Page 35 of An Ill-Made Match

A knock on the door made Eden squeak and shrink back against the side of the tub, her hands over her breasts. Roland crossed to the door and opened it just a crack. Eden heard a low murmur of voices. Then Roland opened the door a little further and took a bundle from whoever was in the corridor. “Wait a moment,” she heard him say. Then he dumped the bundle on the bed and started gathering up Eden’s clothing.

“What are you doing?” Eden asked sharply.

“Lady Payne has sent you a clean set of clothes. Her maid will wash yours.”

“Oh, that is kind of her,” said Eden taken aback. Mayhap she had misjudged the youthful Lady Payne. “Pray, thank her for me,” she called after him as he carried her things to the servant waiting at the door. He muttered some words of thanks and shut the door with his foot before crossing the room to dress.

“You must be turning wrinkled in that water,” he commented, his back to her, as he pulled on a tunic.

Eden cleared her throat. “I am almost ready to emerge,” she agreed sounding far too formal even to her own ears.

“Waiting for me to go below stairs? You’ll have to get used to me being around, wife.” Despite his words, he turned around and grabbed her a large drying cloth. He approached the tub with it and Eden drew up her knees again for modesty’s sake, reaching up her arms to take it. He handed it over, but stood looking down at her a moment, in consideration.

Eden clutched the cloth to her chest. “What is it?” she asked in strangled tones.

“Naught. Just,” his mouth twisted. “If someone had told me four days ago, that I would have Eden Montmayne wet and naked in my bedchamber…” his words trailed off a moment as he eyed her. “I would scarce have believed them.”

Eden stared at him. “Well,” she said weakly. “It’s a good thing we know not what the fates have in store for us, I suppose.” He made no comment, his eyes roaming over the parts of her that were on view and sudden realization washed over her that that Roland Vawdrey, at this precise moment, would like nothing better than to lift her out of the tub and have his wicked way with her. Again. The knowledge flooded her cheeks with color and made her shrink back as far as possible into the water. How could he want to repeat such an indignity in broad daylight? She gazed back at him, frankly appalled. She had only just got clean!

Abruptly, he turned away, and Eden let out a sigh of relief. “I’m going to break my fast,” he said shortly. “The jousting’s today. I’ll look to find you with the Paynes.”

Eden watched Roland let himself out of the room and breathed out a huge sigh of relief. While she was used to sharing a royal apartment with her family, most of the time it was just herself and her cousin as her uncle divided his time between Hallam Hall and court. Eden had not shared a bedchamber since she was a child and was accustomed to spending a good deal of her time alone, either reading or practicing her music or dance. Nothing had prepared her for these intimacies, let alone the manner of man she had somehow thrown her lot in with.

She stood up from the bath and wrapped the cloth about herself. Her hair was damp, but she had washed out the soap and would pat it dry once she had donned her nice clean shift. Padding over to the bed, she unrolled the bundle and felt her first pang of misgiving. The dress that Lady Payne had sent along was all wrong for her. It was an icy blue of a very eye-catching nature. The material was very silky and gossamer fine. Had she sent Eden her best dress? Eden shook it out and noticed the low neckline with the puffed sleeves and fussy trim detail that looked like garlands of flowers. She blanched. She had never worn such a dress in her life! Biting her lip, she debated sending for a servant to return it and asking for a plainer one. She knew that would be a gross insult to her hosts. Thrusting the dress away from her, she picked up instead the shift, and realized that she had not been mistaken. Lady Payne had sent along her very finest clothing. This shift was fit for a queen and would have cost Sir Payne a pretty penny. With a sinking heart, Eden drew it over her head and then donned the fine white stockings and scarlet garters. Still avoiding the dress, she wrapped the drying cloth about her damp tresses, patting them dry.

A light knock on the door surprised her. “Who is it?”

“Tis Martha,” came the reply. “Lady Payne sent me to help lace you into your gown.”

Eden sighed. “Come in, Martha.”

The maid bustled in, with an air of efficiency. “There now,” she said. “You’re half-dressed already! I had no idea fine court ladies could dress themselves.”

“I’m not royalty, Martha,” Eden said mildly. “I just attend the Queen.”

But Martha was already making for the bed where the dress lay. “Well now!” she exclaimed in surprise. “I never!”

Eden looked up from detangling her damp hair. “What is it Martha?”

“My lady only went and sent you the dress she was married in!”

Eden blinked. That would explain the sumptuousness of the gown.

“Mind you, I daresay she couldn’t fit in it now,” said Martha sucking in her cheeks. “She’s put on some flesh since she was wed. I daresay she thought it would be as well to get some more wear out of it. Her father paid a fortune for her wedding trousseau.”

“Well, it’s extremely generous of her,” said Eden. “Though I fear it will become me most ill. I don’t suppose the Lady Payne has any black gowns…?”

“You’re a bride,” said Martha firmly. “It is most fitting you should wear it.”

Eden gave up. Instead she cast aside the drying cloth and straightened up. “Very well then.”

“And you’re as slender as a faery maiden,” said Martha approvingly. “We’ll soon have this on you.”

Eden grimaced as she stepped into the confection that was her outfit for the day. Martha maneuvered the full skirts and fussy sleeves until she was surrounded by it.

“Oh yes,” said Martha with satisfaction. “We won’t have to force you into this bodice!” She pulled it around Eden’s waist and ribs and began on the lacing at the back. “My poor lady couldn’t eat a morsel all day.”

Eden thought of Lady Payne’s voluptuous figure and thought she must have looked a good deal more alluring in it than she. She glanced down and was surprised to see a lot more of her breasts on display than usual. “Um, Martha…” she started.