Free Corrected by the Colonel by Celeste Jones Page B

breath in an effort to stem the threat of more tears.
              "Did I not just ask you to trust me?" Blaise ran a finger around the shell of her ear.
              "Y-yes." His finger distracted her briefly. "But I cannot expect you to take on all of my problems." She stared out the window of the carriage before continuing. "It is all too much."
              "You forget, my dear. We are married now. You are not alone."
              "No," she said. "I must bear these burdens myself. 'Tis shameful enough that I bring nothing to this marriage, I cannot further shame myself by taking from you as well."
              "Is that not what you intended to do if you married Owen?"
              "Yes, but Lord Tyndall's wealth is so vast, the needs of my family are a mere pittance in comparison."
               "And what of my wealth?"
              "I am sorry," Cassandra said for the second time in as many minutes. "I do not want to appear ungrateful, but a soldier's salary will barely support the two of us, let alone my sisters."
              "Do you not recall promising to trust me? It was mere moments ago. Have you already forgotten?"
              Cassandra smiled ruefully. "No," she said. "I am just trying to be realistic."
              He tucked her chin into his chest and wrapped her firmly in his arms. "It is time to let me do the worrying."
     
    ***
     
              She must have fallen asleep, again, snuggled in his arms. In fact, she did not waken until she felt herself laid atop a strange bed.
              Blaise had said it would take several days to reach their new home so she assumed they were at an inn. She had never seen such elaborate accommodations. The bed was soft and the linens were nearly as opulent as those she'd slept in at Hadley Hall.
              Could he afford such a room? Ought she to suggest more modest arrangements would suit her just as well?
              She glanced up at Blaise who stood next to the bed and all thoughts of leaving the room left her head. She struggled to find something to say in response to the intimate feeling of being alone in a room with him as his wife. "I must have been tired."
              He sat on the edge of the mattress and took her hand in his. "Life has been very busy for both of us recently." He scanned her from head to toe, his gaze stopping at the swell of her bosom before returning to her eyes. "I am glad you are resting."
               Cassandra blushed at the obvious meaning behind his words. She ought to have been shocked by his forward comment, but with Blaise, it seemed natural.
              There was a soft tap on the door and she drew back, fearful of being seen, though fully clothed, on a bed with her husband. Before he responded, Blaise set up a screen to partition the room so although the help would surely know where she was, she would not be seen by them.
              Who would have expected an army officer to be so considerate? Curious about the happenings on the other side of the screen, she listened carefully and surmised a bath was being prepared.
              Once the servants left, Blaise removed the screen to reveal the largest bathtub she had ever seen.
              He lifted her from the bed and set her feet on the floor. “Ever since I saw you in the bath at Hadley Hall, I have wished to go back to that moment and show you how I wish it had played out…or at least how it has played out in my fantasies.”
              Cassandra's groom stood behind her, his breath warm on her nape, and worked the closures of her dress. His fingers brushed against the sensitive skin of her shoulders, sending a thrill of anticipation down her spine.
              "We are husband and wife, now, Cassandra." He kissed the curve of her neck while he lowered her dress to the floor. "I believe we shall be very