First Comes Scandal

“Nothing you want to do,” he said.

“Something like that.” She inched up a little on the pillow to look at him. “I want to set up our household. I think it will give me great joy. But that’s not Scotsby.”

“One more week,” he said, giving her hand a squeeze.

She nodded, closing her eyes as she slouched back down into the pillow. “I wish I didn’t have to go.”

“As do I,” he murmured. Although it had to be said, his bed was uncomfortable enough with only him sleeping in it. If she spent the night, neither of them would get any sleep. And not for the reasons he’d like.

“Do you know what time it is?” she asked. Her eyes were closed; she looked almost unbearably content.

Unbearable because he was going to have to rouse her from her position momentarily.

He reached over to his nightstand and checked his pocket watch. “We’re going to need to leave soon,” he said. “You’re due back at the carriage in half an hour.”

She let out a groan. “I don’t want to go.”

He chuckled, giving her a nudge.

“What if I remain here?” she asked, one eye popping open. “I will be quiet as a church mouse. You can bring me food, and I’ll read your medical texts, and—”

“—and Mrs. McGreevey will likely have heart failure the next time she comes in to clean my room.”

“She does that?”

“Every other day.”

Now Georgie looked panicked. “Every other—”

“Not today,” he cut in.

“Oh, thank goodness.” She sat up, regrettably pulling the bedsheet up with her. “I was only joking about staying here, you know. Well, mostly only joking.”

He chucked her under the chin. “It would make me far more eager to return in the evenings.”

She rose from the bed to dress, facing his bookshelf as she pulled on her frock. She’d need help with the buttons, and he wondered how he’d make himself do them up when all he wanted was to kiss the tender skin on the nape of her neck.

“Don’t forget to get the book for me,” she said, oblivious to his hungry stare. “I don’t know which one you mean.”

“It’s the green one, all the way to the left,” he said, “but I’ll get it for you.” It still seemed strange to him that she’d want to read it, except … when he actually thought of it, it wasn’t strange at all.

He’d never have thought that anyone not involved in medicine would wish to read such a thick text.

But not Georgie. For her, it made sense. Nicholas wondered if there were any medical schools that accepted women. He had a feeling his wife would be an excellent student.

They finished dressing and made it out of the boardinghouse undetected. It was a warm day for Edinburgh, and the stroll to the carriage was most pleasant. Nicholas had one arm looped through Georgie’s, and the other holding the thick textbook . They chattered about nothing of importance; they didn’t need to. The air was bright and warm, and they were so comfortable and happy to be in one another’s presence, that there was no urge to fill the silence with anything profound.

The carriage was waiting at the edge of Old Town, in a relatively quiet square. Jameson and the driver were sitting on the seat, sharing a loaf of bread, and it looked like Georgie’s maid was waiting inside.

“There you are,” the maid said, poking her head out when they approached. “It’s getting late.”

It wasn’t, but Nicholas saw no reason to point that out. He waited for Marian to go back into the carriage, and then gave Georgie a boost.

But when she ducked her head to enter, he did not release her hand.

“Nicholas?” she said, gazing down at him with an expression of gentle amusement.

He looked at her. At her face, which was so familiar to him. Or rather, it had been familiar. Somehow it had become new. Her eyes were the same, blue, merry, but not quite as bright as his own. Her nose—it was the same nose she’d always had. Same for her lips, and her hair, and every little thing about her, except …

She was new.

He was new.

They had just begun.

“I love you,” he said.

Her eyes went wide. “What?”

“I love you.” He brought her gloved hand to his lips. “I just thought you should know.”

She looked about, her eyes not quite panicked, but maybe a little discombobulated, as if she were expecting someone to jump out at any moment and yell, “Surprise!”

“I love you, silly girl,” he said.

Her lips parted. “Silly?”

“For not believing me.”

“I—I believe you.”

“Good.” He smiled, waiting patiently for her reply.

She began to blink, and her mouth moved, just a little. She looked quickly over her shoulder at her maid; Nicholas wasn’t sure why, perhaps it was a reflex. But then she turned back and said, “You love me.”

“I do.”

“Well.” She swallowed. “I love you too.”

“I’m very happy to hear it.”

Her mouth fell open. “That’s what you say in response?”

“You said, What?” he reminded her.

“I was surprised.”

He gave a little shrug. “I wasn’t.”

She gasped. “You—”

“Ah ah ah,” he said, with a little step back to avoid the swat she had been about to land on his upper arm. “You don’t want to do that. You love me.”

Her eyes narrowed. It only made him laugh.

“You do,” he said. “You can’t take it back.”

“I can’t believe you told me now,” she said.

He hopped up onto the carriage step, one hand grasping the edge of the roof for balance, the other wrapping around her waist.

“Nicholas?”

“I couldn’t wait,” he said.

She flushed, smiling, then whispered, “Are we making a scene?”

“Do you care?”

She shook her head. “Do you?”

“Not even a little bit.” He kissed her again. “But alas, I have to let you go. I don’t want you on the roads after nightfall.”

She nodded and he hopped down. “I’ll see you on Friday evening,” he said. “I’ll leave for Scotsby just as soon as my classes are over.”

Then he shut the carriage door, and watched it pull away. Damn, he was going to miss her.

Mr. McDiarmid had said they could occupy their new house at the end of next week.

Nicholas couldn’t wait.

Chapter 23

Two days later, Georgie was back in Edinburgh.

She wasn’t supposed to be there. Or rather, Nicholas wasn’t expecting her. The plan had been for him to ride to Scotsby that evening, but Georgie had received a message from Mr. McDiarmid that there were additional papers to sign regarding the lease of their new house. She supposed Nicholas could have just taken care of this the following week, but truthfully, she’d been looking for an excuse to go back to the city.

She had it all planned out: She would surprise him again outside of class, they could see Mr. McDiarmid so Nicholas could sign the papers, and then they would travel back to Scotsby together in the carriage. Surely that would be more comfortable for Nicholas than to ride the whole way.