed to a lie, Daniel was taking her request for discretion to include mentioning it to Elliott. It seemed she had done nothing but deceive him recently and it made her miserable. Or perhaps she was refining too much upon it and it was simply her unsettled emotions that were to blame.

‘Daniel has just got here—I did not realise that you two had a meeting.’ Elliott stood back punctiliously as she went through the door, then they both followed her along to her own sitting room and waited while she rang the bell and sat down.

‘We do not have a meeting,’ Elliott said. ‘I came back because I had forgotten some paperwork. You’re a fair ride from home,’ he remarked to his cousin. ‘But it is good to see you.’

‘I have a new hunter I wanted to try and I dropped by on the off chance. But there is a matter of business, if you have the time. Perhaps I can ride with you a little when you go out again.’

‘Discuss it now,’ Elliott said as the maid came in and was sent away for the tea.

‘Yes, of course,’ Bella said, remembering that a dutiful wife would not want her husband to be drinking tea with her when he could be attending to business. ‘The girl can bring your tea down to the study.’

‘I meant here. I would not miss your first tea party, my dear.’ He smiled at her and Bella felt a rush of pleasure.