Chapter Sixteen
That evening at dinner, Daphne spent most of the meal updating Corin and Reuben on her and Candace’s progress on the tablecloth.
“We are going faster on this project than I had expected,” she said at one point.
“That’s probably because you stay up until three or four in the morning to work on it,” Corin replied.
Candace’s eyebrows rose in surprise. For the most part, Corin was quiet during the meals. She hadn’t expected him to say anything unless someone asked him a question.
Daphne chuckled. “I know I’m a little enthusiastic about this project.”
Corin rolled his eyes as if to say a little enthusiastic was an understatement.
And he would be right. Candace noticed that Daphne had seemed to put her entire heart and soul into the project. When she said she enjoyed making things like clothing and tablecloths, she hadn’t been exaggerating. Candace couldn’t remember a time when she met anyone, even the seamstresses in London, who wanted to work with the thread and needle as much as she did. Candace suspected that Daphne had been one of London’s best seamstresses before she married Corin’s father and left for the country. No doubt, Daphne had left some disappointed customers behind.
But Candace would’ve done the same thing in her position. It was rare that someone was fortunate enough to find a love match. Candace only knew of a few people who had managed such a feat, and fortunately, Anna had been one of them, though it had taken a lot of pain and heartache for Anna to finally get there.
“May I say something?” Reuben asked.
Daphne nodded.
Reuben shifted in his seat and glanced from Corin to Candace. “Now that Candace has seen the other side of the manor, I thought it would be nice if she got to see some of the land around here.”
“I already beat you to it,” Corin replied. “I showed her the gazebo today.”
Daphne’s eyes grew wide. “When did this happen?”
Corin cut into his steak. “Earlier today when you were taking a nap. I told you that you were staying up too late with that tablecloth. You’re missing everything that happens around here during the day.” With an amused shake of his head, he ate his piece of steak.
Daphne sipped her wine. “That isn’t true. I am aware of plenty of things that are going on around here.”
“Candace hasn’t seen everything,” Reuben spoke up, eager to get back to the topic he was interested in.
Candace hid her grin. Sometimes, Reuben seemed like the perfect little gentleman, but at times like this, he was showing that he was still a child. And all children had trouble waiting when they had something they wanted to say.
Candace thought it was cute. But then, most things that children did were cute. And besides, Reuben was more patient than most of the adults she knew. He could sit for hours while his mother talked about the different projects she was working on. So one couldn’t begrudge him a bout of impatience now and then.
“I think you and I should take her for a horseback ride,” Reuben told Corin. “I know you would like to come. There’s no need to follow us.”
Candace glanced at Corin and noticed the way his cheeks grew pink at the reminder that he had been caught spying on her in the abandoned wing. Then she turned her gaze to Daphne, who didn’t seem at all curious about what Reuben was talking about. Was it possible Daphne knew? But how would she know? Unless… Candace’s gaze went to Reuben. Maybe Reuben told her.
Corin cleared his throat. “I think that’s a good idea. What do you think, Candace? Want to see more of the land surrounding this place?” He glanced at Daphne. “Mother is welcome to join us, too. That is, if she can pull herself away from the tablecloth long enough to enjoy a horse ride.”
Candace didn’t hide her shock at the teasing tone in Corin’s voice. Up to now, he had been serious during every single meal. She wasn’t the only one who noticed this sudden change in temperament. Daphne’s eyes grew wide, and Reuben’s jaw dropped.
Corin looked around the table. “What? Can’t a gentleman make a joke once in a while?”
Daphne was the first to speak. “Well, you have to admit that you caught us all by surprise. This is the first time you made a joke since you’ve been here.”
“That’s silly,” Corin replied. “I’ve made plenty of jokes around Reuben since I’ve been here.” He glanced at the lad. “Haven’t I?”
Reuben shrugged. “I don’t remember any.”
Daphne chuckled. “It’s nice to see this side of you. It’s a very pleasant change.”
“When can we go horseback riding?” Reuben asked Corin.
