Chapter 39

The next few days were, indeed, an idyll out of time. Though Augusta spent some time packing, with Colin's help, for the trip to England, they also spent a great deal of time in bed. Or on the floor. Once even bent over Augusta's sitting room sofa. She'd never imagined lovemaking could be so exciting, or that so many variations existed. It seemed all they had to do was glance at one another and suddenly they were in each other's arms. Of course, she knew that this was only a honeymoon and that everything would change once the children came home, but still, it would give them a good foundation on which to build the rest of their lives.
On the fourth day, the farm cart bearing the children returned. Colin stood beside Augusta at the foot of the drawbridge as Thomas drove across and stopped. All four children tumbled out of the cart, each eager to be the first to hug their sister. Tears pricked the corners of her eyes - she'd missed them so, but a guilty part of her acknowledged she was going to miss the solitude she'd shared with Colin for the past few days.
Lexie and Bertie chattered on non-stop about their adventures at the house party, with even the quieter Toni contributing a few words here and there, while Arthur and Colin immediately moved to help Thomas with the luggage. Arthur glowered at Colin a bit, but when Augusta moved to speak to him, Margaret intervened.
"They'll need to work things out on their own, my lady," the older woman advised. "Never fear, they'll be all right. But young Arthur's been the man of the house for three years now. It will take him some time to accept a new brother."
"Of course." Augusta remembered how she'd felt, even as a small child, when her father had brought home a new wife. How much harder must it be for Arthur, on the edge of manhood himself? She left the men to the luggage and with Margaret's help, shepherded the girls into the kitchen.
"Are we really going to London?" Lexie asked as they all set about putting things out for tea.
"To Colin's home in Yorkshire, first," Augusta replied. "After a few weeks there, I think he plans for us to continue on to London." It would be June by then and the Season would be nearly over, but there would be just time to shop, to take in a few key events to introduce Augusta to the Ton and to get Arthur outfitted for the fall term. Colin seemed to think there would be no problem whatsoever in getting him into school. The combination of titles and money always seemed to open doors.
"Will we ever come back to Cairnwyck?" Antonia's words were soft, but so forlorn, Augusta went over and wrapped her arm around her middle sister's waist.
"Of course we will. Cairnwyck will always be our home and it will be Arthur's primary residence one day. I'm sure Colin will want to spend some time here each year, making sure everything is up to snuff and Arthur will need to learn how to manage the farms and such." And wouldn't that be a load off of Augusta's shoulders - not that there was much left to manage. All the rents had gone straight to Lord Bruxton - the old Lord Bruxton, with no money coming back for upkeep.
"Do you think there's a library at Fordyce Hall?" Books were the delight of Antonia's life.
"An enormous one," Colin said as he came into the kitchen carrying the last basket from the cart. "And you could do me a great favor by determining what's in there. The last earl could barely write his name, let alone read, so I'm sure all those books are in dire need of some tender loving care."
Toni beamed and Augusta smiled at Colin over her sister's shoulder. What an amazing, thoughtful man. She was truly the luckiest woman on earth.
At the top of the last rise in the road, before reaching Fordyce Hall, Colin pulled Jupiter to a halt. Augusta was riding Lady Jane beside him, while the children rode in the coach, which was a few hundred yards behind them. Dare hadn't made the turnoff from the main coach road with them, as he planned to continue straight on to London. The MacArdles had been left as caretakers of Cairnwyck, with a bank draft for three years past wages and an estate account from which to pay for servants and repairs. Arthur's heritage would be waiting for him in fine form when he was ready.
Colin watched Augusta's face carefully as she took in her first view of his ancestral home. The seat of the earldom was a large, sprawling manor, of yellowed limestone - partly Tudor, partly Georgian in construction, with a central hall that was rumored to be part of the original medieval construction on the site. Although he'd been here as a child only for obligatory visits, he'd fallen in love with the place at once, never dreaming that through this and that machination of fate, it would one day be his. His cousin hadn't been the best of landlords - about as reliable as he'd been as guardian - so Colin knew he had a lot of work ahead of him to restore both the property and the confidence of the tenants. Augusta would be an admirable partner in those efforts, he thought, based on the way the people of her village had adored her.
When they first topped the hill, he heard her gasp, saw the look of wonder flood her dark eyes. She turned to him and swallowed hard. "This? This is Fordyce Hall?"
He nodded. Did she see the beauty in it, or only the decay? "A rambling old pile, but it's ours."
"Oh, Colin, it's magnificent." She turned her face back toward the house, sniffling suspiciously.