hair around her face as she gazed at the deep verandas that encircled the two-story sandstone building. Her eyes closed as she drew in a deep breath. The air was filled with the powerful scents of eucalyptus and jasmine.
Her eyes wide with amazement, she turned from the house to finally look at him. “It’s like nothing I have ever seen. It’s wonderful,” she said. He felt a swell of pride at her words.
“It’s quite a radical design. Different from most homes I would think. It has been built to catch the river breezes in the summer,” he said, as he watched her face. “You’ll find the summers very warm compared to England.”
She nodded, her face once again closed to him.
“I’m sorry the staff are not here to meet you but I still have to inform them of my new marital status,” he continued.
“Really? A spur of the moment decision then?” she asked, one eyebrow raised.
“Something like that,” he mumbled.
Well, she certainly was not backward in saying what she thought. In an effort to return to more neutral ground, William continued with his tour of the home. He led her up the stairs and through the double-carved timber doors. To her left a sitting room was separated from the entrance by ornately carved Chinese screens. It was spacious, with doors that opened onto the verandas and views to the river.
William gestured to a sweeping staircase that led to the upper floor. He followed her up, his gaze assessing her as they climbed. The slight sway of her body, even in the drab prison smock, stirred his loins again. He wondered how long it would be before she came to his bed. When they reached the landing, he moved past her and opened a door off the hallway.
“This will be your bedroom.” He showed her into a sunny room that faced the river. At her puzzled look, he grinned and added, “I won’t force you into my bed tonight.”
She tilted her head. “So, when will you force me?”
God almighty, she would not let him get away with anything. “Ah, actually I hoped my charms would entice you of your own accord.”
She smiled but there was no warmth in the gesture.
“Let’s be clear. This is a marriage of convenience for both of us. I have made a decision based on survival and I do not, and never will, love you,” she said coldly.
At her words, he felt a muscle twitch in his cheek but managed to keep his face blank.
“Well, madam,” he responded, “as love also had no part in my decision, we understand each other perfectly. You will be housed and fed and treated well, and when the need arises I will take you to my bed. I expect you to manage the home and provide me with an heir. I get what I want out of it, and you get what you want.” Her face had blanched but he was too affronted to stop. “When you have washed and changed for dinner, come down and I will show you the rest of the house.”
She looked as if she would speak.
“Is there something else?” he asked.
The defiant spark in her eyes had dulled with his words and there was vulnerability in the set of her mouth and shoulders. “The changing … it’s just that I have nothing suitable to change into.”
“I’m sorry, I didn’t think. We can rectify that tomorrow. What you have on is fine.”
He left the room wondering what on earth he had done. Nothing was as he planned. At every turn, she surprised and confused him. He realized he knew nothing about the woman he had married. But what had he expected from her? Gratitude? Submission? Yes, he had stupidly expected all that. But not this baffling mix of fiery defiance and childlike vulnerability. All he knew was from the first moment he saw her, he had invented a hundred practical reasons why he should marry her.
And now he did not know what to do with her.
• • •
Electra turned slowly, taking in the room. Compared to her accommodations of the past eighteen months, this was luxurious beyond belief. In the centre of the room was a large bed covered in soft,
Her eyes wide with amazement, she turned from the house to finally look at him. “It’s like nothing I have ever seen. It’s wonderful,” she said. He felt a swell of pride at her words.
“It’s quite a radical design. Different from most homes I would think. It has been built to catch the river breezes in the summer,” he said, as he watched her face. “You’ll find the summers very warm compared to England.”
She nodded, her face once again closed to him.
“I’m sorry the staff are not here to meet you but I still have to inform them of my new marital status,” he continued.
“Really? A spur of the moment decision then?” she asked, one eyebrow raised.
“Something like that,” he mumbled.
Well, she certainly was not backward in saying what she thought. In an effort to return to more neutral ground, William continued with his tour of the home. He led her up the stairs and through the double-carved timber doors. To her left a sitting room was separated from the entrance by ornately carved Chinese screens. It was spacious, with doors that opened onto the verandas and views to the river.
William gestured to a sweeping staircase that led to the upper floor. He followed her up, his gaze assessing her as they climbed. The slight sway of her body, even in the drab prison smock, stirred his loins again. He wondered how long it would be before she came to his bed. When they reached the landing, he moved past her and opened a door off the hallway.
“This will be your bedroom.” He showed her into a sunny room that faced the river. At her puzzled look, he grinned and added, “I won’t force you into my bed tonight.”
She tilted her head. “So, when will you force me?”
God almighty, she would not let him get away with anything. “Ah, actually I hoped my charms would entice you of your own accord.”
She smiled but there was no warmth in the gesture.
“Let’s be clear. This is a marriage of convenience for both of us. I have made a decision based on survival and I do not, and never will, love you,” she said coldly.
At her words, he felt a muscle twitch in his cheek but managed to keep his face blank.
“Well, madam,” he responded, “as love also had no part in my decision, we understand each other perfectly. You will be housed and fed and treated well, and when the need arises I will take you to my bed. I expect you to manage the home and provide me with an heir. I get what I want out of it, and you get what you want.” Her face had blanched but he was too affronted to stop. “When you have washed and changed for dinner, come down and I will show you the rest of the house.”
She looked as if she would speak.
“Is there something else?” he asked.
The defiant spark in her eyes had dulled with his words and there was vulnerability in the set of her mouth and shoulders. “The changing … it’s just that I have nothing suitable to change into.”
“I’m sorry, I didn’t think. We can rectify that tomorrow. What you have on is fine.”
He left the room wondering what on earth he had done. Nothing was as he planned. At every turn, she surprised and confused him. He realized he knew nothing about the woman he had married. But what had he expected from her? Gratitude? Submission? Yes, he had stupidly expected all that. But not this baffling mix of fiery defiance and childlike vulnerability. All he knew was from the first moment he saw her, he had invented a hundred practical reasons why he should marry her.
And now he did not know what to do with her.
• • •
Electra turned slowly, taking in the room. Compared to her accommodations of the past eighteen months, this was luxurious beyond belief. In the centre of the room was a large bed covered in soft,
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