Perfectly Mismatched Read online

  “I’m sure you like to believe that,” Hugh said as he sobered from his previous chortle. “But I’ve met Trenworth and he isn’t the type of man that one says no to. In fact, one doesn’t say much all to him. A nod of the head and you find the quickest excuse you can to hightail it out of there.”

  “So, what? I should just say yes to marrying his daughter out of fear? Regardless of what I want?”

  “Oh, you should say yes. Certainly. But not out of fear.”

  “Why then?” Robert looked at his friend with exasperation. For some reason Hugh spoke as if this were a done deal. The most obvious of choices to make. And Robert wanted to know why.

  “Necessity. Face it, Robert, you need a wife — and before you start arguing with me, let me explain. You’re not a young man anymore. Being a bachelor is a young man’s game. You bought your way into our world and with that comes rules. You’ve ignored them up until now and that’s been fine, but it isn’t going to last forever. Soon people, and by people, I mean business partners and the like, are going to start questioning the ethics of the man they are dealing with. When they scratch the surface and see that there aren’t any there, they will move on. And you? You’ll die cold, alone and poor.”

  “So, what you’re saying is, I’m morally bankrupt and if I don’t start acting accordingly it could affect my business?”

  “Exactly.”

  “Well that’s harsh.” Robert was more than a little taken aback by his friend’s assessment, mainly on account of how accurate it was.

  “Look at me. I was just like you less than a year ago. Marriage was the last thing I wanted. But I came around, found myself a wife and am now hopelessly in love. You’d be surprised what that does for you.”

  “Being in love?”

  “Being married,” Hugh corrected. “Marriage is more than just signing your life away to a single woman. I’ve yet to meet a man who hasn’t come out the other end of a marriage better for it, and I doubt I ever will.”

  “So you think I should say yes to this sham marriage? Worst case, I look like a better person in the eyes of my so-called peers, best case, I grow as a person?”

  “I don’t see how you have a choice.”

  Robert said nothing, biting his lip in thought. Hugh did have a point. When Robert had first bought his title, he was all but told that he was going to have to find a wife next. It was implied with such self-righteousness that it wasn’t even questioned. At the time Robert had chuckled and ignored it, but now... well now he could see the sense in the matter.

  As previously noted, when it came to Sophia, he could do much worse. He kept coming back to that word, interesting. One of his primary fears with marriage was how dull it would be. Perhaps a marriage to Sophia wouldn’t have this pitfall?

  Robert just didn’t like being told what to do. He was a self-made businessman and had always suffered from a problem with authority. As such, by the time Hugh left, joking that he would see him at the wedding, he still wasn’t sure what he was going to do.

  Chapter 7

  Sophia, you have to calm down!” Emma exclaimed, unable to hide the smile from her face as she watched her best friend zoom back and forth across the room.

  “I know, I know!” Sophia replied with equal zest. “But I can’t. I’m getting married!” Indeed, she was. And indeed, the way she hurried back and forth, unable to stand still for less than a moment, indicated that she was more than a little excited by this fact.

  For Sophia, it had all happened so fast. So much so that she was still getting her head around it. First there was the stolen kiss. That in itself was a monumental occasion that should have provided her with weeks’ worth of analysis and thought. She had kissed Viscount Tamway after only having just met him. More than that, she had been caught in the act!

  But there wasn’t time to worry about such things, even though she woke up the next morning absolutely mortified by what she had done. Again, she had ruined her reputation after spending so many years trying to rebuild it. Even with Robert being a Viscount, that kind of thing just wasn’t done.

  She spent the whole morning panicking, worried about what her father was going to say. Absolutely stricken with fear at the tongue lashing she was sure to receive. But she never saw him. Not that night, nor the next day. It wasn’t until the following night that he finally returned home and by that time, there was bigger news to be had than a silly little thing like a kiss.

  “Viscount Robert of Tamway has asked for your hand in marriage,” her father told her over dinner that night. “And I said yes.”

  “He...he asked for my hand?” was all that Sophia was able to say, too taken aback by the suddenness of the declaration to ask anything of substance.

  “Yes, you are to be wed this coming Saturday. I’ve already begun with the preparations.” And that was that. Sophia was getting married.

  It had taken Sophia less than a second to decide how she felt about the sudden announcement. She’d wanted to get married since she was a little girl. Maybe even more so ever since that scandal she had been involved in. As she aged, and the likelihood of her getting wed grew slimmer, she told herself it was still going to happen. That was why she took all the tutoring she had, so she could be the best wife one could ever be.

  Even so, Sophia was still having a hard time getting used to the idea, and an even harder time believing it. All week she had asked and been denied the chance to see her husband to be. All week she had doubted herself, sure there was more going on than she knew. But no. Today was the day. She was in her wedding dress, waiting to be married and everything seemed to be going as it should be.

  “I’m going to be the very best wife a man could ever ask for,” she declared as Emma grabbed her by the hands and pulled her to a halt. “Truly the best.”

  “I believe you. But first you need to stop running back and forth. You’re going to get a flush and ruin your looks.” She pulled a small kerchief from inside her blouse and began to pat down the splotches forming on Sophia’s brow.

