He needed to think of anything but her!
Race groaned in frustration as he helped his footman hitch the horses to the carriage. He was putting himself to so much unnecessary work because he was desperate to get his mind off of the woman he was now tied in marriage to. But he couldn't forget Lady Bianca. He couldn't forget their evening of passion together. For the life of him, he couldn't forget the wonders of her warm lips searing themselves into his, and embedding themselves in his memory. He couldn't forget the sensation he felt crawl all over his skin when she was close. He could barely fight his desire to pull her into his lap every evening, when she leaned over him to drape a blanket on him. In truth, it was one of the things he looked forward to when he made his way to their room every evening. He enjoyed the sweet scent of her skin and the wonderful tickles of her hair as they grazed his cheek.
Groaning, Race straightened. "That should be all."
"Yes sir."Richard, his footman, nodded, a smile on his face. He too must have had more than enough of the rains and being stuck in the boarding house. Placing his hat right over his black locks, "We are ready to go, sir."
Race nodded and stood still for several seconds, dreading having to go back into that boarding house to face his new bride. Perhaps it was the idea of being forced into this marriage that left him with a bitter taste in his mouth?
"I will wait in the carriage while you inform Lady Bianca that we are ready to leave." He didn't wait for Richard's response before pulling the door open and climbing in.
Lady Bianca showed up a few minutes later, dressed in her traveling clothes -a long, black coat and wrist length gloves- with her hair pulled to a loose bond at the back of her head.
The footman helped her into the carriage and she settled on the seat opposite his. Not bothering to acknowledge him -even when he offered her a nod in greeting- she kept her eyes on her hands that rested in her lap.
Throughout their journey to Bath, Race found his attention wandering to her more often than he'd actually like. She sat silently before him, her eyes focused mostly on her hands, and when perhaps her neck got tired of being strained downward, she turned to stare out of the window, making certain to stare at anything but him.
Race tried to convince himself he was thankful for the silence, at least it would afford him the opportunity to think of his next line of action. Now that he wasn't going to be living with the woman he loves for the rest of his life, he needed to come up with a plan to live with her sister. It was obvious that the only thing that could ever exist between them was intimacy -for he could barely convince his mind to forget their evening together. There was certainly no hope for love. No, he could never love a woman who trapped him into marrying her, and for reasons he didn't know about. Perhaps she snuck into his bed in a clear show of rebellion against her father? Race wasn't exactly certain, but the duke also made certain not to hand Race any dowry for marrying his daughter. Perhaps the duke had already disinherited Lady Bianca even before they met? Perhaps her lack of a dowry was what kept the suitors away, and she, knowing there was not much hope left, received the letter and marriage certificate he had foolishly sent to her sister -even if in truth, he knew he could never have succeeded in winning Lady Carla's heart- and hatched a plan to deceive him into marrying her.
When he glanced up at her once more, her head was tilted to the side, eyes closed, and lips parted for soft snores to escape. He watched her sleep, her innocent appearance in great contrast with the woman his mind convinced him she was. She wasn't just innocent looking, she was beautiful as well. Her pale, pink lips reminded him of pink roses. Her nose was perfect and pointy, and her eyes, when he had looked into them, were lovely and brown. Her skin was milky white, not unusual of the women of the ton, who protect their skins with due diligence from the sunlight. Race on the other hand, didn't get the luxury of having to choose whether or not he wanted his skin exposed to sunlight, for he had worked all his life on a farm. No doubt, her skin next to his, was like night and day.
His eyes drifted to her dainty hands, and for a second, he imagined those hands burying themselves in his hair. A puff of air escaped his lips, and in that moment, she stirred.
Turning sharply to the side, he turned his attention to the window and stared outside. It was only a matter of time before they arrived Bath. He certainly needed to be let out of this carriage in order to stretch his legs and especially to get away from Lady Bianca.
The carriage stopped once for supplies and to water the horses. The carriage didn't come to a halt again until several hours later that evening.
He sighed in relief when the footman pulled the door wide open and his building came into view. He certainly was happy to he home, even if he wasn't happy about who he had to bring home with him.
He glanced back at Bianca, and once again, she was asleep. Reaching out to awaken her, his hand paused in its track right above her shoulder. Perhaps he shouldn't awaken her? It had been an awfully long two weeks for the both of them, she certainly deserved a few hours of sleep without being disturbed.
