Indigo (34 page)

Hester couldn't fathom one person owning so much, but she supposed this was commonplace for women of Galen's class.

"Do these things belong to your aunt?"

"No, they belong to you."

Hester froze. "Me?!"

He nodded. "I told you a long time ago, I wanted to drape you in silks, so—" He ended with a shrug as if that were explanation enough. Hester could only stare around. She was so outdone she didn't know what to say.

Being careful not to step on anything, Hester took a slow stroll around the room. She saw fur-lined capes for winter, riding boots, and gossamer thin night wear. There were evening gloves, lisle stockings, and blouses made of silk. She found summer stoles, more shoes, and soft, velvet robes. Amazed at the sheer volume of apparel, she looked back over at Galen and she still had no idea what to say.

He smiled a half smile. "I suppose you think I went a bit over the top."

She nodded. "A bit, yes." Then she asked, "Where in heaven am I going to wear all of this? There is enough here to clothe every woman in the nation."

He seemed content to simply watch her.

Hester turned her eyes on the sumptuous ball gowns. "No one took my measurements. How do you know this will all fit?"

"Ah, you forget, I have taken your measurements, in my own fashion. I know that your waist fits between my hands. I can close my eyes and remember how long it takes me to caress you from hips to toes. I know that your breasts fill my hands like—"

Hester threw up a hand to halt his recitation. "My pardon for doubting you."

He grinned the smile of the consummate male.

Hester shook her head. "You really need someone to curb your extravagance, Galen."

"That's why I have you,
petite."

He watched her resume her slow walk around the room. She paused to pick up a pair of fine kid gloves. She scanned them then gently placed them back alongside the other fifteen or twenty pair he'd purchased. He wondered what she would say if he told her he'd been shopping for her since leaving Whittaker last October. He was glad to finally be able to gift her with all the lovely things he'd been accumulating in anticipation of making her his own. Granted, he'd thought of her more as a mistress back then, but as time passed and his ardor deepened he knew he wanted her to be a permanent part of his life, in spite of her fears of his being ostracized by his peers. The opinions of others meant little when compared to seeing her smile or hearing her purr sweetly in response to his loving. Hester was his wife and the world be damned.

"So?" he asked. "What do you wish to wear to dinner with me this evening?"

Hester looked around the room. The idea of having to choose something from the extravagant cornucopia of garments was a bit daunting. "I've no idea."

"Will you let me guide you?"

She gave him a tiny nod.

Galen walked over and chose a beautiful gown of sapphire-blue silk. He handed it to her. "This."

A nervous Hester took the rustling silk. It was easily the most expensive gown she'd ever held. "Are we dining someplace special?"

"Yes, here."

Hester's eyes flew to his. The heat reflected in his gaze made her shake.

"Maxi has insisted upon making a special wedding dinner tonight. If you'd prefer not to, it can be postponed."

Hester shook her head. "I'm certain Maxi has gone to a lot of trouble preparing the meal. I wouldn't want to offend her my first day here."

Galen smiled warmly in response to her kind nature. "Good. I have some business to attend to this afternoon, but I'll return in time for dinner. Maxi will come up and put all this away. If you'd like to rest up, the bed is at your disposal."

Hester was a bit overcome by all this, but she had to speak what she felt inside. "I'm still uncertain how I feel about being married to you, Galen."

Galen looked down into her truth-filled eyes and replied, "I understand,
petite.
We'll go slow, I promise. If in the end you find it unbearable, well, we'll discuss that when the time comes. Agreed?"

"Agreed," she said softly.

Galen wanted to pull her into his arms and kiss her fears away, but he held himself in check. He had promised her he would go slow.

After Galen departed, Hester spent a moment looking around at all the beautiful clothes he'd purchased.

Maxi entered to bring Hester a light luncheon. She too took a moment to stare around at the wealth of garments. "Unbelievable," the servant said.

Hester replied. "I feel the same way."

