Page 44 of A Countess of Convenience

Joy such as she’d never seen leaped into his face. Smiling ear to ear, he jumped up, grabbed her about the waist and twirled her around, shouting, “Hooray!”

“John, for God’s sake, put me down.” Judith couldn’t help but laugh. And the laughter felt good after all the tragedy she’d suffered. “Ugh, I may cast up my accounts all over you.”

“Who cares?” He continued to spin them around, gradually slowing as he allowed her to slide to her feet. “We are to be man and wife.”

“Man and tipsy wife. Oh!” He set her feet on the floor and she staggered into him. “See what you have done.”

“No, it is what you have done, my dear. You have made me the happiest man alive.” He scooped her up again, and she shut her eyes and braced for another whirl around the room.

Next thing she knew, however, he had laid her back on the bed. She sank into the soft coverlet and opened her eyes.

He hovered over top of her, his smile warm and inviting. “Thank you, sweetheart. I will let you rest now. We have much to prepare for in order to make it come about in a timely manner. First thing tomorrow, I’ll go to the Archbishop of Canterbury, explain the circumstances, and pray he grants us a special license. We do not have time to race to Gretna Green, and we must be wed before the court begins to hear the case.”

“What must I do, John?” There seemed a thousand things that must be attended to.

“Kiss me.” He gathered her to him and sank his mouth onto hers.

Just as the other night at The Sun, his lips were firm, commanding, stirring a passion in her quicker than she’d ever known. Immediately, she opened her mouth, inviting him in, and reveling when he slid his tongue into her, delving deep, exploring everywhere. The physical aspects of their marriage might prove to be the best and easiest, if this kiss was any indication.

Too soon for her taste, he withdrew, leaving her body pulsing, wanting more. Wanting him.

Her thoughts must’ve been written on her face, for he grinned down at her. “Soon, my love. Soon.” Without a backward glance, he was gone. Whistling commenced as soon as he’d left, a jaunty tune she remembered from her childhood—he’d whistled then too when he was particularly pleased about something. The whistling headed down the corridor until it was finally lost to her, while she lay warm and strangely contented.

There would be much to tend to tomorrow and the next few weeks, but to have the decision to marry John made went a long way to steadying her. Lord knew she would need a steady hand and steady head in the days to come as she once more navigated danger-filled waters on her way to matrimony.

Chapter 18

Next morning, John strode down the stairs, one deliberate step at a time, a broad smile on his face. He’d not been able to stop smiling since Judith agreed to marry him. He couldn’t attest to it, but he would’ve wagered he’d had that smile on his lips while he slept as well. Although he understood her trepidations about the marriage quite well, he couldn’t restrain his optimism that their union would be the turning point in so many issues. Once they had gained guardianship of Anna, and Judith had had time to properly mourn her father, they could return to Donningham and begin their life together afresh. Surely then he could woo her and turn her friendly affection for him into the passionate love of a wife for her husband.

He entered the breakfast room jauntily, unable to control the spring in his step. “Good morning, Kitty.”

His sister looked up from her egg cup, her eyes red and puffy. “Good morning, John.” She frowned at him. “You are certainly cheerful this morning. Do you think that is appropriate, given Judith’s circumstances?”

Of course, he should be more somber. He’d have to remind himself of that throughout the day. “You are correct, my dear. I will affect a graver countenance.” He took a plate and began to fill it from the gleaming dishes on the sideboard. “I am sorry you are taking Mr. Welbourne’s death so hard. He was certainly a good friend to us and to our family over the years. He will be sorely missed.”

“He will be, by Judith especially.” Kitty took a bite of toast then began shredding the rest of the bread onto her plate. “I cannot help but pity her, John. She has lost husband, daughter, and father in the span of a few months. Not only must this latest loss be devastating, but it cannot help her chances in court.”

“No, I fear it will hurt her case rather gravely.” Here was an opening to apprise his sister of the happy news. “However, we have talked about it last night, and both came to the conclusion that in order to counteract the deleterious effect of her father’s death…we will marry.”

Kitty dropped the rest of the toast. “You are to marry?” She jumped up, ran around the table, and threw her arms around him. “Oh, John, that is wonderful. Not only will it help her at court but your presence in her life will be such a comfort to her.” Kitty stepped back and shot a shrewd glance at him. “She does know you are in love with her, doesn’t she?”

Dear Kitty could be blunt to a fault, especially when speaking to him. “Yes, I told her that. And before you ask, no, I do not believe, nor does she, that she returns my affection in kind. Yet.”

“It is good you both understand that. I know both of you quite well and could certainly see the attraction between you these past days. As long as neither of you has any illusions about the marriage, I believe you will get along just fine. So allow me to be the first to wish you happy, brother.” She threw her arms around his neck and kissed his cheek. “When will you name the day?”

“It is unfortunate that time is of the essence, but there is no way to help that if Blanchard is to be able to inform the court of our marriage and therefore Judith’s elevated status and new male presence in her life.” His first matter of business this morning was to secure that special license. “If I can secure the necessary document, we will be married day after tomorrow.”

“Good lord, John.” Kitty stared at him like he’d proposed removing to China. “You can’t marry her five days after her father died. What will everyone say?”

He knew very well what everyone would say. “That Judith is increasing, and we had no choice but to marry, even though her husband is only five months dead and her father but five days.”

His sister’s eyebrows shot up and her mouth dropped open. “They will, won’t they? Oh, John.” Her eyes narrowed. “She isn’t, is she?”

He hoped his looked was withering enough. “No, she is not.”

“Good, because that would be too scandalous.” She returned to her place and picked up her teacup. “But after you marry, she could begin to increase then, couldn’t she? You’ll be married though, so that will be all right.”

John stopped buttering his toast mid-swipe. Damn. Why had that not occurred to him? “It might give rise to some question about when she began increasing.” There was nothing for it but to make certain she did not become pregnant for some time into the marriage. “We will make sure that doesn’t happen, then.”