Free Love Sneaked In (Montgomery Family Trilogy) by Vikki Vaught

didn’t understand that she didn’t want to be in love. A marriage of convenience was what she wanted, and she could see herself being quite content. Matthew was a very attractive man, so she knew she’d be able to respond to him, and his kisses had been quite pleasant.
    Helen decided to use one of her gowns that Madame Devy had made for her as her wedding dress. There was a particularly lovely gown in periwinkle blue that she’d never worn before. It had a Belgian lace overlay on the bodice and skirt, with additional lace flounced around the bottom of the gown. The periwinkle blue ribbons tied under her breasts with trails of ribbon running down the front of the gown, which accented her generous bosom. To her it looked perfect for a country wedding. When she had shown it to Melody, she had agreed that it was very pretty, and it did bring out Helen’s brilliant blue eyes.
    As Helen resumed her morning rides she thought about Matthew. Riding with him each day in London had been immensely enjoyable. Their love of horses was something that gave them a strong common bond, and she was really looking forward to riding with him on the beach. Matthew made it sound so invigorating. She’d always wanted to go to the beach, but had never been. She just felt all the way down to her soul that she was making the right decision. At least her family had finally stopped trying to talk her into postponing the wedding.
    Helen’s mother was supposed to arrive a week before the wedding. She seemed to be thrilled about her marriage. All her letters talked about was what a good match it was for her. It was so typical of her mother to be more concerned about the status of an individual, than whether they were a kind and considerate person.
    Oh well, she guessed her mother would never change.
    By the time her mother arrived, Helen was starting to get a little anxious. They had everything planned for the wedding, but she was second guessing herself. After all, how well did she really know Matthew? He didn’t seem to have many friends, and she knew he wasn’t an outgoing person. He hadn’t told her very much about his home either, other than the part about it being next to the ocean.
    While Helen didn’t think of herself as spoiled, she was used to a certain level of comfort in her surroundings. She certainly hoped it had at least some modern conveniences. Helen didn’t even know how old of a house it was. Was it an old manor, or a castle with a keep? She’d heard that there were quite a few old Norman keeps in Devonshire. Other than that, she really had no idea. Obviously, it wouldn’t be as opulent as Sanderford Park, or Sanderford house for that matter.
    Helen knew Matthew didn’t have a townhouse in London because he was staying in a hotel. Surely, Henry would have checked his resources out, so he must at least have a comfortable living.
    Goodness, what in the world had she been thinking of?
    She should have gotten these questions answered, before agreeing to marry him. Of course, it was too late to change her mind now. She had given her word, and that meant everything to her. All she could do at this point was hope that all would turn out fine.
    Helen’s mother arrived the next day. For the first time, Helen had done something that pleased her mother. When her mother arrived, she was ecstatic about Helen marrying an earl.
    She came over to Helen and said, “Darling, I’m so proud of you! What a sensible young woman you have turned out to be. I was beginning to think you were going to end up on the shelf, so I’m thrilled about your marriage. You must tell me all about your earl. I’m sure he’s devastatingly handsome. What a whirlwind courtship, and what a smart young woman you are! I knew all my talks would eventually sink in. Now we’ll just need to work on Kathryn.”
    “Mother, Matthew’s a very kind and considerate gentleman, and he has a marvelous sense of humor,” she said, smiling at her mother. “We respect and