“We can’t do it tonight,” Corin said. “It’s too late.”
Reuben rolled his eyes. “I know that. But can we do it tomorrow?”
Corin looked over at Candace, silently asking if she wanted to do it.
Candace nodded. “Tomorrow is fine with me.”
“Tomorrow it is then,” Corin replied.
“When tomorrow?” Reuben asked.
Corin let out a sigh. “We’ve been through this quite a few times already. Don’t you know the answer to this question yet?”
“I know it has to be after the morning meal,” Reuben said. “I want to know how soon after the meal that we can go horseback riding.”
“At least a half hour, but an hour is probably best.” When Reuben looked disappointed, Corin added, “We mustn’t neglect your health.”
Since Reuben seemed as if he was ready to argue, Candace decided she should speak up. “Reuben, you and I have something to work on anyway. Right after the morning meal is the best time to do that.”
As she hoped, Reuben understood that she was referring to the piano, for he smiled and said, “An hour after we eat will be fine.”
Daphne chuckled but continued eating her food.
Candace was sure Corin knew exactly what she and Reuben would be doing tomorrow. She only hoped that Reuben didn’t catch on.
For the rest of the meal, Daphne continued talking about her tablecloth and how much she was looking forward to putting it on the table.
Candace didn’t mind listening because she found it soothing. Daphne had a gentle quality in her voice that made every meal enjoyable, and it was even better now that the tension between her and Corin had eased. She didn’t know if Daphne and Reuben picked up on it, but things were much better now, and she was grateful for it. It would help pass the rest of the time she was stuck here, though more and more, she wasn’t in so much of a hurry to return to London.
***
That night, Candace worried that Corin might come to her bedchamber. Worried might have been too strong of a word, but she wasn’t ready to share a bed with him. She hoped that when he said he wasn’t going to come to her bed without her permission that he meant it. Sometimes gentlemen said things they didn’t mean. They said whatever they needed to in order to get a lady to lower her guard.
Candace had not asked Daphne to stay in the bedchamber with her since the first week she had arrived at this estate, so she was all by herself tonight. She had gotten comfortable sleeping by herself, knowing full well that Corin had no interest in coming to her bedchamber.
As the minutes ticked on the clock and he didn’t show up, she felt her unease give way to relief. He had no idea how much it meant to her that he was keeping his word. It was one thing for someone to say they were going to do something, but it was noteworthy when they actually did it.
When the clock struck two in the morning, she was able to finally fall asleep. She woke up early the next day. It was her habit to wake up around seven or eight every morning, and there was nothing she could do to sleep in. Once she was up, she was up.
She was a bit tired, but she didn’t mind. She’d much rather be tired and know she was really safe than be well rested and not feel safe. Now she knew, without a doubt, that she could trust Corin to follow through on his word. When he said he was going to do something, he did it.
It was with a cheerful heart that she went downstairs for the morning meal. Corin and Reuben were already waiting in the drawing room for her and Daphne.
Reuben was in the process of telling Corin that they should take Candace to the lake to see where they fished. “I think she’ll like that spot. Ladies like pretty things. The trees are in full bloom, and there are lots of wildflowers along the lake.”
Corin chuckled. “It’s easy to forget you’re only eight. You speak so much like a grown gentleman.”
“Is that a good thing?”
“Yes, I suppose it is, but I hope you don’t forget to be a child. You shouldn’t be in a hurry to grow up. As soon as you grow up, you will have a lot of responsibilities to tend to.”
“I have my studies. That’s a responsibility I have to deal with.”
“I hate to disappoint you, but if you want to be successful, you’ll never stop learning new things. When you’re an adult, though, you get to choose what you study, and it’s ideal if those studies challenge you.”
“What if I want to do paintings and sculptures like our great-grandfather and his brother did? Can I do those, or do I have to study boring things like history, math, and science?”
