Page 46 of A Most Unsuitable Lover
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The hastiness of the nuptials meant there hadn’t been time to plan a proper wedding breakfast, though his mother had certainly tried to convince them otherwise. Neither Juliette nor Ian minded, though, because they were better able to take their leave more quickly after accepting the well-wishes of the small number of those gathered to celebrate. The moment it was remotely respectable, Ian quickly ushered her into a carriage and they were whisked away to a lavish hotel in New Town.
Aside from the occasional coaching inn, Juliette had never stepped foot inside a hotel—had never traveled far enough from family or friends to require it—but this one far exceeded any expectations she might have had. Hotels in London were beginning to gain notoriety for the luxury and extravagance they afforded; as she looked around at the polished wood and glittering gilt trim, the glowing chandeliers and the immaculately-dressed staff, she had to believe this one could compete with whatever England offered. Surely a room at this hotel would come at no small cost. She nibbled her lip and tried to guess at just how much a night might set one back, but she had no point of reference from which to draw. The last thing she wanted was for Ian to spread himself too thin trying to provide her with the things he believed she wanted or needed. All she needed was him.
They were shown to their room and all of her worries were forgotten the moment Ian swept her in his arms and slung her over his shoulder.
“Ian!” she attempted indignation, but could only manage breathless laughter as he carried her to the oversized bed like a heathen warlord.
“Now, I can finally do what I’ve wanted to since you showed up in my mother’s home, covered yourself in flour, and charmed her with your linguistic skills.” He landed a playful swat to her bottom before gently depositing her atop the thick mattress. Standing above her, legs wide and fists at his hips, Juliette’s heart began to race and her stomach flipped in anticipation as she examined her husband.Her husband.They could be together without fear or shame. They could explore and share and learn together. Pulse pounding, skin tingling with desire and awareness, she opened her arms to Ian and invited him to lie with her. Together at last, they took their time savoring one another, relearning each other’s body and how to both give and take their pleasure.
Ian’s accent thickened as she neared a shattering release; the words wove around them like an intimate cocoon, as tangible to her as his hands and his teeth and his tongue. Long after they’d both found their release, she closed her eyes and sank into the memory of his rough voice.
“What are you thinking, my love?” Ian asked, his words still slightly breathless with the airiness of satiation.
“How much I enjoy the way your diction loses all its crispness when we lie together.” She opened her eyes and grinned at him. “I quite like it.”
Ian shot her a wolfish grin and rolled atop her, pinning her arms over her head, stealing her breath with the sudden excitement of it all. “And would ye like to be ravished by an animal rather than a mon, lass? I dinna think yer wee body could take it.” His words were thick with an exaggerated accent, bordering on satirical. She couldn’t help it, she laughed until she felt his body shaking mirthfully above hers and he pressed a kiss to her exposed throat. He rolled and carried her with him, nestling her against his side within the crook of his arm. And Juliette felt safe, cherished, respected. She couldn’t have dreamt of more.
Ian shifted again and placed his large palm upon her chest, just above the beat of her heart. “Bidh thu a 'cumail mo chridhe agus bidh an-còmhnaidh,” he whispered and Juliette held her breath to catch and clutch his every word. “Thug an dàn sinn còmhla agus fuirichidh sinn còmhla.”
Despite her efforts, she could only translate a handful of the words he’d spoken and she was forced to concede. “It’s lovely; what does it mean?”
There was a thoughtful moment before Ian replied.
“It means, you hold my heart and always will. Fate brought us together and together we will stay.”
Epilogue
Juliette and Ian’s honeymoon trip abroad lasted longer than planned. Every new country they visited and each city in which they stopped opened Juliette’s eyes to brilliant, amazing things she had never thought to experience.
They started in France and then went through Spain and Portugal before settling in for a longer stay in Italy. At once, Juliette had fallen in love with the culture, and Ian had fallen more in love with her each day.
Somehow, Juliette had easily charmed every last one of Ian’s staid and stuffy Italian mentors. Her mastery of their language endeared her to everyone she met and she felt immediately at home in the land of her mother’s ancestors. To Ian, she looked as if she belonged. She certainly fit in well with her thick dark hair and innate elegance, but there was more to it than only her appearance. She bloomed beneath the Italian sun and her personality soared amongst the circles of society there. She could speak to anyone young or old, rich or poor, and treated them all with the same care and respect. It was difficult not to fall for her. He’d lost count of all the times Italian men swore never to love another after looking upon Juliette’s face or hearing her voice. Despite this, not once did Ian doubt that Juliette would always send those men away with a kind smile and conciliatory word before returning to his side.
