Page 78 of Taming Ivy
Twinkling with benevolence, his eyes were a clear shade of russet. In addition to his impressive size, his most recognizable feature was a thin, jagged white scar. Inching out from the temple, just below the hairline, it sliced his left eyebrow in two and ended just above his eyelid. The man possessed the most fearsome presence, certainly not a fellow one would cross in an alleyway on a dark night. Or anywhere else, for that matter. At Sebastian’s directive, he stepped forward.
“This is Gabriel Rose. Gabriel, your countess.”
Ivy caught Sebastian biting back a smile at her look of wonderment. Such a beautiful name for such a formidable man. It probably caught more than one person off guard.
“Milady.” Gabriel’s voice was melodic. Bowing at the waist, his movements exhibited a surprising elegance.
“Gabriel, ah, has been very busy since our return to England, which is why you’ve not been afforded a chance to meet him before now.” Sebastian grinned. “He’s what you might consider my man of affairs. I trust him with my life and now, I trust him with yours.” Noting the man’s fierce scowl, Sebastian threw up his hands with a chuckle. “And yes, you may take a well-deserved rest very shortly.”
“Good,” Gabriel grumbled, loud enough for only Ivy and Sebastian’s ears. “I spent enough time carting that damn devil of horse yours all over God’s green Earth, and these last few months in England traipsing back and forth on the errands you required seeing to.”
The words, words no servant would dare voice aloud to an earl or master, Sebastian met with a hearty laugh. Ivy stared at Gabriel quizzically but did not feel any fear of him. His eyes were too kind. She decided she liked him at once.
“Mister Rose, if my husband places his trust in you, then I shall do the same.” Ivy extended her hand, and when Gabriel took it, she shook his firmly.
“I owe Lord Ravenswood my life. Now, it belongs to you as well.” Gabriel bowed, turning her hand to place a respectful kiss on the back of it. “It would honor me if you called me by my Christian name.”
“I should like that very much, Gabriel. I hope I may call you as close a friend as my husband does.”
“A better friend one could not hope to have.” Sebastian slipped his arm around Ivy, giving Gabriel a conspiratorial wink. “You’ll find it a more pleasant task to watch over her.”
Gabriel’s response was calm, his eyes sparkling with humor. “I expect it to be just as eventful.”
CHAPTER 25
Beaumont’s interior was as impressive as the exterior. White plaster walls curved in barrel shapes, soaring high within the main entry hall. Ornately plastered medallions accented the ceiling and heavy mahogany furnishings upholstered in gray and dark blue were strategically placed throughout the massive space. A hundred people could easily fit inside just the foyer space.
Beneath Ivy’s heels, exquisite Italian marble floors gleamed brilliantly white and delicate porcelain urns filled with massive arrangements of lilies, roses, and snapdragons sat displayed atop several pier tables in the hall. The heady perfume of the florals blended with the scent of lemon oil and beeswax polish, all familiar scents of a well-loved home.
Annie chattered, giving directions to Lizzie on the unpacking of Ivy’s trunks as the group ascended one side of a massive, double curved iron staircase. On the opposite side of the stairs, a contingent of under-footmen carried the baggage up. Reaching the third landing, the entire group veered to the left. Annie’s commentary of the manor’s attributes was the only conversation as they trekked toward the earl’s wing of the manor. An impasse was realized once a set of dark stained oak doors came into view. Where exactly to place Ivy’s belongings?
Two huge apartments with a massive dressing room connecting them lay beyond those doors and without a mother to impart advice on such matters, Ivy had no idea what to do. Should she select the lady’s chambers or would Sebastian decide for her? Everyone stood, ill at ease. Even Sebastian frowned, unsure of the correct move. When alive, his parents shared the master apartment, the other used as a makeshift nursery until he outgrew it, and then later, it was not used at all.
Annie’s cheerful observation broke the awkward silence. “Here now, it is no trouble to move your trunks wherever you’ve a mind for them to go, milady. We will place them in milord’s rooms for now. If you change your mind, then quick as a flash we’ll move them again.”
Ivy appreciated Annie’s assurance, aware of Sebastian shooting her a peculiar glance over the housekeeper’s head of grey curls.
It was suddenly overwhelming. Staring about the room, Ivy did not feel well at all. Vertigo, swift and dizzying, swooped about her stomach like swallowtails diving for dragonflies. Her bottom lip was being chewed to ribbons again. This room…it reminded her of Sebastian’s suite at Ravenswood Court in London. What she could remember of it, anyway. Odd, how the walls seemed to be closing in on her. Taking a deep breath, she quickly laced her fingers together to conceal how they trembled.
“The countess and I require a moment of privacy,” Sebastian said quietly.
Within seconds, the bedchamber was empty.
Ivy blinked in astonishment. Even Annie, in the midst of directing the placement of the trunks, clamped her mouth shut, rotated on a heel, and exited the room.
When the door closed behind the last servant, Sebastian leaned against it. Arms crossed, he regarded Ivy with a raised eyebrow. “Well, Ivy?”
With slow deliberateness, she removed her gloves. It gave her time to think, to steady herself and regain her balance. Which did he want her to choose? The master’s suite or her own? What was a newlywed countess supposed to do? Tossing her gloves onto the lid of her trunk, she turned to him, swallowing back her nerves.
“What doyouwish me to do?”
Sebastian grimaced, not liking the direct question. “As a gentleman, I should insist you take the other chamber. As your husband, I demand you stay here.” His eyes blazed hot, like glowing sparks of coal. “What I want most of all…is that you allow me to strip that gown from your body, lay you on my bed and thoroughly make love to you. But I know you do not want that…not yet anyway. The question is what doyouwant?”
Ivy squared her shoulders, her stomach swooping again with his words. “I want you to wait… before expecting me to share your bed. I need time to adjust to this. To being your wife.”
“I’ll not have my rights denied.” Sebastian’s jaw tightened, his annoyance held in check. “I’ve waited too long to make you completely mine.”
“Not denied.” The silk of her gown was now a twisted, wrinkled mess. “Just…delayed.”
