Chapter Ten
“Corin, we need to talk.”
Corin glanced up from where he was working on the household ledger. He had hoped his mother wouldn’t find him in the den so early. It was only seven. During his childhood, he couldn’t recall her coming downstairs until nine.
He’d had a fitful sleep the night before. Without a lock on the door, Candace could have come in at any time to take advantage of him. To his great relief, she hadn’t. If he’d known that when he went to bed, he would have had a good night’s sleep. But since he hadn’t known it, he’d had a fitful night’s rest. Right now, he was going through the budget in order to soothe his nerves.
He hadn’t gone without a good night’s rest in years, but between rushing out to the estate because he worried about Reuben and last evening, he was going on three nights without decent sleep, and it was quickly catching up to him. He could only hope the tea would perk him up. He didn’t dare try to squeeze a nap in until Candace was downstairs with his mother and Reuben.
He picked up the cup, drank some tea, and then set it on the desk. “What is it, Mother?”
His mother took the chair from across the desk and placed it beside his.
“I have something very important to discuss with you,” she said as she sat down.
He had a nagging feeling that he wasn’t going to like this, but he held his tongue and waited for her to speak.
She got comfortable in the chair and cleared her throat. “I’m not sure how to bring up a subject this delicate. You’ll have to forgive me if I sound bolder than I should in my speech.”
He straightened up in the chair. “What is it? Did something happen to Reuben? Was yesterday too much excitement for him?”
“No, no. Reuben is fine. It’s nice that you care so much for your brother.” With a smile, she patted his hand. “This has nothing to do with him. I wanted to talk to you about your wife.”
Corin grimaced. Her. Whether he was alone in his bedchamber or with his mother, he wasn’t given any reprieve from the lady who ruined his life.
“I need you to answer me something,” she began, leaning toward him and lowering her voice, “and I need you to be honest with me, even if you don’t think I’ll want to hear it.”
He hesitated. Should he promise something he might not be able to keep?
“This is very important because the way you answer me will determine what I say next,” she continued.
Since she stared at him expectantly, he said, “Fine. I promise. What do you want to know?”
“Have you been in bed with a lady?”
His eyes nearly popped out of his head. “What?”
“I know you haven’t been with Candace, but I was wondering if you had some experience with another lady.”
He put his hands up to his ears. “Mother!” Really, he couldn’t believe what he was hearing. His mother—the same lady who raised him to be polite and respectful at all times—was asking him about his love life?
She took his hands and put them down. “I need to know this, Corin. What kind of experience do you have with ladies?”
Sure his face was bright red, he forced out, “None. Now, I demand we drop this discussion at once. It’s making me very uncomfortable.”
“It’s making me uncomfortable, too. A mother doesn’t really want to know about her son’s private activities.”
“Then why did you ask?”
“Because I had to know what to tell you. When you go to Candace’s bed, I insist you show extreme care with her. Be patient and gentle. You must not allow yourself to get too…too…” She snapped her fingers and bit her lower lip. “Um…what’s the word?”
“There is no word needed because I won’t be with her at all.”
As if she didn’t hear him, she said, “Enthusiastic. Yes, that’s the word. Gentlemen with no experience tend to be a little too eager. They rush right into making a baby, but you must not do this. Make sure you give her lots of kisses and touch her all over. A lady is more than what’s between her legs.”
Corin put his hands back over his ears. Of all the people he could be hearing this kind of thing from, it had to be his mother.
This time when she put his hands down, she had to use considerable force to do so. “Corin, this is serious.”
“I can’t believe you would even talk about this. And it’s completely unnecessary. She was the one who was attacking me. It was her hands that were grabbing me in places she had no right to. I never even touched her.”
“You’re wrong. She did not try to have her way with you. The missive Lady Erandon wrote is correct. The whole thing is a horrible misunderstanding.”
“I think I know when someone is touching me in a certain place.”
“I’m not saying her hands didn’t land there. What I’m saying is that this whole thing has been an accident. Candace would never try to take advantage of you. She’s too afraid of gentlemen to do that.”
“She doesn’t seem like she’s afraid to me.”
“That’s because you’re overreacting to what happened. It has hindered your judgment. You need to remove yourself from the situation so you can look at it with a clear mind. Now, we must start with the facts. Last night, I had to sleep in Candace’s bedchamber because she was terrified you were going to come to her bed and hurt her.”
He rolled his eyes. “I might detest her, but I’m not going to kill her.”
“I didn’t mean you were going to murder her. I meant that she was afraid you were going to force yourself upon her.”
He gasped. “Why would I do that?”
“You wouldn’t. You’re a sweet child. You always were a sweet child.”
“I’m a grown gentleman, Mother.”
