A Season for Scandal by Golden Angel

Chapter 5

Elijah

Three days to plan a wedding meant everything happened in a rush, and he did not have the chance to see Josie for more than a few moments during a ‘celebratory’ luncheon on Friday. Certainly, he was not able to get her alone. Her mother actually tutted at him when he suggested he and Josie go for a walk around the lawn together, telling him they had guests to attend to.

Not that Josie had looked particularly eager to go walking on his arm. For the first time, she appeared skittish, unsure of herself. She had not hesitated to hide behind her mother’s skirts, making him feel even more unnerved about their future together.

Elijah had wanted to reassure her she had no need to worry. He intended to be a kind and gentle husband, though he would expect her to follow a certain standard of behavior, especially when they were in London among the ton. She was the future Marchioness and would represent the Stuart family.

Whether or not her current subdued state was due to their upcoming nuptials or to a newfound maturity remained to be seen.

Now, it was the morning of his wedding, and not only was he getting married—something he never thought would happen—he was marrying a woman who wished it was his brother at the altar instead of him, which was a lowering thought.

Said brother was beaming with happiness. Miss Bliss had accepted his offer, and they would announce their engagement next week. With Elijah marrying Josie, the gossip had shifted to whether he had been her rescuer or her ravisher, leaving Joseph and Miss Bliss unscathed.

Which meant it was worth it.

“Things are not so bad, you know. Josie is very beautiful.” Adam grinned at Elijah from where he was lounging in a chair. The youngest Stuart brother was having far too much fun at his brothers’ expense.

“I know she is beautiful.” Exactly how beautiful, he had not really realized until their engagement luncheon. He had never really taken the time to notice. As his neighbor, he had seen her grow up. He had been aware the gentlemen of London considered her a great beauty and a prime catch after her debut, but somehow, he had not noticed how golden her curls had grown, the way she filled out her gowns, the pretty pink of her lips…

Bedding his new wife would be no hardship, though the realization he was attracted to Josie had been stunning and slightly uncomfortable. He had thought of her as a little girl, despite her debut, and the realization of her as a woman was startling.

“Unfortunately, her beauty does not negate her feelings for Joseph.” Since their other brother was not in the room, Elijah did not feel guilty about venting his concern. He had resolved not to mention it again to Joseph since it would only make him feel bad.

To his surprise, Adam snorted.

“They would have made a hash of things. You will be far better for her.”

That was a surprising observation.

“Really?” Elijah’s tone was dry as he raised a brow at his youngest brother, curiosity piqued. Adam was very good at reading people, something Elijah had relied on in the past. “Me, the Stuart brother she likes the least?”

“You are the only one who can rein her in.” Adam’s grin widened as he mimicked the gesture of pulling on a horses’ reins. The analogy was a little too apt for Elijah’s comfort. He had often thought of Josie as needing to be broken in, the same way a wild mare would. “Joseph would let her run roughshod over him, and I find her antics too amusing to try. She may not realize it, but she is the type who craves control. Someone who will put their foot down when she toes the line—or throw her over his knee.”

“Really?” Elijah repeated dubiously. “Josie? You think Josie Pennyworth is one of our set?”

By ‘our set,’ he meant those who were members of the Society of Sin, not the ton. While the Society’s interests were varied, the vast majority of them enjoyed pleasure play that included pain, domination, and submission. There were a few feisty women among those who liked to give up control to another, but Elijah had not paid much attention to them. He had always considered them too much work, preferring the women who eagerly got on their knees and offered up their submission as a gift.

“Not only that, I think she will be good for you. You need a challenge.”

This time it was Elijah’s turn to snort. Josie, good for him? Hardly. Though he could not deny she would be a challenge. The idea of introducing her to the Society’s activities… well. She was a debutante, a virgin who had nearly been ravished earlier this week. The Society was not for her. Besides, it would be far too dangerous. Despite Collins’ apprehension, it was always possible there was another traitor within the Society.

The connection between the Society and Collins’ traitorous activities had been why Elijah had joined its ranks in the first place. No, it would be best to keep Josie far, far away from the Society for multiple reasons. No matter what Adam thought.

Josie

The white-and-silver froth of her wedding gown did not reflect her emotions. The fabric should be black, denoting the death of her hopes and dreams.

Run. I should run. Far, far away.

Except she had nowhere to go. No way to earn a living. Perhaps if she disguised herself as a boy, the way Evie did, she could help with horses somewhere… but the moment she was discovered to be female, she would be turned out. Or worse.

You are doing this for Joseph.

Yes, yes. Marrying Joseph’s brother to save Joseph. Josie smoothed her hands over her skirt, her heart breaking at the irony. It had been three days, yet she had not reconciled herself to the idea. Nor did she know what to say to Elijah, though she felt she should say something. An apology.

How did one offer a proper apology for accidentally trapping a man into marriage? Especially when she was in love with his brother.

