Gentleman's Guide 02 - His Contrary Bride) (24 page)

Her hesitation had the women laughing.
Finally Phoebe spoke. “Just let Marius touch and kiss you wherever
he desires. He will help you discover it for yourself.”

That was no answer. “Do I need to do
anything, for him, besides lie there?”

Again her question was met with giggles.

“Just let him take the lead. You’ll learn
what he enjoys,” Janine finally answered.

“Trust him completely.” Juliet added.

Sabrina realized she was going to learn
nothing else. Yes, she would trust Marius completely and let him do
what he wished. She was just glad it didn’t sound as degrading as
Lady Davies had led her to believe. Finding the act pleasurable had
never entered her mind but she trusted her friends over her past
employer.

A couple of maids entered a few minutes
later as if they had been waiting for the delicate conversation to
end. One carried tea in to Sabrina.

“Here you go Lady Sabrina. These should help
your pains.”

“Thank you Molly, you are a dear.”

After draining the tea and allowing Molly to
wash her hair, Sabrina finally emerged from her bath. After drying
and slipping on some her chemise, shift and stockings she entered
her room. The sight brought her up short. A gown she had never seen
before lay on the bed and her friends were grinning. Phoebe
stood.

“Before you do anything, Sabrina, you need
to try this on.” Turning to the maid. “Molly, can you summon the
seamstress?”

“Where did this come from?”

“You’re fairy godmother, or should I say
godfather. In fact he has taken care of everything.” Phoebe
answered, straightening the gown over Sabrina’s shift.

Turning Sabrina gazed into the mirror and
gasped. “It is beautiful.”

“Your godfather was very specific in what
Cinderella should wear.”

“Who wouldn’t feel like a princess in this
gown?” Sabrina whispered, taking in the beauty of it from the
scooped jeweled neckline and lavender satin bodice to the full,
matching bellowing skirt. Her sleeves were capped and trimmed in
small diamonds. On the bed lay cream gloves, slippers, and
stockings. The beauty of this gift brought tears to her eyes.
Nobody had to tell her who her fairy godfather was.

The seamstress checked the length and fit,
proudly announcing that not one alteration would be needed and took
her leave. Sabrina’s friends sighed with relief.

As soon as the dress was removed, Sabrina
sank into a chair, wishing the tea would relieve some of her
discomfort. “I am still not sure what the dress is for. I assume I
will need to wear it soon, or even today, or he wouldn’t have it
ready.”

“Sabrina,” Phoebe began hesitantly. “Marius
didn’t tell you when you would be wed, did he?”

“No. I assume we will discuss that when he
returns.”

Her friends shared uncomfortable looks
before Juliet spoke. “You are getting married this afternoon.”

Sabrina looked at them. Surely she
misunderstood.

Phoebe hastened to explain. “He has a
special license.”

“He said he wasn’t going to chance you
changing your mind and wanted to marry as quickly as possible after
you said yes,” Janine concluded.

Sabrina sat stunned, absorbing their words.
Slowly, a horrifying thought came to mind. “Oh, dear. He will want
to do
that
, tonight.”

They all nodded their head in agreement,
mischievous grins upon their faces.

Sabrina’s eyes grew wider and her stomach
did a flip as panic set in. “We’ll tell him it is impossible. We
have to wait a week. That is all.”

“We can’t. All the arrangements have been
made.”

“It doesn’t sound like he was confident in
my answer,” Sabrina grumbled.

Phoebe laughed. “Believe me, he wasn’t. He
said if you rejected him this time he planned on getting drunk and
staying that way.”

Sabrina said nothing further. How could she
get out of her current predicament? She would simply have to tell
him. Just the thought of doing so brought embarrassment and her
face grew hot.

“Is anything amiss?” Juliet asked in a quiet
tone, a worried frown on her lovely face.

Sabrina forced a bright smile. “Nothing.” If
only it were that simple.

*

Marius paced nervously. He prayed he hadn’t
acted hastily since all brides like to plan their own wedding.
Theirs would take place this afternoon at his parent’s townhouse.
Following a dinner with close friends and family with the night
ending with a ball hosted by his parents. The announcement would be
made at that time and Lord Chesterfield would learn it was too late
to do anything to stop them.