“A gentleman who knows better than to be rough with a lady. I know that. You know that. But Candace doesn’t know that. Her first husband was cruel. He forced her to do things she didn’t want to do. A lady is most vulnerable when she’s in bed, and he didn’t show her a single bit of kindness. I want to make sure that you keep that in mind when the time comes for you to make love to her.”
He didn’t know whether to believe this or not. It was obvious his mother believed it, but Candace could have been saying it to get his mother’s sympathy. However, since his mother expected a reply, he said, “I’m not going to her bed. Ever. Tell her she’s safe from me.”
“I realize you don’t want to go to her bed now, but you will in the future.”
He shook his head. Never in a million years would he go to Candace’s bed.
“Candace is a beautiful young lady, and when you realize how nice she really is, you will want to go to her bed.”
“No, I won’t.”
She gave him a look that told him not to argue with her. “You will. When that time comes, I hope you remember what I told you.”
“For as long as I live, I don’t think I’ll be able to forget all you just told me.”
She smiled as if that had been her intention all along. What was wrong with her? Did she really enjoy horrifying him?
“Good,” she said as she rose to her feet. “Candace is a nice lady. I think she’ll make a splendid addition to our family.”
He grimaced. “You do realize that talking to me in such a bold manner has ruined me from ever wanting to be in bed with her, don’t you?”
Her eyes widened. “That was never my intention.”
“Maybe not, but that’s exactly what happened.” Not that he would ever go to Candace’s bed, but if he did, his mother’s words would echo in his mind. “You will never have grandchildren unless Reuben gives them to you.”
“You mustn’t be so dramatic.”
“It’s the way things are, Mother. No gentleman wants to listen to his mother discuss personal things. It interferes with the nature of things.” He paused. “Is there anything else you’d like to do to scar me for the rest of my life?”
She shook her head. “Since you were a child, you were much too sensitive about things. I hope you only remember to be kind to Candace.”
“I’ll do my best to be kind when I’m stuck in the same room with her, but I will not go to her bed.”
His mother let out a long sigh then finally—mercifully—left the den.
He was beginning to think she’d never leave. Maybe this was his fault. He didn’t take the time to tell Candace he wouldn’t be going to her bed. He hadn’t thought he needed to, especially given the agreement they’d made on their wedding day.
There was no doubt about it. This was going to be a very long and painful three months.
***
Candace dressed up in one of Daphne’s older gowns from when Daphne was, as she put it, young and desirable. Which was silly. Daphne was a fine lady even now. Candace was five inches taller, and she wasn’t as well endowed on top as Daphne. So not only were Candace’s ankles showing, but the bust line was loose.
Thank goodness she wasn’t in London. This would be in the Tittletattle, and she’d be the laughingstock of the Ton. It might not make the first page, but it would definitely be there. She didn’t fault Daphne for this. Daphne was doing everything she could to make her comfortable.
No. This was all the fault of the three gentlemen who had dragged her out here. Only gentlemen wouldn’t give a thought to what a lady was supposed to wear once she reached her destination. They probably assumed she would be happy to wear the same gown during the entire stay here.
Candace left the bedchamber. When she reached the drawing room, she peered around the door. Daphne was sitting with Reuben on the settee, and though Corin didn’t look like he wanted to be there, he was sitting in a chair across from them. She didn’t relish the thought of Corin seeing her like this. She didn’t mind Daphne or Reuben, or even the staff, seeing her this way, but it seemed to be incredibly embarrassing to be like this in front of Corin. But what choice did she have? She was stuck here.
“Will you take me horseback riding today?” Reuben asked Corin.
“Yes,” Corin replied.
“When?”
“After we eat.”
“Right after we eat?”
“I don’t think we should go immediately after we eat,” Corin said. “You tend to get sick to your stomach if you ride so soon after eating.”
“Then what time will we go?”
“Well…” Corin pulled out his pocket watch. “It’s a little after nine. We have to wait until she’s here before we eat. I won’t know what time we can go riding until she’s here.” He glanced at his mother. “Do you have any idea when that will be?”
“She has a name,” his mother replied.
He shot her a look that told her he didn’t want to say it. His mother, in turn, raised her eyebrows to let him know that she wasn’t going to give in to what he wanted.
Finally, he let out a long sigh. “Fine. Do you have any idea when Candace will be down here?”
His mother shrugged. “No, I don’t.”
“Why did you put me through the trouble of making me say her name if you didn’t know the answer to my question?”
“Because Candace is your wife, and the sooner you acknowledge that, the better. She’s a very sweet girl. The least you can do is give her a chance.”
Candace’s heart warmed at the compliment. She liked Daphne, and it was nice to know Daphne felt the same way about her. Perhaps her time here wouldn’t be so awful after all.
Deciding she might as well make her entrance, she entered the drawing room, acutely aware that she was too tall and small in the chest for the gown.
