was powdered and piled on top of your head.”
“I was so terrified, I must have looked like a ghost in all that white! I was afraid that my father would force me to marry you because you were such an advantageous match.” She studied the inside of her cup. “I didn’t love you at first, you know.”
“No?” He’d heard the tale before.
“But then you smiled.”
“And you smiled back. You were the most beautiful creature I’d ever seen. You had a rose in your hair that perfectly matched the color of your lips. I wanted to kiss them right then, when your father introduced us. So I kissed your hand instead.”
“I was petrified of doing something schoolgirlish and giving you a disgust of me. You were so elegant by comparison, so sophisticated.”
“So old, you mean. What had I, a thorny old bachelor at six and thirty, to do with such a tender bud?”
“Everything, dearest, for you know I never wanted any other beau but you after that night.”
“And we’ve been happy, even without that spring circus of a wedding.”
Lady Carroll had to acknowledge that no, the size of the wedding was no reflection on the strength of the marriage. Their Graces of Carlisle’s wedding was more like a coronation, and they’d lived apart since the birth of the heir. “Somehow we’ve managed, despite such a hole-in-corner affair.”
“That still cost your father an abbey. We were lucky, weren’t we?”
She sighed and rested her head on his shoulder, thinking of the past twenty years they’d had together, and their three daughters. So many couples had so much less. “Very lucky.”
“But I’m getting old, Bess.”
“Never say it, Bradford. Your foot is just paining you. I told you to stay away from those lobster patties.”
“No, my love, it’s true. More of my schoolmates have their names in the obituaries than in the on dits. You’re as beautiful as ever, Bess, and I’m an old man.”
“Nonsense, you’re still elegant and sophisticated, more so, in fact, now that your hair has become such a distinguished silver. Why, I thought you the most handsome gentleman at the ball tonight.”
“Doing it too brown, my dear, but thank you.” He carried her hand to his lips and placed a tender kiss on the palm. “And you were the most beautiful lady there. Did I tell you how becoming you looked in that claret color? It’s quite my favorite on you, you know, except when you wear blue, to match your bonny blue eyes. Or pink like this gown you have on”—he touched the silk at her neck—”that makes you look eighteen again. Ah, Bess, I should have let you marry a younger man so you wouldn’t be alone, but I was too selfish. I cannot regret that.”
“I am not alone, Bradford.”
“Of course not, Bess, and I don’t intend to stick my spoon in the wall any time soon. When I’m gone you’ll have the girls, and a fine son-in-law, too. Perhaps grandchildren.”
She rubbed his cheek with the back of her hand. “You’re all I want, Bradford. And you mustn’t worry about me.”
“But I do. Your settlements are secure and I’ve made investments in your name, but Oliver—”
Putting her fingers over his lips, Bess said, “Oliver is your heir, and there is naught you can do about it. Talking yourself into the blue devils is foolish, especially on such a happy occasion as this.”
“But what if there were something that I—that we—could do about Oliver?”
The countess laughed. “We would have done it years ago. It’s not as if we didn’t try, my love, or have you grown too old to remember?” she teased.
“I’ll show you how much I’ve forgotten in a minute, you saucy wench, but first I want to have my say. It’s about the boy.”
“What ... ? Oh, that boy.” The countess put her teacup down and moved to the end of the sofa. “You swore we need never discuss that again, Bradford.”
“But things are different now, Bess. Oliver knows, and Comfort. And all the girls, I suppose. Nothing
“I was so terrified, I must have looked like a ghost in all that white! I was afraid that my father would force me to marry you because you were such an advantageous match.” She studied the inside of her cup. “I didn’t love you at first, you know.”
“No?” He’d heard the tale before.
“But then you smiled.”
“And you smiled back. You were the most beautiful creature I’d ever seen. You had a rose in your hair that perfectly matched the color of your lips. I wanted to kiss them right then, when your father introduced us. So I kissed your hand instead.”
“I was petrified of doing something schoolgirlish and giving you a disgust of me. You were so elegant by comparison, so sophisticated.”
“So old, you mean. What had I, a thorny old bachelor at six and thirty, to do with such a tender bud?”
“Everything, dearest, for you know I never wanted any other beau but you after that night.”
“And we’ve been happy, even without that spring circus of a wedding.”
Lady Carroll had to acknowledge that no, the size of the wedding was no reflection on the strength of the marriage. Their Graces of Carlisle’s wedding was more like a coronation, and they’d lived apart since the birth of the heir. “Somehow we’ve managed, despite such a hole-in-corner affair.”
“That still cost your father an abbey. We were lucky, weren’t we?”
She sighed and rested her head on his shoulder, thinking of the past twenty years they’d had together, and their three daughters. So many couples had so much less. “Very lucky.”
“But I’m getting old, Bess.”
“Never say it, Bradford. Your foot is just paining you. I told you to stay away from those lobster patties.”
“No, my love, it’s true. More of my schoolmates have their names in the obituaries than in the on dits. You’re as beautiful as ever, Bess, and I’m an old man.”
“Nonsense, you’re still elegant and sophisticated, more so, in fact, now that your hair has become such a distinguished silver. Why, I thought you the most handsome gentleman at the ball tonight.”
“Doing it too brown, my dear, but thank you.” He carried her hand to his lips and placed a tender kiss on the palm. “And you were the most beautiful lady there. Did I tell you how becoming you looked in that claret color? It’s quite my favorite on you, you know, except when you wear blue, to match your bonny blue eyes. Or pink like this gown you have on”—he touched the silk at her neck—”that makes you look eighteen again. Ah, Bess, I should have let you marry a younger man so you wouldn’t be alone, but I was too selfish. I cannot regret that.”
“I am not alone, Bradford.”
“Of course not, Bess, and I don’t intend to stick my spoon in the wall any time soon. When I’m gone you’ll have the girls, and a fine son-in-law, too. Perhaps grandchildren.”
She rubbed his cheek with the back of her hand. “You’re all I want, Bradford. And you mustn’t worry about me.”
“But I do. Your settlements are secure and I’ve made investments in your name, but Oliver—”
Putting her fingers over his lips, Bess said, “Oliver is your heir, and there is naught you can do about it. Talking yourself into the blue devils is foolish, especially on such a happy occasion as this.”
“But what if there were something that I—that we—could do about Oliver?”
The countess laughed. “We would have done it years ago. It’s not as if we didn’t try, my love, or have you grown too old to remember?” she teased.
“I’ll show you how much I’ve forgotten in a minute, you saucy wench, but first I want to have my say. It’s about the boy.”
“What ... ? Oh, that boy.” The countess put her teacup down and moved to the end of the sofa. “You swore we need never discuss that again, Bradford.”
“But things are different now, Bess. Oliver knows, and Comfort. And all the girls, I suppose. Nothing
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