Josh enveloped her in his arms and kissed her, only stopping when they reached the docks half an hour later.
‘Shall we, Mrs Ashburton?’
‘Lead on, Mr Ashburton.’
Beth felt the slight wobble of the gangplank as she stepped off the solid land of the docks, but she straightened herself and boarded the ship with a steady step. She looked to the horizon, wondering at the change in her fate these last few months, then all thought was swept from her mind as Josh picked her up and twirled her round before murmuring something about their wedding night in her ear.
Epilogue
‘Close your eyes,’ Josh said, his excitement contagious.
Beth did as she was bid, closing her eyes lightly so her eyelashes brushed against her cheeks. The sun was warm on her face, despite the parasol she held above her head. They were travelling in an open-top carriage; Josh had insisted it was the best way to introduce her to her new country, her new home. So far he hadn’t been wrong. The sights of the crowded streets, the colourful clothes of the residents, the scent of the exotic spices, all were better appreciated in the open air.
Now they were approaching their new home, climbing the lush green hills, and with every second Beth felt the anticipation build. Josh had described the estate in so much detail she felt as though she had already walked the cool hallways of the house and explored the lush green rolling hills that made up their land.
‘Are you ready?’
Beth nodded, feeling a mix of excitement and trepidation. This was her new home, the house she would be mistress of, the place they would start their family and live their lives.
‘Open them.’
She did. Slowly lifting her lashes to let her eyes adjust to the bright sunlight, Beth gasped, unable to believe quite how beautiful it was. The house was painted white with grand pillars framing the front door and large windows to let in the sunlight. It was large but didn’t lack character as some sprawling mansions did. In front of the house was a pretty little fountain and laid out to each side neat little gardens. The white of the house contrasted wonderfully with the deep greens of the surrounding rolling hills and it was built in such a way that it had uninterrupted views all the way down to the sparkling sea.
‘Oh, Josh, it’s beautiful.’
‘I know.’ He kissed her and Beth saw the happiness in his eyes. He might have loved his time in London and enjoyed the voyage, but here he was at his happiest. Here was his home. ‘Come on, I want to show you everything.’
He gripped her hand and helped her down from the carriage, pulling her along in his excitement to give her a tour around her new home. Outside the house a small group of servants awaited them, smartly dressed and smiling broadly at their master’s return.
‘This is Heena. Heena, I would like you to meet my wife. Heena is our housekeeper. She was my nursemaid when I first came to live here with the Usbournes and when I built my own house I asked her to come and be my housekeeper.’
‘I could never say no to you,’ Heena said, smiling fondly at Josh before turning her attention to Beth.
She was a woman in her late forties, plump and short with glowing skin and one of the widest smiles Beth had ever seen. She stepped forward and took Beth by the hand.
‘I am so happy to meet you, Mrs Ashburton. Anything you need, anything at all, you let me know.’
‘Thank you.’
Introduction after introduction followed in a whirl and Beth knew it would take her some time to learn all the names and roles. All the staff seemed eager to meet her and friendly, and she could see they were happy to have Josh back home.
‘I know everyone is watching,’ Josh murmured in her ear once they had finished with the introductions, ‘but I’m going to pick you up now and carry you over the threshold.’
He grinned at her, not giving her a chance to reply, and swooped her up into his arms.
Beth wriggled until he gave her a stern look, stilled for a second and then wriggled some more.
‘This dress must weigh a stone.’
‘Is that your way of telling me I’m getting heavy?’
‘Not at all, my lovely wife. Just your clothing must weigh more than when I did this on our wedding night.’
‘Hmm.’ She couldn’t be mad at him. She was heavier. They had spent much of the six-month voyage to India in their cabin and at some point something miraculous had happened inside her. By her calculations she was about four months pregnant, her belly just starting to round. She hadn’t told Josh yet, wanting to tell him once they were here and settled so he wouldn’t spend the whole trip worrying about her.
He carried her inside and Beth expected him to place her down in the hall but instead he kept her in his arms.
‘I know I should show you the house,’ he said softly in her ear, ‘but I really think you would like to see the bedroom the most.’
‘For its wonderful view? Or perfect proportions? Or perhaps because the furniture is so well made?’
‘All of those things are true, but I have to admit to more nefarious motives.’
‘Nefarious? Now I’m intrigued.’
‘Intrigued enough to skip the rest of the tour?’
‘The rest of the house will still be here later.’
‘I love you, Mrs Ashburton.’ He took the stairs two at a time and Beth was only able to catch glimpses of the light-filled house as he whisked her up to the bedroom. Once inside he kicked the door closed with his foot and then carried her over to the bed, depositing her on the crisp white sheets.
‘The Usbournes will be here later. I sent a message asking them to join us for dinner at seven. By my calculations that gives us three wonderful hours to test the
