The Sherrill Bodine Collection by Sherrill Bodine

Author:Sherrill Bodine
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 978-1-62681-625-1
Publisher: Diversion Books
Published: 2014-12-16T00:00:00+00:00

She closed her eyes to picture him as she’d first seen him: a heroic figure stepping out of the pages of a novel. Now the fairy-tale hero was becoming a real person to her. The sweetness she’d sensed from the beginning, and the passion she’d learned on her wedding night, but there was so much more for her to discover. With a jolt of pain she yearned for him to return so she could continue the journey of discovery begun their wedding night.

Unbidden, tears filled her eyes and spilled down her cheeks. But they could change nothing, nor could these painful thoughts. For now, letters would have to do. She splashed cool water on her tight, hot face and tidied the cornflower blue ribbon in her hair before presenting herself to the family, generously sharing all of the letter, save the last passages for herself.

She stayed awake most of the night penning a long, detailed letter of everyday trivialities to Blackwood, along with her admiration for the bravery of his men and himself in their honorable war against Bonaparte’s tyranny. In closing she told him how the chrysanthemum throve under her vigilance. Boldly she signed, “your devoted wife.”

After sealing the letter, she tossed and turned on her bed for what remained of the night, memories of each of their few meetings making her restless. Near dawn she finally found a cool spot on the pillow for her hot cheek and drifted into light slumber.

Early in the morning, her eyes red-rimmed from sleeplessness, Serena directed a footman to bring her plant from the conservatory.

Longford looked up from his breakfast. “Good God, you’re not bringing that thing with you!”

“Of course she is! It’s so romantic, I can’t bear it! Will it bloom soon, Serena?” Cecily asked eagerly, the morning sun through the ceiling-high windows highlighting her curls into white gold.

“Yes, in the autumn it will have beautiful red flowers.”

“I shall stay with you until it blooms,” Cecily declared, adjusting her crimson bonnet. “I only wish I had such a symbol of Lord Kendall’s regard. Let’s be off at once; I’m anxious to see the coast.”

As the carriage rumbled by the last building in the outlying districts, Serena leaned forward to gaze back at London. Chimney smoke hung over it, obscuring the church spires and towers of the city. So much had happened to her there—a whole new world had opened to her. Yet she looked forward to being in the countryside again with clear blue sky overhead and fresh, bracing air. She took her role as Blackwood’s wife seriously and anticipated the responsibilities. She would perform her duty with as much honor as he would expect—for surely a man who fought so bravely for his country would prize honor and duty above all else. Satisfied, she sat back in the coach and asked Cecily to describe Avalon Landing to her.

The Landing was essentially of Tudor design, but Blackwood’s successive ancestors had added wings and turrets so now it sprawled, seemingly unendingly, on a slight rise in a parklike setting Serena found enchanting.

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