"I want you to know, I was very upset when he told me what he planned to do today at the church. Not even Raymond could talk him out of it."

"Galen doesn't impress me as being swayable once he has set a path."

Maxi nodded. "But I am happy you are in his life. I was there with his mother the day he was born. He has always been special to me. Though I find fault with his methods today, I applaud his choice."

"Thank you, Maxi."

Hester wanted to discuss her fears, but she didn't know Maxi well enough to burden her with her problems. She asked instead, "I've heard you and Racine refer to Galen as 'dragon,' why is that?"

Maxi smiled, "Galeno was such an ugly little thing when he was born. His tiny face was all compressed and pointed. His mother took one look at him and cooed that he was ugly as a dragonlet. It became her pet name for him, and it stuck to him as he grew older."

Hester smiled softly in response to her story. She could hardly believe he was ever anything but handsome.

Maxi voice interrupted her thoughts. "Galeno said you might wish to rest after such an incredible day, and I agree. I will have a bath sent up later and the girls will come to help you dress."

"Maxi, I don't really need help dressing and I can haul my own water."

Maxi simply shook her head. "I suppose I should pay the maids for doing nothing?"

"Well, no—but—"

"No buts. This is how they make their living. You are Galeno's wife. Let us take care of you,
chiquita."

The look on Maxi's face forbade any further arguments, so Hester acquiesced with a nod.

Hester ate her meal alone in Galen's sumptuous room. Done, she stripped down to her slips, climbed into the big bed, and promptly fell asleep.

When she awakened a few hours later, Maxi and the two maids were quietly moving around the room. A large bathing tub now dominated the center of the room and the maids were filling it from large buckets. Maxi, seeing Hester awake, smiled, then shooed the two young women out.

Hester saw Maxi was about to add a handful of powders to the tub's water. "What is that?"

"Salts."

"Maxi, I don't use—"

Maxi dropped the salts into the water. Moments later, the air took on an evocative scent as the powders dissolved and released their aromas.

"As my mistress you will indulge yourself in all the luxury my Galeno can afford. I'll be back to look in on you later. There is soap and towels on the table there."

She exited.

Hester sighed. She wondered if all servants were so single-minded. Hester poured the remaining bucket of hot water into the tub, shed her clothes, then stepped in. The tub's large size rivaled her grandfather's tub at home. The water surrounded her like the warm arms of a lover. The salts made the water so soft she felt as if she were soaking in liquid silk. She ran a slow hand over the surface and then picked up a handful of water and dribbled it over her shoulder and neck. The water rinsed away the clinging dampness brought on by her short sleep. She leaned back against the edge of the tub and let the heat steep away the day. And what a day it had been. When she left home for church this morning, she'd no idea she'd end the day by becoming Mrs. Galen Vachon. She could almost hear the gossips. The Song of Solomon would take on new meaning as a result of today.

Hester decided she should finish washing. It wouldn't do for her to become accustomed to lounging around in tubs, regardless of Maxi's mandates.

Galen quietly eased open the door of the sitting room so he could check on Hester. He hadn't seen Maxi since his return home a few moments ago and he assumed Hester would be still asleep. Instead he stood frozen by the sight of her standing nude in his tub. A gentleman would have eased the door closed again, but Galen had no intentions of passing up this opportunity for a quiet, unhurried look at his lovely little wife. He found her perfect in every way. Her dark breasts, flaring hips, and lean legs were lush for a woman of such small stature. He could spend the rest of his life undressing her so he could feast his eyes and touch on her ebony beauty.

He watched her cascade water down her arms and legs as she rinsed away the soap. Droplets clung to her throat and hips. Thin rivulets came to rest in the valley of her hair and his manhood swelled in response. As she bent to bring up more water, she innocently offered him a very a provocative look at her backside. Finding it suddenly hard to breathe, he silently closed the door and leaned back against it. Going slow was going to be harder than he'd imagined. And this was only the first day, he reminded himself.

