Rules of a Ruse (Regency Christmas Brides #2)

Chapter 15

Chapter Fifteen

Alden knew he needed to move slowly with Elinor, and all he had was time now that she was his wife. As much as he wanted to kiss her, he knew that Elinor wasn’t ready.

He leaned back in his chair and picked up a piece of cheese off the plate. “Now, tell me more about yourself and do not leave out any details.”

“That could take all night.”

“Do you have anywhere else you need to be?” Alden asked, his eyes sparkling with a playful challenge.

Elinor smiled. “My bed, considering I enjoy sleeping.”

Alden returned her smile. “All right, we will just converse until we finish the food. Then you can go to bed and sleep.”

Glancing down at the plate, Elinor said, “I believe I already told you that I had a wonderful childhood.”

“You did, and you were rather mischievous.”

“I was,” Elinor said, her eyes lighting up. “I loved wearing trousers and riding my horse bareback, but at some point, everyone has to grow up.”

“Well, I do not take issue if you want to wear trousers to go riding,” Alden said, reaching for a piece of bread.

Elinor’s brow shot up. “You don’t? ”

He held his hands out wide. “I don’t know why you sound so surprised. We are on the outskirts of the village, and I don’t think anyone would give it much heed.”

“Thank you,” Elinor said. “That means a great deal to me.”

Alden held her gaze, his expression earnest. “I want you to be happy, Elinor. I hope you know that.”

Elinor nodded. “I do.”

“Good, because maybe I will wear a kilt and go riding a horse,” Alden quipped.

She laughed, just as he had intended. “That would be quite a sight to see,” she said. “I don’t think the grooms could handle that.”

Alden chuckled. “I don’t think I could handle that.”

“My father always encouraged me to be who I wanted to be. He said that life was too short to be someone you weren’t meant to be,” Elinor shared.

“That is some good advice.”

Elinor offered him a weak smile. “My father would have liked you.”

“From the way you speak of your father, I have no doubt that I would have liked him as well,” he said. “Same with your mother.”

“No, my mother would not have liked you, at least at first,” Elinor remarked.

Alden brought a hand to his chest, feigning outrage. “And why is that?”

Elinor gave him a knowing look. “You were far too cocky when I first met you.”

“That is because I had to make a good first impression on you,” Alden said. “I take it that I failed.”

“Only a little,” Elinor said with a grin.

“If I made such a poor impression, why did you agree to help me?” Alden inquired, his curiosity piqued .

The humor left Elinor’s face and her eyes grew guarded. “That was different.”

Alden’s brow furrowed, sensing the shift in her mood. “Did I say something wrong?”

“No…” Elinor said, pushing back the plate. “It is late, and I am growing tired.”

“Don’t go,” Alden said, not quite ready for her to leave. “Not yet. We can talk about anything that you would like to.”

Elinor considered him for a long moment before asking, “Would you have truly married Miss Cowen?”

Alden huffed. “Heavens, no!” he replied. “I was just trying to make you jealous.”

“You were?”

Finding himself curious, he asked, “Did it work?”

Elinor lowered her gaze before admitting, “If I were to be honest, I was a little jealous.”

Alden felt elated by what Elinor had just admitted. Perhaps she did care for him, just as he did for her. “How could you ever think I would marry Miss Cowen?”

“You wanted the horse farm,” Elinor said with a slight shrug.

“I did, but I was just biding my time until I could convince you to marry me,” Alden admitted.

Elinor brought her gaze up, her eyes searching his. “What if I had never agreed to marry you?”

“That is impossible,” Alden said with a boyish grin. “I can be quite charming when I want to be.”

“I’m afraid I haven’t seen it,” Elinor retorted playfully.

Alden shook his head, smiling at her teasing. “You do know how to keep a man humble.”

“What of Mrs. MacBain or Miss Fraser? Did you fancy either of them?” Elinor asked.

“No,” he replied. “From the moment I set eyes on you, I have only been interested in pursuing you. I just couldn’t let on what I was doing. ”

Elinor eyed him curiously. “Why me?”

Alden decided it would be best to tell her the truth and be done with it. “At first, I was beguiled by your beauty, but over time, I realized that your beauty wasn’t just skin deep. It went deeper, down to your very soul.”