"Take our luggage upstairs, Richard." Race waited until Richard nodded to his command, before turning back to Bianca.
Pulling her into his arms, he made his way into the familiar building. Rather than being met with warmth, he was met with a rush of cold air from the empty hearth and empty building. Because he couldn't afford to pay for the extra help in his absence, he let them go. Perhaps he would rehire new help for Lady Bianca? He had hoped to be able to afford servants once the duke gave him the dowry. But the duke didn't give him any dowry and he simply couldn't afford them.
He was accustomed to hard work and could certainly live without the extra hands, but could Bianca?
He glanced down at her sleeping form once more. Shaking his head, he decided he would worry about that later. Right now, he needed to get Bianca to a comfortable bed.
He carried her up the stairs and pushed open the door to his room. It was the biggest room in the house, and while he didn't plan on sleeping in the same room with her, he wanted her to have it. Compared to the bedchamber she most likely had back at home, this was a room reserved for servants. However, compared to his childhood and the little cottage he grew up in while his mother worked in the tavern, this modestly furnished room with two large windows on the wall, gray drapes, an empty hearth, a dressing table and a large bed that occupied nearly the entirety of the room, was a mansion.
And he wasn't used to mansions. He was instead used to sleeping on hard floors and working until his limbs ached.
He placed her on the bed, a small frown creasing his face as he stared at her travel clothes. He thought it was best to take them off, especially if she was going to sleep well tonight.
Leaning down over her, his hands hesitated on her button. Would she be upset to find that he had undressed her in her sleep? It certainly wasn't inappropriate, was it? Besides, they were married, and they already shared a bed in the past. He tugged on the button until it came off, exposing the collar of her dress underneath. Reaching for yet another button, a soft sigh escaped her lips. He paused, frowning.
No need to be nervous, Race, she's your wife and you're not doing anything wrong.
He pulled off the second button, and the third, until he was gently lifting her form to pull off the coat.
A loud gasp gained his attention. Releasing his hold on her, he jumped back, his eyes coming to rest on her bulging eyelids.
"What are you doing?!"She cried, white knuckles clutching the collar of her dress.
"I- um- I wanted to help take off your dress, you..."
She gasped, her grip on her dress tightening. "Why?!"
"You seemed uncomfortable, Bea, I was going to take them off to help you sleep better."
Her lips fell wide open, and her eyelids grew several notches. She studied him for several seconds, eyes clouding with... anger?
"Since when did you start caring?" She arched a perfect brow.
Race felt like a school boy being scolded for stealing a cookie. He didn't steal anything! He did nothing wrong but try to help her and rather than be grateful, she was turning on him.
"The least you can say is 'thank you', Bea!"
"Thank you for what, exactly?! For agreeing to marry me, after I had, in your words, seduced you? Or shall I thank you for telling me just how in love with my sister you are, while promising never to fall in love with me as well?! Forgive me, Mr. Belington, but I barely feel gratitude toward you."
Unsure of how to react, he nodded to her words. "I will leave you alone, then."
"Perhaps it is best!" She called after his retreating back. Halting, he turned to find her standing by the bed. "It is best we leave each other to what it is that pleases us in this marriage. Unlike you, Mr. Belington, I am simply not satisfied with being a breeding mare for you. I shall not be relegated to child bearing while your heart is stuck with my half sister."
Race frowned, confused. What was it she was trying to say? And who was this woman in front of him, where was the quiet, docile, Lady Bianca?
"What then, do you suggest? We are married, Bea..."
"In name only." She folded her arms. "I thank you, Mr. Belington for informing me early that this marriage is dead on arrival. I shall simply no longer waste my time trying to give it life."
"What are you saying, Bea?"
"I am saying, you are free to do whatever it is that pleases you, as I shall be free as well. I shall not be of any bother to you, and neither shall you bother me."
"You are asking me to have mistresses?"
Anger flashed through her eyes briefly, but was quickly replaced by the look he couldn't quite read. "Use your freedom however you wish, Mr. Belington," She shrugged. "We might be trapped in this marriage, but we needn't endure the unpleasantness." She walked over to her traveling coat and picked it up from the bed where he had tossed it. Shrugging it back on, she put every button back in place. "Starting tonight, I shall be free to sleep clad in whatever outfit I deem fit."