Miss Hastings' Excellent London Adventure (Brazen Brides Book 4)(31)

 

"I'm sure I will love her—even if she is an atheist."

 

He chuckled. "She's not an atheist—quite the opposite. She's a Methodist."

 

"Then you were raised a Christian?" A look of incredulity swept across her face.

 

"I hate to disavow your misconception about me—though I do confess that as an adult I've relaxed my religious fervor."

 

She let out an audible swish of her lungs. "I am happy you are not an atheist. "

 

"I beg you not say anything to my mother about my . . . infrequent church going. She is still having a difficult time accepting that her children are all Church of England." He gave a mock shudder. "Mama is exceedingly stern and terribly religious."

 

She smiled. "I believe, sir, you must be describing my Aunt Harriett! Though my aunt used the most pompous upper-class accent and would never attend a service that was not Church of England."

 

"I must not be nearly as charitable as you for I cannot say I'm sure I would have loved your aunt."

 

She giggled. "If I didn't owe her so much for raising me when I became orphaned, I probably wouldn't have loved her either. Sadly, I am probably the only living person who ever had tender feelings for my exceedingly stern aunt."

 

His brows lowered. "How did our conversation move to such topics?"

 

"I asked if you'd always lived in London."

 

She was blessed with a remarkable memory. "So you did." He offered his arm. "Have you seen enough?"

 

"I think so. It's not as if we can't come back." She stopped in her stride and looked up at him. "Though I know I will not normally be able to hoard your precious time."

 

He patted her hand. "I enjoy showing you London. You are aware of Dr. Johnson's remark about our city?"

 

She nodded. "When a man is tired of London, he is tired of life."

 

She must be well read, too. "I suppose one has little to do in Upper Barrington other than reading."

 

"Provided one can get one's hands on great books. We have no lending library there, and the price of new books is steep. Fortunately, Sir Arthur allows me free use of his library."

 

"Then I daresay you've been subjected to tomes by long-dead Romans and Greeks."

 

"How right you are!"

 

"Where would you like to go next?" he asked as they moved out into the windy day.

 

"Do you suppose we could ride in Hyde Park?"

 

"We could, but it will be sparsely populated on so gray a day." And he would much rather display his new wife there after her fashionable new dresses were delivered. At least they would be inside a closed carriage today.

 

"I should still like to see it. If I knew anyone, I should be most woefully anxious to show off my handsome new husband."

 

Handsome new husband? He was never comfortable when hearing himself described as handsome. Nor was he comfortable being this woman's husband. Things had happened so quickly he had a difficult time adjusting to being a married man, to putting another's welfare over his own. He'd always been exceedingly selfish.

 

For Emma's sake, he hoped he did not revert to his former self. She had no one else in this huge, strange city.

 

 

 

 

 

Chapter 10

 

 

 

 

Their trip through Hyde Park was cut short when the skies erupted. Emma’s disappointment vanished the moment she walked into their house and Studewood informed her that Madame De Guerney had delivered her new dresses. "Two carriages were full of the lovely gowns. I've taken the liberty of delivering them to Mrs. Birmingham's chambers. A pity there's no maid to deal with them."

 

"It's only a matter of time before my wife gets her own maid," Adam said.

 

She turned to her husband. "Oh, you must come and see, Adam! You must tell me which you prefer me to wear to dinner tonight."

 

He offered his arm as they mounted the stairs. She was reminded of the first time she had climbed these stairs with him, and it had been she who had taken his arm in an attempt to steady him, fearing the inebriated man would tumble down the stairs. Thank God he was no longer that man.

 

When they strolled into her bedchamber and she saw the two stacks of elegant gowns piled upon her bed, she gasped. "They're all so beautiful! I cannot believe they're to be mine."

 

"You need to become accustomed to having beautiful things." He moved closer and set a gentle hand on her shoulder.

 

"Which should you like me to wear to dinner?"

 

"The pale blue. Tomorrow night I shall take you to the theatre. Then you must wear the lavender gown with your amethyst and diamond necklace. "