“You can do paintings and sculptures. However, you should learn what you can about properly handling money. I’ll teach you what I know, and I’ll introduce you to prominent investors and businessmen, but I can’t do the learning for you. You have to do that part. You’ll need to leave your heir with an estate that is in good standing.”
Reuben frowned. “I don’t understand. You’re the one with the title. If you have a son, he’ll get the title, not me.”
“I already told you that I won’t be having a son.”
“Why not?”
Corin paused then said, “It’s complicated.”
Candace was surprised by Corin’s answer. But then, she remembered the agreement she had made with Corin on their wedding day. He had promised he would not go to her bed in return for her not spending his money.
It was funny that in the past few days she had forgotten all about their agreement. Corin, however, had not. So it was safe to assume that Corin had no intention of going to her bed. Ever.
She should be relieved. The last thing she wanted was a gentleman groping her while he sought his pleasure, but deep down, she had a nagging suspicion that it wouldn’t be like that with him. If he could show concern for her when they were not in bed, then he would do the same while they were in it. He probably would be considerate in his lovemaking.
She knew such a thing was possible, given her conversations with Anna. She just hadn’t paid much attention to the details Anna gave her because she never thought such a thing was a possibility for her. Oh, she was thankful that Anna had come to enjoy her intimate times with her husband. She would never begrudge her friend that blessing. She just hadn’t cared if she ever experienced it for herself.
At least not until this moment. What a strange development. She had no idea what to do with this newfound feeling.
“If you do have a son,” Reuben began, “that would be a good thing. You’ve worked hard for this estate. Your son should be the one to inherit it.”
Corin smiled. “Let’s just settle the matter by saying as God wills it, then it shall be.”
Seeming satisfied, Reuben nodded.
From there, the two grew silent, and Candace decided this would be a good time to enter the room.
Reuben got up from the chair as soon as he saw her, Corin following suit. “Are you ready to go for a horse ride today?” Reuben asked.
“Yes,” she replied. “I’m going to have to use one of your mother’s riding outfits since nothing I have is suited for riding a horse. I’m probably going to look funny.”
“Nonsense,” Corin said. “You look attractive in anything you wear. That includes clothes that belong to my mother.”
Candace hadn’t been looking for a compliment, so she was surprised that Corin chose to extend one to her. It was a lovely compliment, too. Her beauty had been what had attracted Ian to her to begin with. He had been looking for a wife who would impress his friends. Because she had possessed the kind of beauty he was looking for, her brother hadn’t had any trouble arranging the marriage between them, even though she had lost the good graces of the Ton.
At the time, she had been so afraid she was going to end up living with her brother for the rest of her life that she hadn’t minded. Marriage to Ian, however, had shown her that there were worse things out there than being stuck in the same townhouse with her brother.
Corin, on the other hand, was proving to be just the opposite of Ian and her brother, and because of that, she enjoyed the compliment he had given her all the more.
“I’m sorry I’m late,” Daphne’s voice came from behind her.
Candace turned in time to see Daphne hurrying into the room, looking flushed.
Corin didn’t hide his amusement. “Working late with that tablecloth again?”
“I’ll have you know that it’s going to be a very lovely tablecloth when it’s done,” his mother said.
“It better be for all the time you put into it,” Corin quipped.
Candace hid her grin. Now that Corin was opening up, she was seeing that he had a marvelous sense of humor. She never would have suspected it when they were in London. And that made her grateful she had gotten a chance to get to know him out here. Perhaps being away from the demands of the Ton had done him some good. It had probably done her some good, too.
“Well,” Daphne said, “we shouldn’t keep the staff waiting. We should get something to eat before they think we disappeared.”
“Don’t be silly,” Corin replied. “They’ll think no such thing.”
“Even if they don’t, it’s not nice to keep them waiting. We should be respectful of their time.”
“Yes, Mother. We’ll do as you wish.” Corin hurried over to Candace. Looking at Candace, he added, “The sooner we eat, the sooner Mother can get back to working on the tablecloth.” With a wink, he put his arm around hers and escorted her out of the room.