Beastly Desires

Chapter Fourty-Nine

The wedding festivities lasted from morning when they said their vows to late in the evening when everyone was starting to retire to bed. Colette bid her father goodbye an hour or so earlier, hugging him tightly before promising to visit him later in the week. Gregory's father offered to take him home in their carriage and she watched them disappear down the road with tears in her eyes.

Her father would stay in their cottage during the week while he worked and then come to stay at the estate over the weekend. Colette would stay at the estate permanently now that she was married to Gregorie. His house hands had come by yesterday afternoon to gather whatever possessions Colette had into the carriage to take back to the estate. Other than all of her painting supplies and personal items, she only owned a small wardrobe of clothes, a few sentimental things and the vial of lavender perfume Beatrice had gifted her. She was a lady of little possessions. One of the newest acquired possessions she now stared down at on her second to last finger.

The gold ring was in the shape of an ellipse, with its outer ring filled in with dark red enamel. Inside of the ring were flat, gold stems that curled around each other like twisted vines. Set in the center of those vines was a single solitaire ruby the size of a pea. It was a beautiful ring and Gregorie was careful if not a bit nervous when he slid it onto her finger at the altar. It was a perfect fit.

Now she looked down at it, admiring the warm candle light that twinkled across its red surface. She and Gregorie had said their last goodbyes to everyone in the parlor before leaving to retire to Gregorie's bed chamber. Their bedchamber now, Colette thought anxiously. She had not seen it yet since they moved her belongings into it. She had never even set foot in Gregory's room before, let alone the second floor of the country home.

The second floor consisted of a hallway and four bedrooms flanking the left wall, while the other wall was covered from top to bottom with portraits of the Dubois lineage. Gregorie held her hand as he led them down the hall to the last door on the end. She felt his perspiration gather between their palms and gave his hand a light squeeze. She was just as anxious for what was about to happen.

Gregory pushed open the door with his free hand and still holding Colette's, guided her through the doorway into their room.

It was a large room. Not as grand as the one she slept in at the castle but sizable. To her right was a hearth that took up the center of the wall. There were large, single pane windows on either side of it with  deep insets. This allowed for shelf clearance where she already saw some of her sentimental items perched at. The worn, wooden mantle atop the hearth hosted an array of Gregories most successful hunts and childhood toys such as little tin soldiers and carved wooden animals.

A large dark brown armoire stood in the corner of the room and beside it a matching vanity. More of her personal items had been laid out on its surface. Her hair brush and hand mirror. As well as the bottle of lavender perfume and a large porcelain wash bowl. Sat across from the hearth was a tall, tufted lounge chair and beneath it layered hide rugs. It looked like a cozy spot to sit in and read or watch the fire crackle. She pictured herself there painting and... other things.

With that pert thought her gaze shifted towards the bed. It was a large, four poster bed with tall, wide columns that reached the ceiling where the top panel was built into. The wood was a dark brown, almost black in the wane candle light with rectangular trim on each of its sides. It was a mighty fortress set against the wall. The blankets and duvets as well as pillows were a royal blue with green and red embroidery and trim. It was very masculine and seemed like something Gregorie would choose. It looked like a king slept there and soon enough it's queen as well.

Colette shyly glanced up at Gregorie who now stood beside her with the door sealed behind them. He looked tired from the festivities but a glimmer of excitement danced in his eyes.