She reveled in every experience he showed her. They explored markets and tried new foods. They took in sights of great historical importance and traveled through Venice and Rome. They discussed medical practices and she proved to be a particularly adept partner off whom to bounce ideas for their future together, and that of his career. She impressed him with her earnest desire to do whatever she could to help see his dream through. She was the one who organized his supplies lists for him and, once she’d done that, offered to use her contacts to try to obtain donations and better prices on the items he would need. At the very least, she was positive she could ask Lady Morton to use her Reading Society to help raise funds for Ian’s venture. The depth of her heart seemed fathomless, and she affirmed his choice in her over and over again.
Eventually, the call for England became too great. Weeks later than planned, they returned to drizzly shores and were greeted by the great white chalk cliffs of Dover. They did, however, bring one thing home with them from Italy: an apprentice for Ian.
DottorLorenzo Bianchi was a promising young man who had come highly recommended by Ian’s former mentors. After several meetings with the tall, dark-haired Italian, both Ian and Juliette concluded that Dr. Bianchi would be an excellent asset. After some negotiations, it was decided that he would return with them to England to join Ian’s business as an assistant and then a fellow physician. This would, of course, include some additional training and English lessons. This meant Ian would one day have more time to travel and realize his dream of providing quality medical care to more than just the elite.
As Juliette stood on the ship’s deck and watched England’s shoreline grow ever larger, Ian took her hand in his. He knew the root of the anxiety she tried so hard to mask behind a tremulous smile: They were quite uncertain as to what would greet them when they finally returned to London.
Immediately following their wedding, Ian had instructed his solicitor to hold off on liquidating his London practice until they knew first-hand the fallout of their elopement. He still had to be able to provide a future for Juliette if she wished to remain in England, and the best way for him to do that was to continue catering to theton’s medical needs. His life was about more than just his own goals now; he had to account for her as well. And he would do all that was within his power to give her anything and everything he could.
Ian knew Meredith had written to Juliette a handful of times in the past several months. She always managed to avoid answering Juliette’s inquiries about Hopesend’s reaction to their elopement, while tactfully requesting confirmation that Ian would be present to assist at the birth of her child. Ever the true friend, though, Meredith always did her best to reassure them that she didn’t want them to rush home from their adventures.
He could tell that Meredith’s careful omissions increased Juliette’s anxieties, but she never failed to impress him with how selfless she could be. His wife confirmed with him at least once each week that they would be able to return to England in time for Meredith’s labor; the only person who wanted him there more was Meredith, herself. He and Juliette had shared a lengthy discussion about Ian’s previous proposal to his longtime friend. In the end, Juliette had been content with his explanation that he’dbelievedhimself in love with Meredith but heknewwith every fiber of his being that he was in love with Juliette. It was a different love, entirely.
After depositing Dr. Bianchi at the rooms that had been rented for him, Ian and Juliette finally found themselves alone in the foyer of the Townhouse which served as both his office and living quarters. Ian silently mused at how similar the scene was to the day of their first meeting months ago, and the incredible whirlwind that had transpired in between.
He began by guiding her through the rooms on the main floor:spaces typically designated for a sitting room, a small dining room, and one that might be used as a study or library if the pitiable amount of non-medical books in residence could be bolstered. The first floor contained two of the bedchambers, including his own. The uppermost floor held two additional rooms, but Ian hadn’t set foot in them since he purchased the property. He could tell instantly that Juliette was stunned by the sparseness of his living conditions. He’d always lived simply and, since he spent so little time there, he hadn’t sought fit to place too much emphasis upon making this house into a home.
“We can rent out these rooms and find a new home for us if you would prefer,” Ian offered as Juliette wandered through the bedchamber. Much to his surprise, she shook her head.
“I like knowing where to find you if you work late into the night.” Her shy smile warmed his heart more than he would have believed possible. “I have only to add my touches to the lovely bones of this house and I believe we will be quite comfortable here.”
While Mrs. Brown had kept the house immaculate in his absence, the pile of Ian’s correspondence was enormous, spilling off his desk and onto the floor. Outdated invitations, letters, notices, journals, papers…all of it was piled high in as neat of stacks as she had been able to manage. In addition, a running list of names had been kept of all those who had stopped by Ian’s office and, per his instructions, they’d been directed to another physician in his absence. It was an unbelievable amount of work and Juliette didn’t care for the idea of Ian having to slog through it all on his own.