“Oh, you look perfect, darling.” Mother fussed over the tendrils of hair hanging down from Josie’s elaborate coiffure. “Every inch a Marchioness. My father would be so pleased.” Tears filled her eyes. Though they had eventually reconciled, Grandfather, a Marquess himself, had been incensed when Mother married Josie’s father, a mere squire.

Josie remembered him as a doting, loving grandfather who had always been a bit awkward with her own father, but she also knew the story. It had been her birth that had brought her grandfather back into their lives and softened his stance. Today, he would have been proud to see her married to a future Marquess, though the circumstances leading to the marriage would have likely given him heart palpitations.

“And you and Papa?” Josie asked ruefully.

“Oh, we are very pleased, too.” Mother stepped back to admire her handiwork. “We always thought it would be lovely if you married Elijah.”

“You thought I would marry Elijah?” Staring, Josie felt her eyes bulge. Josie had thought the entirety of Derbyshire knew of her feelings for Joseph, including her parents.

“Oh yes, dear. The two of you always had such a connection. You following him around, him pulling you out of scrapes. Perhaps we should not have been surprised at how today came about, considering your history.” Mother smiled happily, turning to pick up her fan, not seeming to realize she was causing Josie all sorts of consternation. She had been following Joseph.

Well, sometimes, she had followed Elijah, but only because he had been such a prig, and she had been trying to loosen him up. He had made a pastime of pulling her and Evie out of various scrapes, which was impossible to deny.

But a connection? Between her and Elijah?

Animosity perhaps. Frustration, certainly. They had always clashed, not connected. But if it made her mother happy to think so, Josie did not have it in her heart to disillusion her.

There was a knock on the door, and one of the maids peeked her head in.

“Excuse me, my lady, miss. Lady Hartford and Miss Davis are here.”

“Oh, good.” Josie turned from the mirror, only to be stopped by a gesture from her mother. Her brow furrowed in confusion. She wanted to go see her friends.

“Send them up in a few minutes,” Mother said, sitting on the chaise. The maid nodded and closed the door. Putting her hands on her hips, Josie frowned at her mother, who ignored her expression. “Now, dear, we need to talk about tonight,”

“Tonight?” Josie wracked her brain for what her mother could be referring to. Why did they need to talk about tonight?

“Yes, darling. Tonight, you will no longer be in our home.” Mother sniffled but controlled her reaction, only a little teary-eyed. “And Elijah will have certain… expectations of his wife.”

Oh. Oh. Josie’s cheeks heated. She knew exactly what expectations her mother was talking about, but she could not tell her mother that she knew. Then she would have to explain Evie was not the virginal young lady everyone thought. Evie had already explained to her, Josie, Lily, and Mary, both the act and how to make it pleasurable. Anything Evie had not told them, Mary had— Oh!

“Mary has already explained… everything,” Josie said hastily. It felt like her cheeks were on fire from the force of her blush.

Far from looking relieved, her normally prim and proper mother appeared disgruntled.

“Oh, well… did she tell you it is supposed to feel good? Though I supposed with Hartford for a husband, he should know how to make it feel good—”

“Mother!” Josie was utterly scandalized. Mary had told her that her aunt had attempted to have the ‘wedding night talk’ and had barely been able to get the words out. Hearing her own mother talking about that and how it was supposed to feel, and knowing she was talking about Josie’s father…

“Well, he should, if rumor is correct about his exploits. I cannot imagine he would have his reputation if he did not.” Mother thoughtfully tapped her lips with her fan. “Elijah does not have the same reputation, but I cannot imagine he is entirely ignorant. If it does not feel good, you should tell him to—”

“Mother!” Her voice came out as a high-pitched shriek.

Mother frowned. “Do not be so overdramatic, Josie. I was only saying, your father does this—”

“Mother, stop!” Josie put her hands over her ears, feeling faint. If it came to a choice between marrying Elijah right this minute or listening to her mother say one more word about doing the marital act with her father, Josie was ready to run to the altar.

And her mother. Calling her overdramatic. Well, if she was, where did her mother think she got it from?

Josie had never been so relieved to see her friends when they came into the room. Her mother pouted and sighed as Mary and Lily rushed in, hurrying to hug Josie. Sometimes, it was easy to forget she must get some of her wilder starts from her mother. As flighty and overdramatic as she was now, she had eloped with a squire for love, defying all conventions and her own father. One day, Josie was sure she would even find this conversation humorous, though, at the moment, it was mortifying.

Watching them all with a tender expression, Mother finally gave up. Thankfully.

“Well, I will leave you girls for now. There are some things I must see to before we leave for the ceremony.” Sweeping up, Mother gave Josie a kiss on the cheek before departing.

With a groan, Josie collapsed onto the sofa, and her friends crowded around her. She did not know what was worse—being reminded her time before she became Elijah’s wife was growing shorter or her mother’s attempts to explain the marital act. At least her friends would enjoy the story.