Chapter 15
It was impossible to suppress the smile on her face. Emma's journey up north was a thousand times more joyful than her recent journey from the north—and that one had heretofore been the most exciting thing she had ever done. Not that her first journey had actually been exciting, given that the post chaise was uncomfortably crowded. She was forced to share her seat with a very large man who obviously shunned bathing and whose gargantuan belly rested upon his thighs. Her eager anticipation of London and all its attractions, though, easily compensated for any of the trip's discomforts.
But today's journey in William's luxurious coach was so pleasurable she not only was oblivious to the cold, she also found herself wishing they would never reach Yorkshire. Riding in a carriage with Adam always pleased her. She thought perhaps her deep satisfaction had more to do with her husband's close proximity than with the comfort of the conveyance, though she must own she had never ridden upon seats as comfortable as the plush velvet ones in the Birmingham carriages. As had become his custom, Adam sat next to her, just as William sat next to Lady Sophia across from them.
It was comforting, too, that she and Adam would be together every minute for the next several days. She fleetingly wondered if there was anything she could do to make him forget Maria, if there was anything she could do to capture his heart. Inexperienced in the ways of courtship, she came to the conclusion she was incapable of manipulating his heart. The only things she could control were her own actions. She could be agreeable, act intelligently, and try not to be an embarrassment to him.
It was also exciting to share their ride with Will and the lovely Lady Sophia. As an only child, Emma had always longed for siblings. And now she had them. She treasured having sisters-in-law and brothers-in-law and rejoiced in how openly they had welcomed her into their family.
She was especially grateful to Lady Sophia for the many ways she had helped her. How honored she was to have one of Lady's Sophia's social stature, unerring taste, and extraordinary beauty as her . . . friend. Adam had told her that before she wed Will, half the peers in the kingdom had begged for her hand in marriage.
Whenever Emma was with her, she studied every accessory, every cut of every dress, every nuance of the lady's silky voice. Emma could barely remove her gaze from William's beautiful wife. Today Lady Sophia wore a red velvet cloak over an ivory traveling dress. With her dark tresses, she stunned in red.
"Do you know what William saw in the Morning Chronicle today?" Lady Sophia asked.
Adam met her amused gaze. "Are you referring to the announcement of Nick's candidacy?"
Lady Sophia stomped her well-shod foot. "You, dear Adam, are stealing my thunder!"
"Sorry. Allow me to start over. Do, Lady Sophia, tell us what William found in the Chronicle this morning."
William chuckled.
Lady Sophia directed her attention at Emma. "Not only did the article announce that Nick is standing for Parliament, but it enumerated all the Whig leaders who have endorsed him. All of London will be talking about our Nicholas Birmingham."
"I think it's lovely that all the prominent Whigs have so enthusiastically praised him," Emma said.
Adam nodded. "Yes, Mr. Lamb and Lord John Russell have both championed him."
"They're not only powerful Whigs," William said, "they're smart. They are well aware of Nick's strengths—as they should be. He will be a huge asset to them."
"Having very deep pockets is also very useful," Adam added.
"It is a pity women are not allowed to vote," Lady Sophia said.
Emma nodded, smiling. "Yes, a man that handsome would handily win." She
then lifted the curtain to peer from her window. "How fortunate we are that the roads are good. No rain. No menacing clouds in the sky."
Lady Sophia grimaced and scooted closer to her husband. "Just blustery winds and bitter cold."
"We'll probably only have to spend one night at an inn," Adam said.
Her heartbeat accelerated. Adam had told her that, like Nick and William with their wives, he and Emma would share a bedchamber. "I give you my word I will behave as a gentleman," he had vowed.
She didn't want him to be a gentleman; she wanted him to be a lover. But she was far too shy to give voice to her deepest longings. Not only that, she feared that after lying with the no-doubt voluptuous Maria, he would never be attracted to a woman like her. Emma's new finery was all that kept her from looking like a girl barely old enough to leave the schoolroom. Nevertheless, the very idea of sleeping upon the same bed as him filled her with a sense of bliss.