Chapter Eleven
September 16, 1818
John started when a decorative pillow came hurtling across the space and smacked into his chest. He’d forgotten Brand was in the drawing room with him, so deep into thought had he fallen. “What was that for?” Grabbing the pillow, he sent it back, but his friend dodged the projectile.
“You’re woolgathering.” Brand, with no regard or respect for furniture, had propped his booted feet on the low table between his sofa and the chair where John sat. “And I’m bored. I thought that when I arrived, you would have welcomed me with open arms.”
“My apologies. There is much on my mind.” His gaze jogged to the windows. “Caroline is outside in the garden painting. If you wish to speak with her, I can call her in.” Truth be known, he was glad his wife was outside, for the more time she lingered in his company, the more desire grew for her. Especially after that intimate session they’d shared yesterday afternoon when she’d surprised the hell out of him with her innocent explorations and the simple joy she’d found when he’d send her flying.
“Leave her. We’ll go fetch my cousin in a bit. Perhaps show her the Hadleigh hedge maze. She might find that interesting.” He cast a speaking glance John’s way. “Unless you’ve already taken her through.”
“No. In fact, I haven’t taken her at all.”
Well, hell’s bells.He hadn’t meant to say that nor reveal quite so much about his personal life, even to Brand. Though the man was his best friend and closer than a brother, matters between him and Caroline should remain secret.
“What’s this?” Brand slammed his feet to the floor, leaned forward, and then rested his forearms on his knees. His hands dangled between his legs. “I was under the impression that you and my cousin had a marriage of convenience.”
Heat seeped up the back of John’s neck. “We do. Still have, actually.”
The captain’s eye narrowed. “Then why do you look both satisfied with life and alternately frustrated?”
John rubbed his eyes with his fingers. “It’s complicated.”
“Not as complicated as my convoluted courtship was with Elizabeth, I’ll wager.” Brand leaned back and propped an ankle on a knee. “What’s been happening since the wedding?”
“Caroline and I have spent copious amounts of time together. Talking. Well, mostly I talk. She does upon occasion.” John allowed a small grin, for his wife was quite intelligent. “She paints nearly every day, especially when the days are fine.”
Brand snorted. “Is that all? Sounds dull.”
“On the contrary, I’m grateful for this reprieve from daily life. She’s wonderfully talented. Little by little, she’s coming to trust me more. Occasionally, she’ll talk about herself, but not often and not much.” He sighed. “One day we took a dip into a duck pond.”
“Caroline willingly let you put her into the water?” Brand shook his head. “By all things holy on land and sea, I’m impressed you managed to draw her out of her room to do anything with you.”
“The only reason she stuck close to her room with you Stormes was the fact that none of you took the time to truly understand her. The family never wished to connect with her in a way that her mind could make sense of.” A wash of anger went through him, for Caroline could have been farther along in being comfortable with others had the Stormes not mucked it up. “However, she’s still not told me anything personal about herself or her history beyond bits and pieces.”
“I’ll admit, I don’t know much about her myself.” Brand held up a hand when John would have inserted censure. “And yes, what you’ve said is true. We Stormes, as a collective, have been horrid toward Caroline. It started with her father, but we allowed it to continue long after his death.” Remorse shadowed his face. “And when Drew stepped in, he did it with his usual grace of a bull rampaging through a glass shop. Once he had Caroline in his house, I’m not certain he knew what to do with her.”
“She still carries much anger toward her family.” When she wasn’t looking, he’d spied it in her eyes. Hell, she’d even admitted as much.
“It’s understandable, I suppose. If I had been locked away for near twenty years, removed from everything I’d ever known, I’d be livid too.” Brand met his gaze. “I can’t imagine how she survived, to be honest.”
“Neither can I,” John agreed in a soft voice. “The more I come to know her, the more amazing she is. She’s resilient, strong, but isn’t afraid to laugh if the occasion demands.” He snorted. “And, by Jove, she’s the most stubborn woman I’ve ever met.”
“Well, she is a Storme.”
“True.” John shoved a hand through his hair. “In any event, she enjoyed being in the water after her initial fright faded. I’m hoping that during our stay at Hadleigh Hall, I can teach her to swim.”
A wicked twinkle appeared in Brand’s eye. “Is that the only thing you want to teach her?”
The flush returned, pushing the heat into his face. “It is not. However, we’ve shared a few kisses.” His best friend didn’t need to know that he’d caressed Caroline, had touched parts of her best left between husband and wife. The sounds she’d made when he’d introduced her to pleasure, the way she fought fear with bravery when he’d put his hand between her legs continued to tug at his heartstrings.
“Oh?” Brand’s eyebrows rose with surprise. “Did she enjoy the kisses? In my experience, she doesn’t like to be touched let alone get close enough to another person to allow kissing.”
“At first she was wary.” The remembrance of the kiss he’d given her in the traveling coach popped into his head. Awareness for her swept over his skin. “But they seem to be growing on her. In fact,” he chuckled for he would never forget how she’d rounded on him in the village yesterday, “she’s been rather vocal about me not kissing her enough. Since we’re married, you see. Caroline is rather a stickler when it comes to everything in its place and the meaning of various things.”
Brand gawked. “That’s interesting.” He shook his head with a smirk. “Have you bedded her yet?”
“That is hardly any of your business.”