  “Sorry. I just... I can’t believe it!”

  It was happening. The room that adjoined the small one Sophia and Emma currently stood in was the main atrium of the church. From where the two ladies stood, they could hear the buzz of dozens of guests as they arrived and took their seats. Sophia had seen Robert’s friends arrive earlier too, and his mother. The food was ordered, the décor was paid for. Everything was going ahead. This was really happening.

  Sophia was finally, after so many long and painful years, getting married to a man of station. True to her word, she was going to be the best wife a man could hope for. Not for a moment would Viscount Robert of Tamway regret asking for her hand in marriage.

  Chapter 8

  If Sophia had any reservations about the marriage and Robert’s commitment to it, these were dispelled the moment they arrived home from the wedding ceremony. Even during the carriage ride back to Tamway Manor, she had to keep reminding herself that she was going home. Her home, not just Robert’s.

  The carriage ride was awkwardly silent. The two sat across from one another, mouths shut, eyes looking everywhere but into each other’s. Every bump on the road, every whinny of the horse, or cough the driver made seemed to be amplified in the silence. She could almost read Robert’s thoughts, sure that he was regretting everything he had agreed to.

  The moment the carriage came to a stop in front of the manor, Robert seemed to transform. A warm smile spread over his handsome face and he held his hand out for her to take. She did so willingly.

  “My lady,” he said with a mischievous smile, “your new home.”

  He opened the carriage door, helping her step down the single step and guiding her to the pavement so that her wedding dress wouldn’t become dirty. He then held onto her hand as he accompanied her to the entrance of the house. Once inside, he let go of her hand, turned to Sophia and kissed her warmly.

  It was their first kiss as man and wife. At least their first proper kiss, and
it was more than she could have hoped for. All week she had been remembering that previous kiss of theirs, the one she had been referring to as their ‘stolen kiss.’ In her mind it had been so perfect, so pure. They’d perfectly complimented one another. That must be a sign that they were destined for greater things.

  This new kiss they shared was even better than that.

  “There’s the lady I’ve been hoping to meet,” Robert grinned as he pulled his lips from hers.

  He was so handsome in Sophia’s eyes. His dark, wavy hair, his square jaw and sparkling eyes. Dressed in his finest for the wedding, and smiling the entire day, she had never seen anyone so perfect.

  “And there’s the man I always knew existed,” she said back, hoping it sounded as alluring to him as it had sounded in her head.

  Robert didn’t respond to this. At least not with words. Instead he smiled as he took her by the hand again moving her toward the stairs. Once they reached the top of the stairwell, he pushed the first door open, leading her into the main bedroom... her bedroom.

  It was stunning. A large four poster bed, with elegant drapes, a thick, plush rug, and a too-big-to-be-practical fire place in the corner. It was the room of her dreams. As she gaped, she felt Robert move in behind her. He pressed his body against hers, his warm breath on her neck causing goose bumps to erupt across her skin.

  “If you have any concerns or questions, please don’t hesitate.” It was said between kisses as he worked his way down her neck, undoing tiny pearl buttons as he went to expose her shoulders and upper back. His kisses followed his movements, searing her skin.

  “Questions?” she asked breathlessly, not sure what he could possibly be referring to. Until he spun her around and kissed her again, with passion this time. Complete, unfiltered and unadulterated passion.

  Now she caught his meaning. It was something she had been worried about since the wedding was first announced. Something she had discussed thoroughly with Emma, on many occasions. Something she had been told not to worry about, for it was as natural a part of marriage as taking your husband’s name.

  She hadn’t really registered that night was falling, her wedding night. Now that she was faced with the prospect in reality, her heart beat with a mixture of excitement and fear. She felt woefully unprepared.

  Sophia was well aware of the rumors surrounding her husband. That he was a womanizer, a playboy, a scoundrel. That he was more likely to bring another woman to bed on their wedding night than herself. Sophia was more than a little nervous as he began to disrobe her. What if she wasn’t good enough? What if she made a mistake? What if he never wanted to be with her again?

  These worries were soon left by the wayside as Robert helped Sophia to undress. He moved slowly, trailing kisses along each new expanse of skin that his ministrations revealed and noting how perfectly beautiful Sophia was. Sophia couldn’t help but believe him when she saw the heat in his gaze as it wandered over her. She hesitated at first, when she stood before her husband in just her shift and stockings and realized his next move would expose her completely, but he was quick to note and dispel her nerves.

  “How ungentlemanly of me,” he whispered, taking her hands in his and bringing them up to rest on his chest, “we’re not yet evenly matched.” He then guided Sophia’s trembling hands through unbuttoning his shirt and encouraged her to remove the garment completely.

  Heat radiated between them, and when Robert gently enfolded Sophia in his embrace, pressing their bodies firmly together, she felt her knees go weak. Robert picked her up and laid her on the bed. Sophia was so entranced by the sight of him, she forgot her reservations when he reached again for her shift.

  Sophia had no time to think of embarrassment when her husband began to kiss and caress her. His lips and soft touch were seemingly everywhere at once, knowing what she wanted and needed long before she did. He removed her stockings, trailing his fingers up along her legs to her thighs, his nearness and the suggestive flutter of his touch setting her on fire.