She wasn’t the only one aware of it. As soon as Corin saw her, his eyes grew wide. Pretending she didn’t notice his reaction, she focused on Daphne.
“Thank you for letting me borrow some of your gowns,” Candace said and sat in the chair beside the settee
Reuben turned to Corin. “She’s here. When will we ride horses?”
Corin glanced down at the pocket watch. “I think eleven will be good.”
Reuben looked disappointed. “Eleven?”
“You need at least one hour to rest before you go riding,” Corin replied as he tucked the pocket watch back into his pocket.
“But I can eat fast. I can be done by nine-thirty. Let’s go at ten-thirty.”
“No. You’re doing well right now, and I’m not going to take the chance of ruining that. We will go at eleven.”
Reuben let out a groan and crossed his arms.
Daphne chuckled. “It’s not that long of a wait. Besides, you have to change into your riding clothes first. That will take at least fifteen minutes.”
“That leaves forty-five minutes that I won’t be doing anything,” Reuben said.
“You could do some of your lessons,” Daphne replied.
Not surprisingly, Reuben grimaced. “I don’t want to do those until this afternoon when I have to.”
Candace cleared her throat to get his attention. “I haven’t seen the entire manor yet. Would you like to show me around?”
“Why don’t you have Mother do it?” Corin asked her before Reuben could answer.
“Corin!” Daphne exclaimed. “There’s no need to be rude.”
Corin stiffened. “I’m not being rude. You and Candace seem to be getting along well. It’s obvious you want to spend a lot of time with her. This would be a good chance to do that.”
“I think she and Reuben should get better acquainted.”
“Well, he shouldn’t be getting excited so soon after he eats. He needs to rest.”
“A simple walk around the manor is not going to exhaust him. He can do that and ride a horse.”
Corin’s eyebrows furrowed, and Candace could tell he was trying not to snap something in reply. At least he had the common decency to be respectful of his mother. But even so, poor Reuben was at a loss on how to handle the situation because he kept glancing back and forth between them.
Being a guest in this home, the last thing Candace wanted to do was cause either Daphne or Reuben any more difficulties than she already had by being here.
“Actually, I think I’ll wait to take a walk through the manor,” Candace spoke up. “I’m still tired from the trip.” When Daphne didn’t look satisfied, she added, “Besides, you mentioned wanting to measure me for the gowns you plan to make me. We could do that.”
“You’re making her gowns?” Corin asked his mother.
“Your friends didn’t bring hers out here,” Daphne told him.
“Those gentlemen aren’t my friends.” Corin paused. “Well, two of them aren’t. I barely even know them. As for the other…” He shrugged. “I’m not sure if I’ll speak to him after all of this.”
Candace thought to respond to him, but Daphne said, “Corin, you are a grown gentleman, not a little child. Your father would be appalled if he were alive to see this. Now, I demand you stop this nonsense at once. Reuben will show Candace around the manor.”
Corin jumped to his feet. “A lot of good being a grown gentleman has done me! You’re still giving me orders as if I were a child. Do you know why I don’t like coming here? Because of this. You spend all of your time telling me what to do.”
She rose to her feet. “That’s not true. I only tell you what to do when you’re not acting like a gentleman.”
“Then I must be a brute because you’ve been telling me what to do ever since I got here.”
“That’s not true,” Daphne said, her voice softening. “You do many things right. I just want you to be happy.”
“Why don’t you think I can decide what will make me happy?” Corin asked.
Daphne glanced at Candace, and Candace shifted uncomfortably in the chair. Why did Daphne have to single her out like that? It was apparent she and Corin were never going to get along. The best they could do was ignore each other, but since this wasn’t her home and Daphne wasn’t her mother, she didn’t feel at liberty to say that.
Corin, probably also noticing the hope Daphne had, that he and Candace might be the happily married couple, rolled his eyes. “I’m going to eat. Whether the rest of you want to join me or not is up to you.”
Without another word, he stormed out of the room.
Daphne let out a frustrated sigh. “Sometimes he can be too stubborn for his own good.” She turned to Candace. “I apologize for exposing you to our quarrel. I’ll try to make things more pleasant for you in the future.” She then turned her attention to Reuben. “Let’s go eat.”
Reuben got out of the chair. Instead of leaving the room, he went over to Candace. “When you want to see this place, I’d like to show it to you.”
Touched by the lad’s words, Candace smiled. “Thank you, Reuben. We’ll do it when you have the time. All right?”
He nodded.
“If you’d prefer, I can have the maid bring you something to eat in your bedchamber,” Daphne told Candace. “I don’t want to make you eat in the same room with Corin if it will upset you.”
“I appreciate the offer, but I’ll be here for three months.” Candace stood up. “The sooner I get used to eating with everyone, the less awkward it will be.”
With an understanding smile, Daphne led her and Reuben out of the room.