his luck.
He could not be sure his wife felt the same way though she seemed open to him. She was a bit jumpy at first, but she had grown more comfortable as the weeks passed, and he flattered himself that she did like him. Perhaps she had never heard the stories circulating about him after all, and he would have a chance to prove he could be the husband she desired.
Finn glanced up at his wife who was engrossed in a book she had purchased at Portsmouth. Her brow was puckered and her lips were pressed together in a line. He smiled at her expression and went back to his own book.
“Look, Finn,” her voice jolted him from the story some time later, “we are nearly home.”
He leaned forward to look out the window, “We still have several miles left, love.”
She laughed, “I suppose we are, but I am seeing familiar sights now, so I feel we are almost home.”
Finn loved her enthusiasm. Even the mundane things were exciting to Naomi.
“Are you hungry?” he pointed to the box Mrs. Baker had packed for them.
She wrinkled her nose, “Not really. I have been situated here so long that have not worked up an appetite.”
Finn wondered if she also had personal needs to attend, “Would you like to stop?”
“No, thank you,” Naomi looked back at her book. “Feel free to take some refreshment yourself, Finn. I will eat when we stop or when we arrive home.”
She spoke of going hom e as if it were the most pleasant thing in the world. He hoped to make it pleasant for her, but he knew his mother was not going to be easy on her new daughter-in-law.
It had occurred to him more than once that he should take her straight to his London home instead of bringing her to Selby, but they were expected for the holidays at Tessa’s home not five miles from his and at Naomi’s family home as well.
This was the best option, and Naomi would have to meet his mother sooner or later anyway. He now only wrestled with how much to tell his bride about his mother.
Before he made a decision on that topic, they were driving in the gates of his family home. The carriage pulled up to the front door, and Randolph, the coachman, leapt down and opened the door. His chance to prepare his wife was gone.
“Master Haydn,” Mr. Dillon’s brisk form could be seen coming across the lawn as the butler called out to him. “We did not expect to see you so early in the day.”
Finn handed his wife out of the carriage, “Mrs. Haydn is an excellent traveler, Dillon.”
He glanced down at the flushed face of his bride, “My dear, I would like to present our butler, Mr. Dillon.”
She nodded.
“And our housekeeper, Mrs. Smythe.”
The new mistress smiled at the round-faced woman.
The rest of the staff began lining the walk so Finn could present them to his wife. He did so as quickly as possible, given their indoor attire and the cold front that was blowing in.
The newlyweds were soon divested of their coats, but Dillon stopped him before he could make a decision as to what he would do next.
“Your mother would wait until morning to meet with you, sir.”
Finn breathed out a mixture of relief and irritation , “Thank you, Dillon.”
The butler nodded and left them alone again.
What right had his mother to spurn his wife? It was her idea that Finn should get married in the first place, and now she was going to pretend Naomi did not exist? He knew, of course, there was more to the situation than a simple rebuff. He tamped down his irritation with one woman and turned to the other.
“Well, madam,” he offered his arm, “might I see you to your chambers?”
“Finn,” she spoke up as they reached the top of the stairs, “will Missy be joining me here?”
He stopped in front of her door, “Missy?”
“My ladies’ maid.”
He pushed down on the ornate knob, “You had no need of a maid while we were on our wedding trip.”
He was just teasing her, so he was surprised to see a fleck of irritation in her eye, “I cannot always
He could not be sure his wife felt the same way though she seemed open to him. She was a bit jumpy at first, but she had grown more comfortable as the weeks passed, and he flattered himself that she did like him. Perhaps she had never heard the stories circulating about him after all, and he would have a chance to prove he could be the husband she desired.
Finn glanced up at his wife who was engrossed in a book she had purchased at Portsmouth. Her brow was puckered and her lips were pressed together in a line. He smiled at her expression and went back to his own book.
“Look, Finn,” her voice jolted him from the story some time later, “we are nearly home.”
He leaned forward to look out the window, “We still have several miles left, love.”
She laughed, “I suppose we are, but I am seeing familiar sights now, so I feel we are almost home.”
Finn loved her enthusiasm. Even the mundane things were exciting to Naomi.
“Are you hungry?” he pointed to the box Mrs. Baker had packed for them.
She wrinkled her nose, “Not really. I have been situated here so long that have not worked up an appetite.”
Finn wondered if she also had personal needs to attend, “Would you like to stop?”
“No, thank you,” Naomi looked back at her book. “Feel free to take some refreshment yourself, Finn. I will eat when we stop or when we arrive home.”
She spoke of going hom e as if it were the most pleasant thing in the world. He hoped to make it pleasant for her, but he knew his mother was not going to be easy on her new daughter-in-law.
It had occurred to him more than once that he should take her straight to his London home instead of bringing her to Selby, but they were expected for the holidays at Tessa’s home not five miles from his and at Naomi’s family home as well.
This was the best option, and Naomi would have to meet his mother sooner or later anyway. He now only wrestled with how much to tell his bride about his mother.
Before he made a decision on that topic, they were driving in the gates of his family home. The carriage pulled up to the front door, and Randolph, the coachman, leapt down and opened the door. His chance to prepare his wife was gone.
“Master Haydn,” Mr. Dillon’s brisk form could be seen coming across the lawn as the butler called out to him. “We did not expect to see you so early in the day.”
Finn handed his wife out of the carriage, “Mrs. Haydn is an excellent traveler, Dillon.”
He glanced down at the flushed face of his bride, “My dear, I would like to present our butler, Mr. Dillon.”
She nodded.
“And our housekeeper, Mrs. Smythe.”
The new mistress smiled at the round-faced woman.
The rest of the staff began lining the walk so Finn could present them to his wife. He did so as quickly as possible, given their indoor attire and the cold front that was blowing in.
The newlyweds were soon divested of their coats, but Dillon stopped him before he could make a decision as to what he would do next.
“Your mother would wait until morning to meet with you, sir.”
Finn breathed out a mixture of relief and irritation , “Thank you, Dillon.”
The butler nodded and left them alone again.
What right had his mother to spurn his wife? It was her idea that Finn should get married in the first place, and now she was going to pretend Naomi did not exist? He knew, of course, there was more to the situation than a simple rebuff. He tamped down his irritation with one woman and turned to the other.
“Well, madam,” he offered his arm, “might I see you to your chambers?”
“Finn,” she spoke up as they reached the top of the stairs, “will Missy be joining me here?”
He stopped in front of her door, “Missy?”
“My ladies’ maid.”
He pushed down on the ornate knob, “You had no need of a maid while we were on our wedding trip.”
He was just teasing her, so he was surprised to see a fleck of irritation in her eye, “I cannot always
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