Will she be angry with me? Have I been
too presumptuous? Surely she will understand the need to protect
her from Chesterfield now that she was old enough to take
control
. He walked to the sideboard and took a glass from the
silver tray.
What if she hated the dress? What if she hated the
ceremony? What if she wanted a church?

Taylor took the glass from him, poured
whiskey into it and pushed it back into Marius’ hands. “Drink and
sit down before you drive us all to bedlam.”

Marius sank into the chair beside the window
and sipped the fiery liquid.
Surely she will understand the
necessity to rush. Her life could very well depend on it and he
needed to keep her safe.

He started at the quiet knock and looked
toward the door as it opened. His mother popped her head in. “Your
bride has arrived so make yourself ready.”

The woman glowed with happiness, no doubt
she would be hoping for grandchildren within the next year. Marius
bit back a grin. He would be happy to facilitate that very desire,
and would begin this very night. Heaven knew he had wanted to make
love to Sabrina for months now, and imagined the many ways he would
give her pleasure. He just hoped he lasted long enough given he had
been in a state of need for so long his control may disappear the
moment he had her in bed.

He followed Taylor from the library into the
parlor where their guests awaited. His friends took seats with
their wives.

The minister took his place beside Marius
and they both turned toward the door. The moment she stepped into
the room his breath caught. She was more beautiful than he imagined
when he chose the fabric and design of the dress. He was also
surprised by the paleness of her skin, and barely a smile upon her
lips. His gut tightened.
She was upset.
He promised himself
to make it up to her, somehow, for taking control of her wedding
day.

*

Sabrina truly felt like a princess when she
entered the home of Lord and Lady Wilkes and saw the look on
Marius’s face. She would carry that memory always. He really, truly
loved her. If only she didn’t have to worry about that one small
problem with tonight, the day would be perfect.

Sabrina studied his face, remembering the
first time she had seen him standing in the foyer of the academy.
She had been drawn to him in that moment. Never would she have
dreamed it would have led to this. The sheer emotion of love she
had for this handsome man clogged her throat and tears formed in
her eyes. Marius smiled lovingly as if he understood everything she
was feeling. She blinked them away. She had cried enough tears
today. In fact, she was a veritable watering pot. She needed to
gain control of her emotions now or she would be sobbing like a
baby before they were ever pronounced man and wife.

The kiss he bestowed on her was the
sweetest, most loving, and wonderful kiss she had ever experienced.
It was so unlike the other kisses she had received from him. Those
spoke of passion, this one spoke of love and her heart cinched. She
was the luckiest bride alive, almost.

Dinner passed in a blur. If questioned,
Sabrina would not be able to say she ate or relay the topic of any
discussion she had been involved in. By the time the meal ended her
stomach threatened to reject the food and a headache had begun at
the base of her skull.

“Sabrina.” Marius’ voice broke through her
muddled thoughts. “We should retreat to the library and wait for
the announcement.” He stood and moved to pull her chair out for
her. “Guests for the ball will be arriving soon.”
This was the moment she dreaded. She allowed him to take her arm.
Once they entered the library, Marius shut the door and turned
toward her.

“Sabrina, I am sorry, but I didn’t feel I
had any choice.”

She blinked up at him. What was he talking
about?

“I don’t trust that your uncle will not do
you harm, especially now. I didn’t want to leave you unprotected
another moment.”

“I understand.” Why was he going on like
this?

Marius turned away and began to pace and
pushing his fingers through his hair. “I know that brides like to
choose their own dress and plan their own wedding. I don’t blame
you for being upset that I took this from you.”

He was making no sense. “Marius, what are
you talking about?”

He stopped and looked at her. “You’re upset
and I am trying to apologize.”

It finally dawned on her what he was trying
to apologize for. Sabrina stepped forward and took his hand. “I am
not upset about any of the things you mentioned. I couldn’t have
chosen a lovelier gown myself.”
“But you are angry over something, or perhaps worried.”

