Faith had been in the house a few times to assist Ryan with business functions, but had never been in more than a couple of the rooms downstairs.
They took the spiral staircase to the second floor. Leland led her down the right side of the hallway toward a set of double doors. He opened them for her and stood aside, beckoning Faith to enter the room.
When she did, her mouth dropped open in shock. This wasn’t a bedroom, it was a house. The thick Berber carpet felt like pillows under her feet. In the center of the room was a king-size bed covered in a duvet of soft cream and roses with a matching canopy. It looked like a harem paradise, with pale cream and rose carpet and a very light, intricately arched headboard.
“Would you like something to eat, Mrs. McKay?”
Faith had all but forgotten Leland was in the room. “No, that’s okay.
It’s late. I’ll just wait until morning.”
“Nonsense,” Leland said. “Have you eaten tonight?”
Now that she thought of it, Faith hadn’t had a thing to eat since lunch. “Not really.”
“I’ll bring something right up then.”
While she waited, she explored the room. The bath was separated from the bedroom by white double doors. Faith walked through the doors and gasped as she stepped into a closet larger than her entire apartment.
She could have fit her living room furniture in there. And it was completely empty, except for a breathtakingly beautiful satin nightgown.
No other clothes. Big problem.
Leland’s knock at the door brought her attention from the closet to her stomach. The tray he carried was filled with more food than Faith could eat in a day, let alone one sitting.
“Thank you so much for this, Leland.” Faith’s mouth watered at the feast Leland set on the table.
“You’re welcome, Mrs. McKay.”
“Please,” she said, offering a small smile. “Call me Faith.”
Leland shook his head. “It wouldn’t be appropriate.”
Faith frowned at him. “Why not?”
“Because it’s not done. You are the mistress of this house, and I am a servant.”
“Well, that’s silly.”
“It’s the way things have always been done. We all have our station in life.”
Did the man ever smile? Faith sat on the edge of her bed and studied the McKays’ butler. “That’s so middle ages. This is the twenty-first century, Leland. I think the lines between the social classes have smudged more than a little. Besides, it’s not like you don’t know me. I’m no different now than I was before.”
Leland clasped his hands behind his back, his frame rigid and unyielding. “Oh, but you are, madam. Perhaps in your circles the masters and servants mix, but not in mine. I have been butler to the McKays for more than thirty-five years, and it has always been this way.”
Faith drew her shoulders back and blew a frustrated sigh. She could tell she’d get nowhere with Leland tonight, and was too tired to debate.
“Enjoy your dinner, ma’am,” he said as he inclined his head toward her and left the room.
The food made her stomach grumble, but first things first. A change of clothes. She did not want to attempt a meal with tulle stuffed up under her chin.
The moment she stepped into the dressing room it hit her. There was no way she could get out of her wedding dress without help. It was after one in the morning, and she had no idea where Leland had gone, or for that matter, her new husband. So who could assist her?
Maybe if she opened the door and yelled for help someone would come running. Faith pondered that option as she stepped out.
The hall was long and led to another set of double doors at the end.
Was that Ryan’s room?
She maneuvered the dark hallway until she reached the door at the opposite end from her own. She placed her ear against the door, listening for any sounds. Nothing. Well, whoever was in there was about to be awakened because she wasn’t going to eat or sleep in her wedding dress.
Three swift knocks and she stepped back to wait. No answer. Maybe the room was empty and she was wasting her time. She knocked again, this time louder, and the door flung open, light shining on her from the brightly lit bedroom.
Ryan was still in his tux pants, but he’d removed the jacket and tie and almost completely unbuttoned the shirt.
Faith tried to find her voice, but the sight of her bare-chested husband took her breath away. He had an impressive build and a firm, muscular chest with a sprinkling of dark, curling hair.
He leaned against the doorway waiting for her to speak. “Did you want something?” he asked.
“I…I need some help.” Now she stammered like a teenager. Wonderful impression she was making on her new husband.
“What kind of help?”
He didn’t even invite her in. She felt like a salesperson attempting to sell a vacuum cleaner, fully expecting to have the door slammed in her face at any moment.
“I can’t unbutton my dress.”
Was she speaking another language? Why was he frowning?
“What do you mean?” he asked.
“I mean this,” she said with more than a little frustration. She was tired, hungry and wanted to get out of the dress now more than anything in the world. “Look,” she said and turned around for him to see her dilemma.
“I see. Okay, let’s go.”
“Go? Go where?” By the time she had the words out Ryan was heading towards her room. She lifted her skirt and hurried after him.
He entered her bedroom and waited for her to catch up. “Turn around,” he commanded.
Faith did as she was told, more than a little embarrassed to have her new husband undressing her, despite the fact it was exactly what should happen on her wedding night. On a normal wedding night, maybe, but not this one.
She tried to stand patiently while Ryan slowly slipped each satin covered pearl button from its tiny loophole. But his touch did things to her sense of equilibrium. She shivered each time his warm knuckles brushed the bare skin of her back.
“Are you cold?” Ryan’s voice whispered softly against her ear.
“Not really.”
“You’re shivering.”
“Um…yes.”
“Why?”
“I don’t know.” Liar.
Ryan’s hands stilled. “Does my touch bother you?”
His touch most definitely bothered her. But not in the way he thought.