“I don’t know if that is true,” Elinor said, shifting in her seat.

“No, it is,” Alden insisted. “I have known many beautiful women over the years, and none of them could hold a candle to you. You must know how enchanting you are.”

Elinor frowned. “I want to be more than a pretty face.”

Alden leaned forward. “You are,” he rushed to assure her. “You are running a profitable horse farm. That is quite the feat.”

“For a woman?” Elinor challenged, arching an eyebrow.

He knew he needed to proceed cautiously. “No, it is quite a feat for anyone- male or female. I do not think I could have done as well as you have, which is why I want you to keep running it.”

Elinor winced. “I’m sorry I am so defensive. I am used to being told what I can’t do, and not what I can do.”

“That ends now since we are married,” Alden insisted. “Everything we do, we will do so together.”

“That sounds nice,” Elinor said softly.

Alden moved his chair closer to Elinor. “I mean it,” he replied earnestly. “I want to make this marriage work.”

Elinor bit her lower lip, a sure sign she was upset. “Do you think you could ever come to love me?”

He sighed. “I told you that love in a relationship only complicates things,” he started, “but that doesn’t mean I don’t care for you. I do.”

“I understand,” Elinor said, lowering her gaze.

“I know you want love, but what we have is better,” Alden asserted gently. “We get along nicely, and we have genuine affection for one another. ”

Elinor’s eyes grew sad. “I should be happy, but I want more.”

Alden reached for her hand and gently held it. “I promise that I will always care for you, and I will be faithful to you. Is that not enough?”

“I suppose it will have to be,” she murmured.

“Elinor… I am sorry,” Alden said, his voice thick with regret. “I hope I can be enough for you.”

Elinor glanced down at their joined hands, but not before he saw the mixture of emotions playing across her face. She wanted more than what he could offer her, and quite frankly, she deserved more. But this was all he could give her… for now.

She slipped her hand out from his. “I should go. It is late.”

“May I walk you up to your bedchamber?” he asked, hoping to prolong their time together.

With a slight bob of her head, she replied, “I would like that.”

He rose and offered his hand to assist her in rising. Once she stood, she removed her hand and clasped them in front of her.

They started making their way up the servants’ stairs and through the manor. Alden was about to break the silence when he saw a house spider scuttle across the hall.

Alden froze and put his hand out to stop Elinor.

“What is wrong?” she asked, her voice laced with concern.

He pointed towards the direction of where he last saw the house spider. “I just saw a spider,” he revealed, his voice a bit shaky.

“Where is it?” Elinor asked, her eyes roaming over the hall.

“I don’t know where it went,” Alden replied, his eyes darting around nervously. “But it is here somewhere.”

Elinor turned to face him, her expression softening. “What shall we do? ”

“I propose we don’t move until we are sure it is gone and won’t attack us,” Alden said.

“House spiders do not attack people. That is the only thing I am sure of,” she assured him. “We could trap it and release it outside.”

Alden’s mouth dropped in astonishment. “You want to seek out the house spider. Are you mad?”

“At least I am the only one coming up with ideas,” she replied, a hint of amusement in her voice. “Besides, it is not as if we can stand here all night.”

“You are right,” Alden said, offering his arm. “I shall protect you.”

Elinor looked amused. “You?”

“That is the job of any good husband,” Alden responded, puffing out his chest. He hoped that he sounded more confident than he felt.

She patted his arm. “I think it is safe to proceed. I don’t see the house spider.”

As they continued to head down the corridor, Alden kept his alert gaze out for the house spider. He relaxed slightly when they reached the grand stairs.

Finally, they arrived at her bedchamber door. Alden turned to her, his heart heavy with unspoken words. “Goodnight, Elinor,” he said.

“Goodnight, Alden,” she replied, her voice holding an emotion he couldn’t quite place.

Unexpectedly, Elinor went to her tiptoes and pressed her lips to his. He was so surprised that he didn’t even have time to react. The next moment, she disappeared into her room.

Alden stood there, stunned. Elinor had kissed him, and everything changed. He found he wasn’t satisfied with that one kiss. He wanted more. But did Elinor feel the same?