The moment of truth had come and Sabrina
turned away. She took a deep breath and squared her shoulders.
“I’ve been worried that you will be angry with me, or at least
disappointed.”

“Sabrina, how could I possibly be angry with
you, especially today.”

She took a deep breath and blurted out,
“Because we can’t be intimate.”

*

Marius was approaching from behind to offer
comfort but her words stopped him in his tracks. So, that is why
she is so pale. She is worried about tonight. A smile pulled at his
lips and he continued forward until he could pull her close and
wrapped his arms around her waist. “There is nothing to be worried
about. I am sure all brides are nervous…”

She pulled away from him, her back rigid.
“That isn’t it.”

He couldn’t imagine why else she would make
such a statement.

Sabrina turned to look at him, eyes moist
with tears and face red as the deepest roses in his mother’s
garden. His heart sank.

She blinked a few times and looked at the
ceiling, as if searching for the right words. The fact that she was
clearly embarrassed by the hue of her skin set his mind to other
possibilities.
No, anything but that.
“Sabrina, is it
because of a female matter?” Now his face heated. He had never had
a discussion such as this, especially with a woman. He learned the
facts at a young age and it was never discussed again.

“Yes,” she squeaked out.

“When?” He asked with slow deliberation.
Let it be days already, please
.

“This morning.” Her voice was so quiet he
was afraid, or perhaps hoped, he hadn’t heard right, but his gut
told him he had.

“How long?”

Sabrina bit her bottom lip and looked at the
floor. “About five days.”

“No,” Marius groaned. This was not happening
to him. He had waited months to be with her and couldn’t wait to
make love to Sabrina and now that she was his wife, he could, but
not for five more days.

A tear slipped down her cheek and he
immediately regretted his reaction.

“Are you very angry with me?” She asked the
question to the carpet, still not looking at him.”

“Angry? Of course not.” He marched forward,
put his finger under her chin and forced her to look up at him.
“How could I possibly be angry at something like this? It isn’t as
if you have any control over the situation.”

Sabrina let out a breath and her shoulders
relaxed. This was what had her in a state of nerves, near panic, at
dinner.

“Disappointed?” Her eyes searched his
face.

“Very,” he easily admitted with a smile. “I
was greatly anticipating tonight but one can’t control nature.”

She straightened again.

He leaned forward and touched his lips to
hers; reminding himself that passion would be of no benefit at the
moment. When he pulled back he smiled down at her. “I will simply
have to wait a bit longer than I planned.” He pulled her closer.
“However, when the time comes, you will be mine. I may not let you
out of bed for a week.”

Her eyes grew wide and she bit her bottom
lip. Good Lord, he needed to be quiet before he had her sick with
worry for the next week.

“I love you,” The words were soft and the
relief in her eyes tore at his heart.

“And I love you. More than I ever thought it
possible to love another human being.”

A knock at the door interrupted them and
husband and wife pulled apart.

“Come,” Marius called.

The footman entered and bowed. “It is time.”
He bowed his head and exited the room.

Marius took Sabrina’s arm and led her down
the hallway and stopped right before the door where they could hear
his mother’s announcement.

“There have been a number of discussions
this evening regarding my son and Lady Sabrina.” His mother’s voice
rang out from the ballroom over the crowd and Marius escorted his
wife toward the entrance. “I, for one, am thankful the truth is out
and all can now see that Lady Sabrina is an innocent young woman
caught up in difficult circumstances.” A number of heads nodded at
her statement. “Given that the truth is now known it gives me great
pleasure to announce that my son, Marius Parker, married Lady
Sabrina Chester just four short hours ago and that is entire reason
for this ball.”

Marius gave his wife a quick kiss and
escorted her through the door.

“May I introduce Mr. Marius Parker and his
wife, Lady Sabrina Parker.”

*

The groom pulled the bride into the entry.
Sabrina knew his mother would announce their marriage but this was
more than she expected. Much like dinner, the ball was a blur. This
time the cause was pure elation at finally marrying the man she
loved, a whirlwind of dancing, and the constantly flowing champagne
probably had a lot to do with it as well. Everything was right in
the world.