Downstairs in his study Galen stared out of the window, musing upon his wife. In truth, being tormented by the sweet sight of her was really no more than he deserved. He'd embarrassed her today, compromised her in front of her reverend, her friends. Maxi had tried to talk him out of interjecting himself into Hester's life without her consent, as had Raymond, all to no avail. He'd had one selfish thought in mind, to make her his own and he'd gone after Hester like a conquistador after gold. It hadn't mattered that she might find fault with his methods. He wanted her, loved her.

Raymond's voice intruded upon his reflecting. "So, is she angry?"

Galen glanced over at his friend standing in the doorway, and replied, "No."

"Your vaunted luck holds." Raymond came in and sat down. "I was looking forward to eating your dessert."

Galen shook his head. "Are you here for a reason, or just to torment me?"

"I came to let you know that Racine has sent word that she will return in a few days. Your grandmother is a bit unwell."

Racine had left to visit Vada last week. She'd originally planned on returning today. Raymond had gone down to bring her back to Whittaker. "I suppose you told her everything about Hester and me."

"Just about. She said she will speak to you when she returns."

Galen sighed once more. It was all he needed, another person telling him how he'd wronged Hester. "Thank you, Raymond," he cracked sarcastically.

Raymond nodded in acceptance. "Well, I'm sure you would do the same for me."

Galen chuckled, "I cannot wait until a woman decides to stomp around inside your heart. Your squeals will be music to my ears."

Raymond's eyes twinkled with his amusement as he stood. "Take faith,
mon ami,
regardless of how I tease you, I am glad things are straightened out between you and La Indigo. It pained me to see you so unhappy."

Galen's eyes reflected the strong friendship they'd held over a lifetime. "Thank you,
mon frere."

Raymond inclined his head. "Well I'm off to Amherstburg for a few days. I have an assignation with a lovely, brown-skinned subject of Queen Victoria."

Galen gave him a wave of his hand and a smile. "Good luck."

Raymond replied, "Unlike the House of Vachon, we LeVeqs do not need luck."

"Out!" Galen told him with a grin. "May she have a husband who is seven feet tall."

Upstairs, Hester hardly recognized the woman in the beautiful sapphire gown staring back from the glass as herself. She had always carried herself with an air of confidence, but this dress, like the dress she'd worn to Galen's party, added an elegance to her persona.

The maids had departed only a while ago, but true to Maxi's dictates they'd overridden her objections to their help and assisted her with not only her dress but her underwear and her hair as well. She'd refused to let them restyle her signature knot, but had allowed them to use the curling iron to fashion a trailing, wispy curl at each temple. The two young women had oohed and aahed over their handiwork and even Hester had to admit the curls added a distinct softness to her face.

Still, she found the woman in the mirror difficult to recognize. The slippers on her feet would never last a moment in the garden or on the Road, but she supposed they were not fashioned for such tasks. They were soft and delicate and appeared to be more costly than any pair of shoes she'd ever owned. It would not do to get accustomed to this, she told herself. In spite of Galen's fervent denials, she couldn't see him being comfortable with this marriage for very long.

Dusk had fallen as Hester crossed back into the bedroom. In her absence an unknown hand had lit a few candles to lighten the shadows, and the bathing tub had been removed.

On the far side of the expansive suite, two French doors opened to the evening air. A quiet breeze wafted in, ruffling the drapes the doors had hidden behind.

The open doors led outside to a terrace. Intrigued, Hester started forward to take in the view, but stopped when she saw the first box. It lay on the floor in the spot where the tub had been. The box was small, square, and wrapped in indigo-colored paper. A bow fashioned from gold ribbon graced the top. Hester stooped to pick it up, and as she did she spied another box on the floor a few feet away, and then another. They were lined up in a path that led her out onto the terrace. Outside she found another. She looked around for more and stared right into the eyes of Galen Vachon.