One thing was for certain, that kiss sparked something deep within him, making him realize that he loved his wife.

Elinor lay in bed, staring up at the canopy, her thoughts in turmoil. She had kissed her husband last night. What had she been thinking? He had told her that he couldn’t love her, and she responded by kissing him? The kiss had only confirmed what she already knew deep down. That she loved him. What was she going to do? How could she get Alden to love her?

A knock came at the door, interrupting her thoughts. It opened and Sophia stepped into the room, placing a stack of coins onto the dressing table.

Elinor looked at her lady’s maid in confusion. “What is that?”

Sophia rubbed her hands together nervously. “It is the money that Lord Inglewood gave to me,” she revealed.

Sitting up in bed, Elinor asked, “I beg your pardon?”

“It is my fault that Lord Inglewood knew where you were,” Sophia replied, lowering her gaze.

“ What?! ” Elinor asked. “That is how he found me? It was you?”

Sophia nodded, her voice trembling. “My younger sister is a maid in Lord Inglewood’s household in London, and I wrote to her,” she said. “I wanted to make sure that she was well, but I didn’t think she would turn the letter over to Lord Inglewood.”

“And he gave you money?”

“I didn’t want to accept it, but he left it with Bryon,” Sophia revealed, her eyes filling with tears. “I assure you, I didn’t mean for this to happen.”

Elinor swung her feet over the side of the bed, standing up. “I believe you,” she replied. There was no reason not to believe Sophia, considering she had always been loyal to her.

Sophia looked up, tears streaming down her cheeks. “You have been so kind to me, and I would never want to betray your trust.”

“There is only one solution, then,” Elinor said.

Wiping at her cheeks, Sophia asked, “I’m dismissed?”

Elinor shook her head. “No. You ask your sister to come work here,” she suggested. “You could use the coins to pay for her travel.”

Sophia’s eyes grew wide. “You mean that?”

“I hadn’t realized that your sister worked for Lord Inglewood or else I would have suggested it earlier,” Elinor responded.

“I didn’t wish to burden you.”

Elinor approached Sophia, placing a comforting hand on her shoulder. “From now on, please tell me the truth, whether or not you think it might burden me.”

Sophia smiled through the tears. “I promise.”

“Good,” Elinor said, hesitating for a moment. “Now that is resolved, I need your help. I kissed Alden last night.”

“You did?” Sophia asked, her eyes widening with curiosity.

“Yes, and now I am conflicted,” Elinor confessed. “Last night, he told me he could never love me.”

Sophia looked at her oddly. “So you kissed him?”

Elinor tossed her hands up in the air in exasperation. “Not right away,” she said. “He walked me to the door and was looking at me in such a fashion that I couldn’t resist.”

“This is a good thing,” Sophia attempted to reassure her.

“How?”

Sophia shrugged. “He is your husband, and you clearly have some affection for him.”

“I do, but…” She let out a loud groan of frustration. “What was I thinking? I was too brazen.”

“That is not brazen, my lady,” Sophia assured her. “I could tell you stories about the ladies that used to visit Lord Inglewood.”

“Please don’t,” Elinor said .

Sophia laughed. “I promise, I won’t,” she said, walking over to the wardrobe. “Let’s get you dressed so you can shower your husband with more kisses.”

Elinor frowned in mock irritation. “I should have dismissed you,” she joked.

“It is too late now,” Sophia said, retrieving a pale blue gown. “I think this dress will do quite nicely for today.”

“It is far too fancy,” Elinor remarked.

Sophia held it up, examining it critically. “Not if we want Mr. Dandridge to fall in love with you.”

Elinor slumped into the chair by the dressing table. “Are you even listening to me?”

“I am,” Sophia said, her tone serious now. “I am rather convinced that Mr. Dandridge cares for you just as much as you care for him.”

“He does care for me, he admitted as much, but that is a far cry from love,” Elinor said.

“If that is the case, it makes me wonder why you care so much,” Sophia remarked. “Do you love him?”

Elinor’s mouth dropped open, feigning outrage. “No.”

Sophia gave her a pointed look. “The truth, please.”

With a sigh, Elinor confessed, “Yes.”

“Then we need to get your husband to fall in love with you,” Sophia declared with determination.

