“Are you as eager when it comes to books as your sister?” he asked, almost teasingly.
“Nobody will ever be as enthusiastic about books as Joanna, but I like them also. Can I?”
“Of course,” he said and motioned for her to enter. As she did, she inhaled deeply but let out a chuckle.
“Pray, what is funny?” he asked, bemused more than irritated.
“Joanna always tells me that she can smell particular scent when she enters a library, so I like to test this each time I go, though so far I have not smelled anything.”
His eyebrows rose then, and he likewise inhaled. “Musky, damp paper - and a hint of leather. You cannot smell it?”
Was he teasing her? Or was he seriously engaging in conversation with her? Whatever it was, Sally was more than pleased by this change. Perhaps being in his own home had inspired a bit of levity in him.
“Can you really?” she asked, and he shrugged.
“I can smell the stew Mrs. Farnsworth is cooking downstairs, which is for certain,” he said and stepped further into the library. With her question unanswered, Sally looked around the grand space when her eyes fell on a book on one of the higher shelves.
“Goodness, I have not readMiss Goody Two Shoessince I was a small girl. I adored it. I made my governess read it to me every night,” she said. “Can I read it?”
“Of course, it is your home. Your library, you may read whatever you wish,” he said, although he dipped his head to one side as she hurried toward the spot where her favorite book nestled amongst its companions on a high shelf. She spotted a rickety-looking ladder in the corner and dragged it over.
“Lady Sally... I mean... Sally. You ought to be careful, these ...”
“Do not fret,” she called. “What is the worst that can happen? I fall into your arms, and we are scandalized and forced to marry?”
This stopped him in his tracks as she continued to push the ladder. Pausing briefly, she realized that the air between them was suddenly lighter, as it had been that first night at her own family library.
“Sally, please be careful,” he cautioned, his tone laced with concern. “Those stairs are not very safe.”
Dismissing him, Sally reached for the coveted book, her fingers brushing against its spine as she stretched on tiptoe to grasp it. The steps wobbled beneath her, uneven and more worn than she’d imagined. Should she ask for his help? No. She would not. She’d have to be self-sufficient in his marriage; she already knew this. She would get her book without him.
She stretched one more time, hearing his shoes squeak across the hardwood floor as he walked toward her when - “Oh!” she called, hot pain searing through her right ankle. Then, in a flash, she lost her grip on the book and tumbled backward, her body plummeting toward the hard floor below.
Time seemed to stand still as she awaited the unpleasant landing. However, she felt Leonard’s arms closing around her waist just in time to break her fall. They crashed to the ground in a tangled heap, the impact jarring them both as they lay sprawled on the.
For a moment, neither of them moved, the silence broken only by the sound of their ragged breathing.
“Are you alright?” he asked softly. She noticed his arms still around her; her body pressed up against his, and at once, her cheeks flushed. “Y-yes, I think so,” she stammered, her breath coming in short gasps as she tried to steady herself.
With Leonard’s help, Sally managed to sit up, her eyes meeting his as she offered him a sheepish smile. “Thank you,” she murmured gratefully, her cheeks coloring with embarrassment. “I-I suppose I should have listened to you. I injured my ankle two years ago and it sometimes gives me trouble still.”
“Are you always so ... enthusiastic?” he agreed, his tone gentle as he brushed a stray lock of hair from her face.
Sally couldn’t help but laugh at the irony of the situation, the tension between them dissipating as she met Leonard’s gaze. “I suppose I am,” she conceded with a rueful smile. “Now, shall we continue our exploration of the estate?”
With a nod, Leonard offered her his arm, the warmth of his touch sending a shiver down her spine as they set off once more. As they wandered through the halls of her new home, Sally wondered if their encounter in the library would help pave the way for a more companionable relationship between them.
She could only hope so. They were married now, and if he continued to be as cold and distant, it would be difficult to get through the honeymoon. Yes, they’d each have their own life, but there was no escaping the facts in many ways. They lived together. They shared their home and their tables. She paused, anxiety coiled in the pit of her stomach as her thoughts were suddenly consumed by the prospect of sharing a bed with a man she hardly knew.
At the top of the stairs, Leonard paused. “Your chamber is just down the hall; mine is around the corner,” he explained, gesturing towards a set of ornate double doors at the end of the corridor. “I’ve had it prepared for you.”
Sally’s heart sank at his words, a wave of disappointment washing over her. “My chamber?” she echoed. “Not our chamber?”
Leonard’s expression softened with understanding as he met her gaze. “I beg your pardon. I should have discussed this with you. I know we have an arrangement regarding our honeymoon, and we both recognize the need to convince those around us that we are a true couple,” he replied gently. “But the truth is, we’re not. This marriage is not something either of us wanted, so I won’t pressure you or force you to sleep in one bed with me.”
Sally’s cheeks flushed with embarrassment at his candid admission, her mind reeling with the implications of his words. “But the servants ...”
“They will not care. The ones who have access to our floor are trusted and loyal. We can always deposit a few of your belongings in my chamber and vice versa, but you will have your own space as will I. Besides, my parents always kept their own chambers. Thus, it will not look unusual,” he said.