  Sophia would never have believed how natural it would feel to open herself to him when at last he discarded the rest of his own clothing and lay down beside her. There was a small voice at the back of her mind telling her she should be ashamed or frightened, but as Robert settled himself between her thighs, there was only a sense of eager desire.

  What followed was like a magical bliss. He moved inside her slowly, watching her reactions. Sophia was sure somehow that he was holding back for her sake, ensuring that she was enjoying his attentions. He built his rhythm to her moans and breathing pattern until Sophia was completely lost in sensation. It was an experience that Sophia knew she would cherish for the rest of her life.

  The best part of the night, though, came after. As they lay in bed, wrapped in each other’s arms, Sophia began to understand the true pleasure in being married. It was about no longer being alone. No longer being scared. Knowing that from now on she had someone to confide in and look after her. Most of all, she had someone to love her.

  She was only a few hours into her new life and already, Sophia couldn’t wait for the rest of it.

  Chapter 9

  Good morning, adoring husband.”

  “Good morning, lovely wife.”

  The day was as glorious a one as there ever was. England was a fickle country at best when it came to the weather. It could be the middle of summer, and one wouldn’t be surprised to not see a glimmer of sunshine the entire season. Even with this in mind, it was no surprise to Sophia when she awoke to see the sun shining in full.

  The day only improved. First, She and Robert had breakfast together. She met the household staff for the first time, led by the adorable Alistair who Sophia instantly knew she was going to love.

  As Sophia and Robert breakfasted, Robert explained that he had a few special things in store for his new wife, which excited Sophia. She had already decided that married life suited her and that she was going to do all she could to be the best wife possible.

  The surprise that Robert had for Sophia involved giving her a tour of her new home and the estate. After breakfast, Robert took her to the stables where he gifted her with a brand-new horse, Blossom. The mare was a light chestnut color, but she had a pinkish hue that had inspired her name.

  The manor itself sat on the edges of a small forest that Robert had bought when he first purchased his title. It was incredibly lush and green, and Sophia took in deep breaths of the fresh earthen scent surrounding her as they travelled the small path that wound through it. The path led to a delightful little stream that cut the forest in half.

  Once they reached the stream, they climbed down from their horses and sat by the running water, dipping their toes in the cool spring. Robert had brought a picnic lunch for a leisurely repast.

  “I take it you didn’t make this yourself?” Sophia joked.

  “Why? You don’t think I’m capable?” Robert raised his eyebrow at Sophia, as if offended.

  “Oh, I know you aren’t,” she quipped back. Robert chuckled.

  That moment essentially summed up the entire day. It was a series of perfect little scenes that encapsulated the new romance. They would ride to the next location, whether it be the view from a hill top, or a rose bush that Robert had discovered deep within the forest. Once there, they would sit together and engage in pleasant, natural conversation.

  That was what Sophia liked the most, how natural it all felt. She was surprised by how much effort Robert had put into making sure her first day was perfect, and for that she was grateful. She soon realized, though, that they were so perfect together they could just as well have sat inside talking all day and the day would have been just as wonderful.

  When the day finally came to an end and they retired to their bedroom, Sophia was sure that she and Robert were perfectly matched. Sophia was going to enjoy being married very much. Of that she had no doubt.

  Chapter 10

  Good morning, adoring husband,” Sophia cooed the words the moment Robert
appeared in the doorway of the dining room. She’d said the exact same thing the previous morning, and thought it could be a little tradition of theirs. His reaction suggested otherwise.

  “Hello.” Robert said without so much as a glance in her direction. Robert hurried into the dining room, making straight for a pitcher of milk that was sitting on the table. He poured himself a glass, again without looking at Sophia.

  “How did you sleep?” Sophia chose to ignore his initial response to her greeting.

  She was aware of his fitful sleep the night before and decided to blame his current state on that. Twice she had woken in the night to see him staring at the ceiling. The second time was no more than an hour before the sun rose. The fact that he was up as early as he was spoke volumes to the fact that he wanted to be around her... at least that was how she chose to see it.

  “Fine,” he responded. As he did he reached across the table for a slice of bread that was already buttered for him. Then, without a word, he turned and made for the door.

  “Are you not staying for breakfast?” Sophia said hurriedly, wishing almost immediately that she had kept quiet. She didn’t want to seem needy, or like a nosey wife.

  Robert turned and smiled a warm smile at her, one that set her mind at ease. “No, not today. Trouble at the docks I’m afraid. They need me there immediately.”

  “Oh, well... have a nice day.”

  “You too.”

  And he was gone. He didn’t peck her on the cheek, he didn’t offer her another warm smile, or any indication as to when he would be home. Just that he would be, eventually. How she was to fill in her time was presumably up to her.

  Sophia tried her best to ignore the nagging feeling in the back of her mind. It suggested she had done something terribly wrong to make Robert act the way he had. She tried to tell herself that indeed, there was an error at the docks. He did own a large and very profitable company after all. Maybe he was tired too? He had been up all night. It was also impossible to be warm and fuzzy every day, even if it was only day two. Surely nothing was wrong?