Stephanie Laurens - The Ideal Bride

Then he moved her upon him; she looked down, met his eyes, let him capture hers, draw her into the dance until she merged fully with him, one in thought, in deed, in desire. At some point, their lips found each other’s again, and they left the world, stepped into another.

One where nothing mattered beyond this simple communion, this melding of bodies, of minds, of passions.

She gave herself up to it, knew he did the same.

Together, they soared and touched the sun, fused, melted, then, inevitably, returned to earth.

Later, wrapped in his arms, collapsed on her bed, she murmured, ‘This is probably scandalous—it’s your grandfather’s house.“

“His, not mine.”

The words reached her as a rumble, vibrating through his chest on which she’d pillowed her cheek. “Is this why you wanted me to stay here?”

“One of the reasons.” She felt his fingers toy with her hair, then they stroked and cupped her nape. “I have this trouble with insomnia I knew you could cure.”

With a gurgle of laughter, weak but content, she settled her head.

Closing his eyes, Michael smiled and, equally content, surrendered to slumber.

Caro slid her key into the lock on the front door of the town house in Half Moon Street. “Our old housekeeper, Mrs. Simms, comes in twice a week to air and dust so all will be ready should I wish to return.”

Michael followed her into an airy hall tiled with black, white, and ochre mosaics, flecks of gold glinting in the veined marble. In returning to town, Caro hadn’t elected to come here; apparently she hadn’t considered it. Closing the front door, he glanced around as she paused in an archway he assumed led to the drawing room. The double doors were open; she cast a comprehensive glance within, then moved on to the next door, opened it, and looked in.

Noting the quality of the oak wainscoting, the side tables, and the huge mirror gracing the hall, he stolled up and looked over Caro’s head, and felt his eyes widen. The room was the dining room; it contained a long mahogany table with the most wonderful glowing sheen, and a set of chairs even his less than expert knowledge labeled as antiques—French; he couldn’t guess the period, yet their value was obvious.

He followed as Caro flitted from room to room; every item he saw was museum-quality, even the ornaments and fittings. Yet the house was neither cluttered nor cold and off-putting. It was as if it had been created with incredible love, care, and a superb eye for beauty, and then, for some reason, barely used.

As he climbed the sweeping staircase behind Caro, he realized Edward had been right; the house and its contents were highly valuable__

something someone could conceivably kill for. He caught up with Caro at the top of the stairs. “The will first.”

She glanced at him, then led the way down a corridor.

The room she turned into had clearly been Camden’s study. While she went to the wall behind the desk, swung aside a painting—one that looked suspiciously like an old master—to reveal a large wall safe, and set about carefully unlocking it, he lounged in the doorway and looked around. Tried to imagine Camden here. With Caro.

Less overtly masculine than most studies were, the room testified to a sense of balance and taste; as in the other rooms, all the furniture was antique, the fabrics sumptuous. He examined, considered, conscious once again of not being able to get a clear picture of the relationship between Camden and Caro.

He’d seen them together on a number of occasions, diplomatic soirees, dinners, and the like. He’d never suspected that their marriage had been nothing more than a facade. He now knew it had been, yet here in the house Caro had told him Camden had created over the years of their marriage, essentially for her…

A folded parchment in her hand, she shut the safe, locked it, and swung the painting back into place; watching her cross the room, Michael inwardly shook his head. Camden may have created the house, but it was Caro’s—it suited her to the ground, the perfect showcase for her and her manifold talents.

The instant the thought formed, he knew it was true, yet if Camden had cared enough to pour such a lot of himself—not just money but so much more—into creating this masterpiece for her, why had he left her untouched? Physically at least, unloved?

And given his attentions to a mistress instead?

Straightening, he took the thick sheaf Caro held out to him.

“It won’t fit in my reticule.”

He managed to tuck it into his inside coat pocket. “I’m not a legal expert—would it worry you if I got it examined by one, just to make sure there’s no strange twist we can’t see?”

She raised her brows, but nodded. “That might be wise. Now”— she pointed further down the corridor—“Camden’s papers are along here.”

To his surprise, she didn’t lead him into another room, but instead stopped before a pair of double doors, a cupboard built into the corridor wall.

Caro set the doors wide, revealing shelves of linens and towels, all neatly stacked. The two halves of the cupboard were separate sets of shelves, like two bookcases abutting; reaching deep to the back of one shelf, she pressed the catch to release them—they swung open a little. “Stand back.”

Michael did, watching, amazed as she swung first one set of shelves, then the other wide, revealing a storeroom lined with shelves on which boxes of files lay neatly stacked.

Stepping back, she gestured. “Camden’s papers.”

Michael considered them, then glanced at her. “Lucky we brought two footmen.”

“Indeed.” He hadn’t understood when she’d requested them.

Turning, she led the way downstairs, through the back of the house, and down the garden path to open the back gate. Magnus’s largest carriage stood waiting in the mews beyond.

Michael took charge. An hour later, with the Half Moon Street house once again closed and locked, they returned to Upper Grosvenor Street and proceeded to unload the accumulated records of Camden Sutcliffe’s life.

Evelyn, a quiet but redoubtable lady whom Caro had met over dinner the previous evening, had suggested they store the papers in a small parlor on the first floor, not far from the main stairs in the central part of the mansion. “Safest,” Evelyn had opined. “There’s always some maid or footman traipsing about in sight of that door.”

Magnus had grunted, but agreed. The boxes, therefore, were carried upstairs and stacked neatly along one wall of the parlor, waiting for Caro to read through them. When the footmen finally retreated, their job done, she eyed the work before her and sighed.

Michael, shoulder propped against the doorframe, studied her. “Magnus would help at the drop of a hat.”

She sighed again. “I know, but in deference to Camden, if anyone is to read his diaries and private correspondence, it should be me. At least until we know if there’s anything of note in there.”

Michael studied her face, then nodded and straightened. Downstairs, a gong clanged.

Caro smiled. “Saved—I’ll start after lunch.”

Tucking a wayward strand back into her coiffure, she took his arm, let him draw her out of the room and shut the door.

Over luncheon, they studied the will. All of them read it, even Evelyn, as crochety as Magnus could be irrascible yet also shrewd and experienced in her way. None of them felt confident they fully comprehended the convoluted legal language enough to pass judgment.

“Best get an expert opinion,” Magnus said.

Caro graciously repeated her permission; Michael tucked the will back into his pocket.

Once the meal was ended, he accompanied her back to the parlor. They spent the next half hour rearranging the boxes into some semblance of order, then, the first box open at her feet, Caro sat in an armchair—and looked up at him. Raised a faintly amused brow.