Queens Gambit

10

Chapter 10

In the morning they woke up entwined still in the tree house. She had never woken up next to a man before and she was glad to take time to look at him. He looked innocent not like the rake he was. His hair was messy and in his face. The look of the perfection he was always portrayed was gone. She thought he looked better this way. She reached out to move the curl from out of his face. Adam knew she was watching him, but when she brushed his face his eyes fluttered open. She looked thoroughly loved her hair was tousled and wild. Her breast was exposed and he loved that she was not scrambling to cover herself up.

He took his hand and started to trace her breast and he was relieved she did not pull away. How lucky had been to be married to this beautiful woman? He reached up and kissed her and was surprised she pushed him back down and became the aggressor. When they went back to the house they snuck back up by way of the Duke's backstair case. She slipped into the Duchess' chamber and they both dressed and went down to breakfast and joined their parents.

They were looking at each other with blushing glances. Adam cleared his throat he needed to have to change the subject.

"What are the plans for the day dear?"

"Tonight we have the Tanners ball tomorrow we have the Carrington's musical. Wednesday we have the soup kitchen then the Opera that night. We will be going to the Prince Regents dinner party on Christmas eve. Saturday we will be spending boxing day giving to the poor. On Sunday there is a private dinner at the Duke of New Cross for his son Vaughn's birthday, but we will go to church with the orphans and have lunch first. This is the busy time of the year."

The Dowager Duchess laughed at that comment. If Sheena thought this was busy the ball season was much busier and being the young duchess of Marlborough she would be in demand to go to and host parties. With her patronages, she would also be holding charity events. This was slow compared to the rest of Sheena's year. The Dowager Duchess hope somewhere in there a baby would be a part of the equation. There were going to be a lot of changes for the young couple. She hoped they would be up to it. Adam had never been destined to be Duke and lived a free life unlike her dear sweet Aaron god rest his soul had.

While Adam was doing his volunteer work with the doctors Sheena went shopping. She needed to get ready for Christmas day and boxing day. She thought she would be able to go about her business on her own but Big B had sent Aurora shopping with her. She was a fellow agent who still stayed active throwing parties and gathering information on the title of England. The first stop was a jewelry store if Sheena did not know better she would have thought they were looking for themselves. The Duchess picked out a highly decorative watch chain for her Duke. Sheena picked out a gold bookmark of the southern cross. She thought Adam would appreciate the sentiment.

The next store was the haberdashers where she bought her father a shirt and ascot with a tie clip with her mother's favorite gemstone the ruby. They spent the rest of the day going from shop to shop and stand to stand collecting things they thought their family would like to receive. The Duchess seemed to know her husband's likes and dislikes well Sheena knew nothing about Adams other than he liked poetry. When they reached the bookstore Sheena was surprised the Duchess walked in it was a men's only store. She did not seem worried about the fact they were women. The shopkeeper greeted them.

"Your grace it has been a while. What can I do for you two ladies?"

"I would like a copy of Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley Frankenstein. It is for my son he loves to read."

Sheena saw a book being showcased it was Shelley but Percy Bysshe Shelley Ozymandias it was newly published.

"I would like to purchase the Ozymandias I think my husband would like that. I do not know if he has any interest in Egypt but he does love poetry."

"Who may I ask is your husband my lady?"

"The Duke of Marlborough."

The shopkeeper turned without a word and went to get a book off the many shelves in the bookstore. He returned with a book. She was able to read the cover upside down. It was By William Wordsworth in 1793's An Evening Walk and Descriptive Sketches. She had a sneaky suspicion this bookseller knew her husband.

"His grace has been looking for a copy of this book it is a first edition from the year he was born."

Sheena was grateful for the insight this would be a good present for Adam. The next shop they went to was a surprise it was Madam Galois the lingerie maker. She showed them all kinds of things for women to seduce a man. This was not something Sheena had ever worried about. She had no idea what to pick out to seduce her husband. After seeing everything in the shop Sheena let the duchess and the Madam pick out what would be good. She would be as surprised as Adam. That night when they went to the ball Sheena wore a dark green velvet dress that was trimmed in cream lace. It was off the shoulder and low. Adam was pleased with his wife's appearance. When she took off her cloak and all the male eyes were on hers. He was hit with a sense of pride and jealousy something he had never felt before for another woman. When they entered the ballroom he could see the men approaching them could they be after a dance with his wife? Sheena heard him growl and laughed to herself. Was he jealous? The thought made her insides flutter. When he leaned over and whispered in her eye her insides were doing somersaults.

"You are to stay by my side. I do not want you to dance with another living soul."

She smiled up at him.

"Yes your grace."

Adam was grateful Sheena had been true to her word she never left his side and never danced or tried to dance with anyone but him. At the stroke of midnight, only the chandelier candles were lit and the rest were blown out. In the dimness of the room, a voice broke out in song that was when Adam noticed Sheena was not with him she was standing on the stage next to the orchestra singing by herself. She had perfect pitch and her voice filled the room.

"Hark the herald angels sing glory to the newborn king..."

Adam filled the room with the sound of his applause when she sang the last note of the song. Then the room erupted into applause. She took a bow and then returned to her husband.

"Your voice is beautiful. I knew you could sing but that was exquisite."

"Thank you, I enjoy music and to hear you praise me so highly makes me happy."

On their way home Adam decided to do something romantic. He had the driver stop at a local pond where he helped Sheena out of the carriage and then grabbed something he had stored under the carriage cushion. He lead her over to the edge of the pond where he laid out a blanket. He pulled out two champagne flutes and a bottle of champagne. They sat looking out at the water and the way the reflection of the moon danced upon the water. Sheena had a couple of questions for Adam but thought better of it. This was a beautiful end to a wonderful day. She would not ruin it by asking how come he had all of that stuff conveniently under the seat of the carriage. She was not sure she wanted the answer to that. Her heart could not stand to be broken. She was in love with Adam and did not want to ruin what they were building together.

"What made you think of this place? It is beautiful."

"It is the other side of our property. I thought looking at the moon of the water would be a nice change. They sat in silence for a while when it started to snow. He laughed she threw her head back and opened her mouth to catch the flakes. Adam laughed she was such a child. He leaned over and kissed her. Soon the kiss got deeper and more passionate. Their hands were searching out each other learning about each other's bodies.

Sheena felt the loss of his warmth as soon as he pulled away.

"We need to take this inside it is too cold out here. I do not want you to get catch the Auge."

"I am sure I am made of sturdier stuff."

"Forgive me if I want to take care of you."

He helped her off the blanket scooping her up and bringing her to the carriage all the while kissing her senseless. God, when did he fall in love with this woman and would he ever get enough of her?