The footmen and driver were in their finest livery and the harnesses for the horses were adorned with silver polished so shiny it almost hurt Cynny’s eyes. It was like transportation for a princess.
Her tummy flipped and flopped as a footman jumped from the back of the carriage and ran to open the door. Cynny held her breath as she waited to catch a glimpse of her papa. One elegant leg was visible, followed by the rest of a very attractive man dressed in wedding finery. He glanced up at Talcott House and smiled. Cynny and her friends quickly ducked away from his view.
“Do you think he saw us?” Daisy asked in a loud whisper.
“I thought I told you to hush.” Rosie glared at Daisy. Cynny had to wonder how those two would survive now that she and Cammie would not be there to keep the peace between them. Rosie and Daisy squabbled and argued like sisters, but they loved each other like sisters too.
Cynny made her way to the window and stole another peek at her soon-to-be husband. He was handsome and had a kindly manner about him, which was obvious even from her perch two stories up. But, she noted with a bit of confusion and sadness, he did not give her that funny tingly feeling that she had gotten when she talked to—or thought about—Lord Grayson.
“He is quite handsome,” Rosie said, joining Cynny as they peeked out the window. “I am sure he will make a wonderful papa for you.”
Their attention was drawn from the window when the door to their room opened and Miss Wickersham entered. She looked a bit frazzled and moved about more briskly than usual.
“Oh my dear Hyacinth,” she said, “you are an absolutely beautiful bride, as I always knew you would be.” She adjusted Cynny’s veil and then her palm rested upon Cynny’s cheek in a maternal caress.
“Thank you, Miss Wickersham,” Hyacinth said, a light blush working its way up her neck and across her cheeks.
“Ladies,” Miss Wickersham said addressing Rosie and Daisy, “would you please excuse us for a moment as I would like to speak with Hyacinth alone.”
“Yes, Miss Wickersham,” Daisy and Rosie said in unison, giving a small curtsy to their headmistress as they made their way to the door.
Miss Wickersham took both Hyacinth’s hands in hers and clasped them warmly. “As you know,” she said, “Nurse Lister usually gives the brides-to-be an examination and talk about their duties as a wife. Sadly Nurse Lister has come down with a cold and cannot leave her rooms. So the task of teaching you about the ways of married people has fallen to me. Of course, I will not give you any sort of medical examination as that is Nurse Lister's province and we have a strict agreement that I will not interfere in her methods, even when she is unable to participate herself.”
Cynny had a mental picture of a dreamy-eyed Cammie returning from her examination and though she was sorry Nurse Lister was ill, she could not help but feel slighted. And very curious.
“But that does not prevent me from sharing with you the information that you will need to be a good and pleasing bride for your papa.”
A heated blush spread across her face until her forehead felt as though she might have even developed a fever. She was desperate for the information which Miss Wickersham was about to share with her but she was also morbidly humiliated at the idea of the intimate details which the discussion might involve. More than anything, Hyacinth feared her own lack of knowledge. How could she be pleasing to her papa when she had little idea what happened in the marital bedchamber? Furthermore, she was so uninformed she did not even know what questions she needed to ask.
If your papa is anything like mine, he will probably like to touch you and kiss you all over your body. Sometimes your papa might even put his mouth on your kitty.
Cynny flushed as she recalled another snippet from Cammie’s letter. Why would a papa put his mouth on her kitty? To kiss it? Or perhaps, to lick it?
The two of them moved to sit upon Hyacinth’s bed.
“There are many things which a young bride needs to know to be a proper wife for her papa,” Miss Wickersham said. “Here at Talcott House we have endeavored to teach you all those skills—deportment, posture, good manners, singing, drawing, household management. But the one piece of information which we have kept as a secret from all of you is the nature of the relationship between a man and a woman, of a husband and wife, of a papa and his little girl.”
Hyacinth stared at the floor. Already this conversation had made a fluttery feeling start in her tummy and she felt funny in her kitty too.
“This is because the men who seek out brides from Talcott House are looking for wives who are not worldly and wise. They seek innocent, sweet girls whom they can teach themselves about the ways of men and women. Do you understand, Hyacinth?”
“Yes, but please, Miss Wickersham, I must know. Please, you must tell me.”
“I will endeavor to tell you as much as I can, Hyacinth, but know that your papa will wish to do the majority of the teaching himself.”
“But what if I do not know what to do?” Hyacinth asked, panic rising in her chest.
“Now, Hyacinth,” Miss Wickersham said, patting her arm, “I am sure your papa will prefer that you not be too well informed in the ways of the world. It would not do for a young lady to be too familiar with marriage practices.”
It was on the tip of Hyacinth’s tongue to beg for more information, especially to ask what a cock looked like and exactly how large it was, but the conversation was interrupted by the sound of another carriage arriving at the front of Talcott House.
“How strange,” Miss Wickersham said as she stood to investigate. “Lord Kensington did not indicate that he was expecting additional guests for the wedding.”
Cynny followed closely behind Miss Wickersham and again saw an elaborate carriage come to a halt in front of Talcott House’s front door. Before the conveyance had stopped moving, one of the footmen had left his post at the rear of the carriage and ran to open the door, only to be nearly knocked to the ground when the door was opened by the occupant who bounded out the carriage and up the front steps of Talcott House in what appeared to be one smooth and eager movement.
“Good heavens, whatever can he be doing here? And today of all days.” Miss Wickersham’s words echoed Cynny’s panicked thoughts.
Lord Grayson had arrived at Talcott House.
Chapter 7
Before the door closed behind Miss Wickersham, Rosie and Daisy entered and joined Cynny at the window.
Cynny was grateful for the distraction as her thoughts had gone immediately to the pocket watch she had pinched from Lord Grayson a few days earlier. Had he realized where it had gone missing and come here to retrieve it—and have her arrested and carried off to prison? A shiver of terror ran up her spine. Her eyes darted about the room, her mind whirling with escape plans.
“Is that not the gentleman you were speaking with in the garden last week?” Rosie asked. “He is certainly handsome. Why do you suppose he has returned?”
“You would not even tell us his name or what you spoke about,” Daisy said, pushing her way in front of the other two to get a better look. “Oh my. He is an attractive man. Do you suppose he has come to call upon you, Cynny?”
“Of course, not,” Cynny said, though her heart fluttered at the thought. “He knows I am to be wed. In fact, I told him the exact date when we spoke. He is simply a busybody and I have no idea why he would be here at Talcott House so soon. He must have business with Miss Wickersham. He had no appointment the last time he stopped here, clearly he is boorish and rude and cares not for the time or convenience of others.”
Daisy and Rosie turned to stare at Cynny. “That is rather unkind,” Rosie said.
“You never say mean things,” Daisy added.
“Well, he simply got on my bad side, I suppose.” Cynny had no response for her uncharacteristic pique. Something about Lord Grayson brought out unexpected feelings in her.
“Who is that man?” Daisy pointed out the window and the others looked as well.
“He looks very serious.”