Budding Romance by Lara Kinsey

Author:Lara Kinsey [Kinsey, Lara]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2020-06-07T18:30:00+00:00

Chapter Five

Summer

The summer days passed quickly. During the week she barely saw Nicolette, so early did she get up. The first time Nicolette slipped from Dorothea’s bed without so much as an adieu, Dorothea had to admit, she was slightly hurt. But by the time she sought Nicolette out, she was knee-deep in manure, and beaming hugely at her. She couldn’t possibly be unwelcome.

Nicolette was away more and more, journeying a night or two to source plants for the fall planting. Dorothea began to feel her absence. So she was surprised when one afternoon she was led out to the grounds for a leisurely French-style luncheon. The field was full of papery poppies, waving their bright-red heads among the long grass. The seedpods rattled. Little star-shaped blue flowers were scattered about, and a mown path led to a copse of trees. A wrought-iron table set, painted white, sat in the cooling shade. There was baguette, and sweet butter, and little glistening sardines. Nicolette brought out a jug covered in wicker and poured them strong sweet wine. “To what should we toast, ma belle?”

“Now that I have enough pupils enrolled, I can finally write lesson plans. I can buy more books. This is actually going to happen!”

“Chère, I have been working for six months. Are you telling me you did not think this would happen, and you hired me anyway?”

Dorothea blushed poppy-red. “You improved the look of the chateau so much, at least if I had to sell it again, it’d be looking its best.” Nicolette covered her hand in hers. “Chérie,” she chided.

“It’s not a fashionable part of the continent. But I don’t want the most fashionable ladies. I want the ones looking for their place. We’ll teach them the facade, the dancing and manners and needlepoint. But we’ll also teach them bare feet. And beekeeping. And birth control, should they need it.”

“The young ladies must have the tools they need to control their own destiny. I, of course, haven’t had need for such a thing.” She looked meaningfully at Dorothea’s breasts. Dorothea was suddenly aware of her nipples against her stays.

“I think you must be a bit of a rake.”

“It is true, I have had a few lovers warming my bed. But none warm my heart like you, ma petite amie.” Her voice pitched lower, and Dorothea could feel it thrumming over her skin. Nicolette smiled that half smile of hers, gentle lines blooming on her tanned face. Her short hair was growing shaggy, and little curls tumbled over her ears and down the back of her neck.

“I thought maybe you did not desire me as I desired you.” The admission cost her, but she could bear it because of the way Nicolette was smiling.

“Dorothea, I am forty-six. My garden also takes a little extra watering.”

Dorothea rested her head in Nicolette’s lap. They must look for all the world like a pastoral painting. Nicolette’s dark mop of curls bent toward her.

“Would you like that, ma femme?”

Ma femme. That meant “my woman,” but it also meant “wife.

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