“I don’t think a gown is going to help with that,” Elinor said doubtfully.

Sophia laid the gown onto the bed before approaching the dressing table. She removed Elinor’s cap from her head and picked up the brush. “It couldn’t hurt. Besides, you are going to take advantage of your incomparable beauty.”

“Sophia…”

Her lady’s maid spoke over her. “You should laugh at everything he says, as if he were the world’s most clever man,” she said.

Elinor rolled her eyes. “That sounds nothing like me. ”

“You are right,” Sophia conceded, placing down the brush. “I propose a new plan. You are going to wear trousers in front of him. That will show off your curves.”

“No, I am going to use my mind to win him over,” Elinor asserted.

“That could take much longer,” Sophia said as she twisted Elinor’s hair in a chignon. “I like my plan better.”

Once Sophia had pinned up her hair, Elinor shifted in her seat to face her lady’s maid. “I need to tell him the truth.”

Sophia looked bemused. “About what?”

With a sheepish look, Elinor replied, “How I wasn’t truly trying to help him secure a wife because I wanted to inherit the horse farm.”

“I don’t think that is a wise idea.”

“Regardless, I can’t start this marriage with secrets,” Elinor said firmly. “It is the right thing to do.”

Sophia didn’t look convinced. “Is it?”

“Yes,” Elinor replied, her voice resolute.

“Why don’t we work on getting him to fall in love with you first?” Sophia pressed. “Then he might not care when you tell him the truth.”

Elinor rose from her seat. “I have to do it today.”

Sophia glanced around the room. “I quite liked this place. It is a shame that your husband will kick us out of here.”

“Do not be so dramatic,” Elinor said.

The door opened and Aunt Cecilia stepped into the room. “Now that you are married, do you want a tray to be brought to your room?”

“No, I will eat breakfast with Alden,” Elinor responded.

Her aunt beamed. “I was hoping you would say that. I was just informed by Bryon that Mr. Dandridge is in the dining room.”

“Wonderful,” Elinor said. “This is the perfect time to tell him the truth.”

“The truth?” her aunt repeated .

“Yes, about how I was set to inherit the horse farm if he didn’t marry,” Elinor replied.

Her aunt exchanged a worried look with Sophia. “Are you sure you want to do that now?” she asked. “I am not saying you shouldn’t tell him, but surely there is a better time to do so.”

Elinor walked over to the bed and picked up the dress. “This is something I need to do.”

“All right,” her aunt said. “I support your decision.”

“Thank you,” Elinor responded.

Sophia approached her and helped her dress. Elinor smoothed down her gown and said, “Wish me luck.”

Her aunt spoke up. “Start the conversation by complimenting him,” she suggested. “Men love to be flattered.”

With an approving nod, Sophia replied, “Mrs. Hardy is right, and be sure to pout. That will bring attention to your lips. It will remind him that you kissed him last night.”

“You kissed him?” her aunt asked.

Elinor’s lips twitched. “I did,” she confirmed.

“Well done,” her aunt declared. “I must say that you two have made remarkable progress since yesterday.”

Walking over to the door, Elinor said, “Wish me luck.”

“You don’t need luck, Dear, you just need to keep kissing your husband,” her aunt said. “That will distract him from the truth.”

“Goodbye, Aunt Cecilia.” Elinor departed from her bedchamber and headed down to the main level. She was almost to the dining room when she saw Bryon.

The butler’s eyes crinkled around the edges when he saw her. “Good morning, my lady,” he said with a tip of his head.

“Good morning,” she replied in kind.

“Your husband requested a carriage be brought around front,” he informed her. “Apparently, he wants a ride in the countryside with you. ”

Elinor smiled. “I think that sounds like a splendid idea,” she said before she stepped into the dining room.

Alden met her gaze and rose from the head of the table. “Good morning, Wife.”

“Good morning, Husband,” she responded.

He retrieved a chair, placing it to the right of his. “Come join me for breakfast,” he encouraged.

“I would like that very much,” Elinor said.

Once they were both situated, a footman stepped forward and placed a plate of food in front of her. She stared at the plate, knowing that much needed to be said between them. And she wasn’t quite sure where to start.