“She wouldn’t dare!” I exclaimed.
“Don’t be so stupid. I would have been tempted myself if you weren’t my dearest friend,” she confessed, and her eyes became even more serious. “There was something else I heard when the ladies were talking. They are in agreement that a marriage is no marriage at all until it has been properly consummated.”
“Good heavens!” I gasped. “But, Nora, I can’t.” I may have spilled the entire truth to gain her understanding if William hadn’t knocked right then.
In one fluid, well-practiced motion, Nora crossed her arms over her heart, and I recognized at once the secret sign from our earliest childhood. We had done it a million times, swearing to our friendship and promising to love each other always. I copied her movements without a second thought.
She then gave me a quick kiss on the cheek. “Good luck,” she said, slipping out before I could utter another word.
When the door closed behind her, my shoulders fell forward as I buried my face in my hands, grieved by this last bit of news.
“Is everything all right?” Henry asked, coming up behind me.
Straightening my back, I turned and gave him a pleasant smile. “Yes, everything is fine.” In truth, the whole matter had become a big, tangled mess.
We may pretend at being married and alter a few facts here and there as needed. That didn’t mean I was about to invite Henry into my bed to further sustain our charade. Not that I would have minded if he were truly my husband, but we weren’t really married. Well, I didn’t think we were at any rate, and it wasn’t like second opinions were readily growing on trees in Hopewell.
But this was all beside the point. We had entered into an agreement and our relationship would remain appropriate regardless of how well we got along or how handsome he was or even how badly I wanted to run my hands up under his shirt and along his bare chest...
Oh, will you just stop it! I struggled to get hold of my thoughts. Not only were we not married, but by purchasing his contract I had in fact paid for Henry to act as my husband. If our relationship progressed into more intimate territory under such terms he would be degraded to a kept man, and I would become the most wretched of women—nothing less than a Jezebel. The very idea made my head hurt.
These worries must have shown on my face, for his eyes filled with concern. “Selah, what’s wrong?”
Although I guessed he would take the news in stride and behave in a gentlemanly manner, I lacked the heart to discuss the matter further. “Nothing,” I lied, trying to keep my smile in place, but then thought it best to give some excuse to forestall any more questions. “I’ve taken a sudden headache is all. Perhaps it would be best if I rest for a while.”
He stepped aside and I hurried up the stairs. Wishing to be alone, I was rather perturbed to reach the hallway and catch the sound of someone softly humming from inside my room. The door was cracked open just enough for me to glimpse Alice at my dressing room table, batting her eyes flirtatiously at the mirror. The humming stopped as she puckered her lips into a kiss.
“Aren’t ye a pretty thing,” she said to her own reflection. “The master won’t help giving ye a smile.” Then she picked up my tortoise shell combs and tucked them into her hair.
I pushed open the door and strode into the room. “What are you doing?” I asked.
Alice jumped up and snatched out the combs, dropping them on the table. “Beg yer pardon, ma’am. I was sent to fill the water pitcher.”
“Kisses and hair combs are not needed to fill a pitcher,” I said angrily. “You were preening, Alice Reed, and don’t try to deny it.”
Her face went red with shame. “I’m sorry, ma’am. It won’t happen again.”
I stared at her, deciding what to do next, when a rather brilliant idea popped into my head. Through her misbehavior, Alice had just given me the means to find out who was gossiping behind my back. For sure, it would be awkward if Alice proved the culprit, but I was determined to know the truth.
Biting back any further reprimands, I smoothed my face into a smile. “Don’t fuss about it. You may have the combs if you like.”
She shook her head. “No, ma’am. It ain’t right.”
“They’re my combs and I’ll decide what’s right or not. Besides, now I’ve seen how pretty they look in your hair, I’ll never be able to wear them again with any satisfaction.”
“Mrs. Ryan will have my head if she finds out what I’ve done.”
I walked to the table and picked up the combs. “Then we shan’t tell her,” I said, placing them in her hand. “It will be our little secret.”
She gave me a shy smile. “Yer all kindness, ma’am.” Holding on to her new treasures, she bobbed a curtsy and hurried toward the door.
“Alice,” I said, stopping her at the last moment. “Would you mind if I ask you a question?”