There was a long, deep silence between them. He did not know what to say, and feared to speak to speak at all lest he break the spell between them.
Finally Aurora forced herself to her feet. 'It has been a tiring day, Valerian,' she said. 'I believe I shall go to my room now.'
'Let me escort you,' he said, jumping up and taking her arm.
She wanted to tell him it wasn't necessary. That she was perfectly capable of finding her way out into the hall and walking up the staircase to her bedroom. There was no danger in it. Martha would be there waiting for her, but somehow Aurora could say nothing except 'Thank you, Valerian.' His fingers gripped her elbow in a firm yet gentle grasp. It was ridiculous, but she felt safe with him somehow, and there was really nothing wrong in his polite actions. The problem was with her. He was engendering feelings within her that she had never before experienced, and she must get a hold of herself at once. She must remember that this man was her sister's husband. If their marriage had not been a happy one to date, it soon would be. It had to be! Cally would have a child, and everything would be all right.
They mounted the stairs together. Behind them the servants were snuffing out the candles. Reaching the door of her bedroom, Valerian stopped, and releasing his grip on her arm leaned forward to kiss her on the forehead.
'Good night, Aurora,' he said. 'Pleasant dreams.' Then he walked off down the corridor to his own rooms.
She stepped through the doorway into her chamber. Her heart was pounding. When he had moved toward her she had thought she would faint, and then his lips had touched her forehead. She had been actually disappointed. Aurora knew she ought to be ashamed of herself, but she somehow couldn't bring herself to be. I must never again be alone with him, she thought. It is too dangerous. He is unhappy, and it is all my fault, but I cannot change anything now.
'You're as white as a sheet,' Martha said, coming up and taking Aurora's hands in hers. 'And you're cold as ice. What has happened?'
'Nothing,' Aurora lied. 'Nothing at all. I am just beginning to feel the effects of our journey, and am exhausted. I want to go to bed.'
'Very well, miss,' Martha said, but she did not for one minute believe that everything was right with her young mistress.
Chapter 6
It was past ten o'clock in the morning before Martha awakened her mistress the next day. Gently she shook the girl, and when Aurora had finally opened her eyes, the serving woman said, 'I've brought your breakfast, miss.' Then she plumped the pillows up behind the girl's back and placed a tray upon her lap. 'The duke asked if you would ride with him this morning, but I told him you was still sleeping, and much too tired for all that activity today. I hope I did right, miss.'
Disappointment commingled with relief. 'You did, Martha. I am far too fatigued. I think I shall take a leaf from Cally's book and remain the morning in bed.'
'An excellent idea, miss. The dowager's Jane tells me that's what the old lady is going to do too.'
'Have you spoken with Wickham? Is George recovered?'
'Recovered, ate a huge breakfast, and gone off with the duke,' Martha reported with a smile. 'Now, there's some nice oat stirabout I sweetened with honey on your tray, and a soft-boiled egg. You eat every bit of it up, miss. You need your strength.'
It felt good to be cosseted, Aurora thought as she spooned the oat cereal, rich with honey and heavy cream, into her mouth. She had certainly imagined last evening. Valerian Hawkesworth was too much of a gentleman to make advances to his wife's sister. She was simply overtired. They had had the voyage from St. Timothy, and then she had not really had a moment's rest since they arrived in England. Cally would not hear of it, and was constantly on the go, George and Aurora in her wake. The country was going to be a lovely change of pace.
She stayed the morning in bed. Calandra was nowhere to be found, and Aurora assumed she would still be in her chambers. George and the duke had not returned. The dowager kept to her bed. Aurora found her way to the duke's library, and, taking down a book on the history of the Hawkesworth family, settled into a chair by the fire to read. Peters, the butler, interrupted her at one point to ask if she would like him to bring her a tray with some luncheon.
'What time is it?' Aurora asked him.
'Almost one o'clock, miss,' the butler replied.
'Is no one else taking lunch, then?'
'The duchess and the dowager duchess have called for trays in their chambers, miss. The duke and Master George have not yet returned. They were to ride over to Malvern mill, and that is a bit of a distance. They have undoubtedly stopped at one of the farms to eat. There is only yourself up and about.'
'I am hungry,' Aurora considered aloud.
'A nice pot of tea with your meal, miss?' the butler said.
'Yes, please,' she answered. 'Thank you, Peters.'
The butler bowed slightly. Miss Aurora had nice manners, he thought to himself as he departed the library. What a pity her sister did not. The young duchess was the most demanding and ungrateful woman it had ever been his misfortune to know, and her servant, Sally, wasn't much better. He hoped they would not ruin young Moll, who was his granddaughter. The girl would be useless in service if they did.
Aurora read all day until the light began to fade in the library. Peters brought her luncheon. A footman added more logs to the fire twice. Finally a maid entered the room and began lighting the lamps. Aurora put the book back on its shelf and hurried upstairs to dress for dinner. If the duke and George had returned, she had not heard them come into the house. Cally, she knew, had not sent for her, else Peters would have come for her. She wondered how long her sister would sulk and allow her anger to burn.
She found George and Valerian awaiting her when she entered the drawing room. Cally and the dowager were still recovering from their journey. George was talkative, and full of enthusiasm over what he had seen that day.
'I believe we can apply some of the principles used in setting up the knitting mills to the bottling factory we shall build on St. Timothy,' he said. 'First, however, we ought to get a contract for the rum. Do you know of anyone in the Royal Navy who might help us, Val?'
Aurora let them talk, eating her dinner quietly.
There came a lull in the conversation between the two men as the dinner was drawing to a close, and the duke said, 'Have you seen Calandra today, Aurora?'
Startled to hear her name spoken, she looked up. 'What? I do beg your pardon, Valerian, but I was daydreaming, I fear.'
'Have you seen Calandra?' he repeated.
'No, I spent my morning in bed and my afternoon reading in your library,' she responded, not quite looking at him.
'Do you find my library satisfactory?' he said.
'
'Not at all. What did you read?' The dark blue eyes were willing her to
