see me wearing such a voluminous hat. I have commissioned the making of another bonnet from Mrs. Jenkins and plan to gently guide her hand away from all the excessive ribbons, bows, feathers, and such. I feel confident that I can convince her to restrain her more exuberant designs in order to appeal to a broader base of customers, thus ensuring her financial success.”
“And in the meantime?”
Dorothea sighed. “In the meantime, I shall wear this bonnet to advertise my support of her endeavors.”
Carter leaned close and lowered his voice to a whisper. “I could easily contrive to have the hat blow off on the carriage ride home where it would forever be lost in the Ravenswood forest,” he suggested.
“Don’t tempt me,” Dorothea responded with a wry grin. “Ah, now here is the confectioner’s shop. I have a long list of sweets I wish to buy.”
Mr. Harper was a pleasant man, with an easy smile. He enthusiastically welcomed them into the store, causing Carter a momentary flash of guilt. These were his lands, his people, his responsibility. Everyone’s happy, surprised greeting brought home the fact that he visited the estate far too seldom.
Vowing that too would change now that he was married, Carter took his time examining Mr. Harper’s wares, adding several of his own selections to Dorothea’s long list. She was gracious and complimentary, and Mr. Harper beamed under the attention, though Carter was certain they had Mrs. Jenkins’s appalling hat to thank for the extra ounces of sweets they were given. It was clear that poor Mr. Harper could not fully concentrate on the task of measuring as he was mesmerized by the bobbing, swaying contraption that was Dorothea’s bonnet.
They visited several more shops, and in each Dorothea displayed the same gracious demeanor, which soon endeared her to one and all. She was all smiles when they returned to Ravenswood, though she excused herself to attend to her correspondence and then confessed she might even indulge in a short nap before dinner.
Carter kissed her hand in what he believed to be a husbandly fashion as she left him. He watched her hungrily as she slipped away, climbing the stairs to her chambers, and looked forward to the day, very soon he hoped, when they would be taking that nap together.
“Fishing?” Dorothea glanced at the pole Carter carried with a dubious eye. “Actually, I’ve never been fishing.”
“And you call yourself a country girl? For shame!”
“This country girl prefers indoor activities,” she proclaimed.
“But it’s a beautiful day. ’Tis a crime to waste the sunshine. Come, I’ll teach you.”
She could see the sparkle in his eyes, the challenge in his face. Goodness, his charm was nearly irresistible, as he damn well knew.
“Aren’t there worms involved?” she asked with a shudder.
“Very small ones.” She rolled her eyes, and he hastily added, “I will bait your hook and remove your fish when they are caught.”
Hmm. Why was he so very keen on the outing? Normally, Dorothea would suspect an ulterior motive, specifically the opportunity for seduction, but honestly, how would that be possible with dirty worms and smelly fish?
She considered him for a long moment, trying in vain to decipher his reason. “I will join you, but only if we fish from shore,” she finally said. “I don’t particularly like small boats and I cannot swim.”
“I know all the prime spots from shore.”
“May my new puppy come along?”
Carter grimaced. “I worry he might wander off, or even worse, fall into the lake. There is nothing more unpleasant than the aroma of a wet dog.”
“All right, he’ll stay behind this time,” Dorothea reluctantly agreed. “I just need to fetch my bonnet and we can be off.”
He grabbed her hand before she could leave, his expression comically pained. “I beg of you to wear one from London, please. Mrs. Jenkins’s hat will most assuredly scare away the fish.”
“And attract the birds. Yes, I know. A London bonnet it will be.”
She was fairly skipping by the time she joined him in the south garden as the prospect of spending time with him put her in a happy mood. It was a pleasant walk to the lake.
“Where do we sit?” Dorothea asked.
“Here, on the rocks.” His arm swept outward to indicate the various boulders on one side of the lake.
“They are rather dirty,” Dorothea remarked, glancing down at her lovely pale green day gown.
Carter released an exaggerated sigh. “If I knew you were going to be such a girl about this, madam, I would never have invited you along.”
“Serves you right,” she retorted with a teasing glance. “I should insist that you return to the manor and fetch a pillow for me to sit upon.”
“A silk one?”
“A silk brocade pillow,” she answered, trying to keep the humor from her face.
“I will not have my expensive pillows tossed about in the dirt, madam. Especially when you have sufficient natural padding.” He grinned. “Instead, I will sacrifice my own clothing.”
Carter gallantly removed his jacket and put it on the flattest section of a large rock. Dorothea daintily sat on it, modestly pulling her skirts down to cover her calf. Darn, he was fun to spar with, especially when he was relaxed and smiling.
It was a sunny afternoon. After a while, Carter rolled up his shirtsleeves. The sight of those tan, muscular arms did strange things to her stomach. Swallowing hard, she glanced outward, concentrating on her fishing line and pole.
Despite his claims that it was a well-stocked lake, they caught no fish. Dorothea presumed it was their quiet conversation that kept the fish at bay. He told her of his childhood and she shared a few stories about her sisters. Throughout the afternoon he was quick to smile and laugh, casual about keeping her physically close to him.
On the way back to the manor, Carter solicitously held her elbow or her gloved hand each time they came to a dip in the path. It was not an overtly sexual touch, but there was an edge of possession in the gesture that she found oddly thrilling.
It was obvious that he was allowing her the time to make the decision about their physical relationship and Dorothea was grateful. She was also practical. A man as virile as Carter would not wait forever for a reluctant wife to resume her marital duties.
It had been a good few days. They had spent considerable time together, and each day Carter could practically see another layer of his wife’s resistance melt away. If he continued to play it right, it wouldn’t be long before she was sharing his bed. And enjoying it.
In his quest to win Dorothea’s trust and regard, Carter had sought to learn her daily routine. He knew that she took a long, leisurely bath nearly every evening before dinner, profusely thanking the staff for carrying up the many buckets of hot water necessary for her to enjoy this sensual indulgence.
He also knew she took her bath alone, without her maid in the room. It was here Carter prepared to make his next move, for the opportunity to continue his seduction was too good to miss.
He waited in his chambers until he heard her maid leave. Moving quietly through their shared private sitting room, he pressed his ear to Dorothea’s bedchamber door. A smile lit his face at the sound of a splash. Slowly he turned the latch on the door.
The tub faced the fireplace, leaving her back toward him. She was humming, and the melodic noise, coupled with her attention to her bath, made it simple for him to enter the room undetected.
Tendrils of steam rose from the water, surrounding her in an exotic fog. From this angle he could see the slope of her elegant shoulders, the curve of her neck, the sweep of her naked arms as she lifted them from the water to wash herself.
She was so enticing, Carter had to swallow back a groan of appreciation. But he could not as easily control the other parts of his anatomy. Worried that he would distress her if she saw the obscene bulge in his breeches, he shifted his position and stood behind a padded chair, which shielded the lower half of his body.
Then he cleared his throat. Loudly.
Her head whipped around so fast he winced, fearing she might have injured herself.
“Carter! My goodness, what are you doing here?”
“You said to me the other day that you wanted to give me a small token. I have thought on it for some time
