A Midsummer Night's Kiss (Howertys #1)

Chapter 34: Love and Loss

Dear Diary,
Birds and bees indeed! Did James really
know what he was talking about?
I cannot help but wonder...

The first week of marriage went by faster than Angel could have imagined, but she loved every minute. She spent her days getting acquainted with the staff, house, and grounds while Nathaniel spent a few hours reading through correspondence or speaking to his steward about the running of Davenhall and other estates. The rest of the time they spent together, with Nathaniel pointing out places where he'd played with his sisters as a boy while they took long walks through the expansive gardens.

Every night was an adventure and sometimes she had to hide a smile during the days as she remembered some wicked new thing her husband had shown her. The house staff said nothing but nodded knowingly as they saw her blush.

Living at Davenhall turned out to be exactly what she had always wished for. A home where she was wanted and appreciated. She was even looking forward to Nathaniel's family returning that evening, longing for the laughter and easy familiarity that had been missing most of her life.

The only shadow in her otherwise fairy tale ending was the knowledge that her husband didn't love her, and never would. She tried to remind herself that he definitely liked her well enough and most certainly desired her, but she couldn't deny the disappointment of knowing he did not feel the way she did.

She fidgeted with the picnic basket she carried as she walked towards Nathaniel's study. With the rest of the family returning soon, she wanted to take advantage of their last few hours alone. Wearing a green dress with a scooped neckline and a sage green sash tied below her bosom, she was fairly certain she could coax her husband away from his desk. She had convinced the cook to prepare some food, hoping to take Nathaniel for a small bite in the garden. As she entered his study, he looked up at her from behind his desk and smiled as he saw the basket in her hand.

"Will I never be able to get anything done when I am home?" he asked teasingly with a nod towards her, his dark eyes glittering with amusement.

She smiled and set the basket down on a chair. "I won't disturb you too much in the future," she promised. "But with everyone returning soon, I thought it might be nice to spend some time together."

"Is my wife complaining that I don't spend enough time with her?" He rose from his chair and walked around the desk, taking her in his arms and placing a soft kiss on her lips. Then he smiled down at her, his eyes growing more heated. "I must remedy that. Can't have an unhappy wife on my hands."

"You rogue," she said with a low laugh as she extracted herself from his embrace. "You spend plenty of time with me and well you know it. I have no cause for complaint. If you need to work, then I will leave you to it."

"It can wait." He picked up the picnic basket before looking over at her, and the warmth in his eyes made her insides flutter. "And, Angel?" he said, and she nodded. "You will never disturb me."

The fluttering intensified as he offered his arm. She gratefully took it, unsure if she could walk with her knees feeling so weak. She smiled as they went outside, the warm summer sun heating her skin. It was a lovely summer's day with a blue sky and just enough of a breeze to keep the worst heat at bay.

"Where are we going?" she asked when he didn't stop on the lawn as she had expected but continued through the gardens behind the house towards the forest growing on the hills enclosing the estate in the small valley.

"You will see," he promised with a smile. "I hope you're wearing sensible shoes."

"Are we walking far?" She wasn't wearing promenade shoes, so she rather hoped they weren't.