"Because we're leaving Bath tomorrow and I will be stuck in the carriage with him for hours, if the trip here was any indication. I'd like as pleasant a ride as possible, so I might as well wait until we're at the estate to say anything. At least that way I'll have a whole house, not to mention the acreage, to get away from him if I need to."
The reasoning made sense, but she couldn't help but giggle when Eleanor did. Just having a course of action, knowing that the end of her current Purgatory was coming in one way or another - although she didn't know whether she'd fall into Hell or rise into Heaven - made her feel better. Even if she did fall, at least then she'd know. The constant doubt and anxiety was turning her mad.
"You can come stay with us if you need to," Eleanor said, the giggles subsiding as she turned more serious. "You'll be right next to Hugh and you know he'll do whatever he can to help you, if you need it."
He would too, even though he was now Alex's friend, Grace knew that. Hugh was, by far, the most serious of the trio that had grown up together, he would consider it his duty to protect his sister's best friend. After all, he had often enough when she was you
nger. It was a position she had never put him or his family in when she and Alex had separated, because she hadn't wanted to take advantage of their feelings towards her in a way that could cause them some strife among the rest of their peers. They'd never kept her from Eleanor, and that had been enough.
If she had to take shelter with Hugh...
Hopefully it wouldn't come to that. Because if she did, and Alex was determined to keep her in their marriage, the law would be on his side. Hugh could actually be arrested if he tried to keep Alex from her. If a husband wanted his wife under his roof, there was very little anyone could do. She truly would flee, rather than forcing her friends to make terrible choices.
But even thinking about such things couldn't stop the almost painful burgeoning of hope in her chest, spurred by both Alex's recent behavior and Eleanor's encouragement. Her life had been a kind of Hell for years now; perhaps it was finally time for redemption.
******
As much as Edwin wanted to hear exactly what his wife and Grace were whispering back and forth, he could tell from the way they were huddled together that leaning down to overhear would only result in the end of the conversation. From the way they both kept peeking over at Alex, he was sure that it had something to do with Grace and Alex's marriage. Just as he was certain that last night's escapades were about that as well.
He couldn't figure out exactly what they thought they'd accomplished last night. Sometimes women just did inexplicable things.
Although, it had led to some very satisfying moments for himself. There was something exquisitely erotic about teasing Eleanor into a needy frenzy and then denying her pleasure. The look of aghast disbelief on her face as she realized the control he had over her body and her climaxes had been hotly arousing for him. He'd held her close all night to ensure that she wouldn't cheat and pleasure herself.
Today he amused himself with little touches to the nape of her neck, her shoulder, her lower back... small caresses meant to tantalize without satisfying. The angry, sexually charged dirty looks he received in return only made him grin. He wanted to get his Nell to a frustrated boiling point, and then tomorrow he'd wake her with his mouth between her legs. This was a punishment he was going to have to remember even after he didn't have to worry about disciplinary spankings again.
He didn't doubt that he'd need plenty of creativity through his life when it came to disciplining Eleanor. Their marriage would be a constant testing of wills, but he was sure that he would always win. It wouldn't be restful, as Hugh would put it, but it was what Edwin loved about her.
This time, when he caressed the back of her neck and she glared up at him, her gaze almost immediately softened. Perhaps because of the way he was looking at her. He could practically feel his love for her flowing out of him, as if it was water spilling out of a too-full glass. It still baffled him that she hadn't known how he cared for her.
"There you are!" Lady Harrington pushed through a knot of people, beaming at her daughter, son-in-law, and daughter's friend equally. Since returning to Bath, it was obvious that her health had improved greatly. Trailing along behind her with an indulgent look on his face, Hugh and Eleanor's father just smiled at them, without the excitement that Lady Harrington was showing. "I've been looking all over for you."
To their surprise, she reached out to Grace, leaning down to give her an affectionate kiss on each cheek. Murmurs from the people around them, showed that Lady Harrington's preference had not gone unnoticed. Edwin coughed to cover his laughter. He smelled a motherly plot afoot. The Countess had also been marked in her attentions to Grace this past week, keeping her from the censure of the high sticklers that had been invited to the wedding. He wasn't sure if Alex had asked her to help or if she had just decided to do it on his own, but Grace's mother and Lady Harrington were best friends, so it wasn't too surprising that she would be putting her own foot forward to further Grace's re-entrance into the higher echelons of Society.
For herself, Grace looked surprised, pleased, and - strangely - a bit worried. Edwin saw her glance at Alex before turning her attention back to Lady Harrington, a happy smile on her face, although the tension hadn't quite left her shoulders. She was another one who obviously didn't know how much her husband cared for her, but that wasn't his problem. That was something Alex would need to work out on his own; Edwin had his own stubborn wife to deal with.
He stroked his fingers down the back of Eleanor's neck, watching her shiver.
Reaching back, she grabbed his hand and tugged, pulling him downward. To any onlooker, it would seem that she just wanted a wifely word in his ear, but her tone was viperish as she hissed at him.
"If you don't stop touching me, Edwin... I swear... I'm going to explode! A spanking would be better than this!"
The feverishly bright look in her eyes made him immediately contrite. The entire point of this exercise, other than to punish her, had been to provide discipline in a way that wouldn't cause her undue distress. A disciplinary spanking would have her bucking and crying, stressing her both emotionally and physically; he hadn't meant to drive her quite to that point now. It seemed that he would have to be more careful than he realized with this kind of creative sanctioning of her behavior.
At least while she was pregnant.
"I’m sorry, sweetheart, calm down," he said, his voice full of apology. He’d only meant to tease her, not to torture her. While it was gratifying to know the effect he had on her, he also needed to maintain his control.
When he straightened and put his hand back on her neck, it was no longer the seductive, light touch that he'd been tormenting her with. Instead, he used his fingers to massage and soothe her, affection running through him as he felt her relax under his ministrations.
Soothed, Eleanor allowed herself to be drawn into the conversation with Grace and her mother.
"Well, you two seem to be happy as two peas in a pod," Lord Harrington said jovially, sidling up to Edwin. He looked down indulgently at his daughter, who (fortunately) hadn't heard a word he'd said. "I knew she'd come around once she had a chance to settle."
"She's perfect," Edwin said, conveniently ignoring the various escapades that Eleanor had put him through. After all, they were his concerns to deal with now, not her fathers. Besides, those same escapades were what made her perfect for him. As long as she wasn't putting herself in the way of harm, he quite enjoyed her high-spirited antics. Playful spankings were arousing in their own way, but he knew that his favorite ones were those that Eleanor had earned. He would miss seeing her tear-stained, contrite face following a well-deserved punishment, and that hot, red bottom, until her pregnancy was over... but he would also be tallying all of her misdeeds and build his anticipation for the day of reckoning once their child was born.
"Just like her mother." The loving look Lord Harrington bestowed upon his wife left little doubt to his own feelings. "Have you spoken to your parents yet?"
"I wrote them, of course," Edwin said. He shared a knowing look with the older man. "They encouraged us to visit the Manse as soon as possible. We'll be leaving tomorrow to make our way there. They're thrilled, of course, especially mother."