Chapter 18
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Elizabeth went to her fitting alone in the coach, but happily returned with the first morning gown completed ahead of schedule, and orders for accessories placed.
They took a bath together before supper that evening, and Elizabeth wished that she had the evening gown finished, or more of her clothes with her, but simply put on her new shift and pulled the summer gown back on over it.
Mark took her again that night before they slept.
The next day was spent in a similar quiet fashion. Rising late, and spending most of the day together in Mark's study.
Mark liked the new morning gown, Elizabeth considered it a compromise, unlike the one being made up to wear at her wedding, this one did not quite sweep the floor with its hem. It's long sleeves were more comfortable in the cool of fall mornings than the summer gown though, and she was glad to have it.
Elizabeth asked Mark about the odd arrangement of their bedroom and was amused to learn that he greatly disliked being woken by the sun in the morning. She asked why he hadn't chosen a different bedroom and he replied humorously that he was enslaved by tradition.
It wasn't until the day after, that Mark made time to show her around in the morning. The large airy ballroom was their first stop, from the main hall it could be entered either through a large dining hall or the heavily furnished parlour that lay beside the entry doors. Mark explained, with a hobbyist's enthusiasm, the large enameled pipes that encompassed the room, running up and over doorways and under windows along grooves set into the walls. "It's a hot water heating system, part of the original construction."
He explained that the room had been added to the house by his grandfather for his grandmother. The same grandfather who'd first been elevated to the rank of Marques. "It must have been the very cutting edge of current engineering at the time," he speculated, pointing out that even now, such installations and innovative heating systems were extremely rare.
The system apparently took a full day to heat the room from a cold start, but was good at maintaining an even temperature afterward. "It was designed to be coal heated, but I've had it converted to gas," Mark added. The ballroom was also the only part of the house with interior gas lighting installed. Elizabeth imagined that it must be a truly splendid display when all the lamps were turned up.
The ballroom had its own entrance onto the drive out front, and another entrance on the lawn behind, which looked across at the magnificent glass greenhouse that occupied the space south of the stables. A fifth door off of the ballroom led into a card room decorated in a masculine style, which also had another door back into the long dining hall.
Looping back into the center of the house in this fashion, Mark showed her the other rooms that occupied the same side of the hall as his study, Andrew's office, which looked as if it could double as a waiting area, with its row of chairs against the first wall. A smaller sitting room or tea room, with tall windows and chairs scattered around a small table, smaller tables set here and there. And another small room, used by the butler and footmen.
Up the stairs, they made a quick tour of the guest quarters, which took up the eastern half of the upper story, Mark showed her where it led into the servants wing, and Mrs. Whitmoor met them there. Mark asked his housekeeper if she would show Elizabeth around that wing and the attics if she wished, at some later time. Mrs. Whitmoor happily agreed. Mark led her back out and past the doors that led to the family quarters, to the final set of double doors, where he hesitated.
"I should have shown you these rooms when we first arrived," he said apologetically. He explained that these were the public rooms of the upper story, and, he added, the domain of the women of the household. A bright, mostly empty north facing gallery with tall windows and paintings hung along the walls, was the first room they peeked into. "It's been used for all sorts of things," said Mark. "Painting studio, sewing room, dance practice," he listed a few.
The next room occupied the northwest corner of the house, it was windowed on two sides, and was furnished as a splendid sitting room, with musical instruments hanging from the walls and set around the room's edges. "We call this the conservatory," said Mark, "all the instruments except the large piano in the parlour downstairs are usually kept up here."
"Oh," said Elizabeth, feeling daunted, "I don't play any instruments."
"I can play a few, with indifferent proficiency," replied Mark with a grin for her.
The next room was the school room, which had a door out onto a large balcony that ran across the first third of the curve of the ballroom's roof. Stepping out onto the balcony, Mark pointed out the door that led back into the conservatory that she hadn't noticed, and a third door in the south corner, that led into the passageway of the family rooms.
Back inside they approached the final door. Elizabeth wondered at Mark's oddly hesitant manner as he opened it for her, but on stepping through, she froze in amazement. The last room was a magnificent library.
Mark explained that the windows were inset so deeply so that the direct sun could only hit one set of shelves opposite them. That shelf was where she would find her cheap novels and monthly publications, he explained with a wry smile. The rest of the tall shelves in the room were mostly full too.
One section was enclosed in a locked cabinet. Mark told her the key was in his desk and she was welcome to use it, but asked that she wear gloves and be gentle in her explorations, as that cabinet held the very oldest books.
Elizabeth was overwhelmed. About the oldest books she asked, "Have you ever thought of having them copied?"
Mark gave her a tiny smile very unlike his usual confident grins, and answered, "I try to have one or two printed up each year. I have a deal with a publisher, I bring in an elderly book to copy, and he gives me the first three copies, and is allowed to make as many more as he thinks he can sell. Of course, I try to select volumes that actually have something interesting to say, and aren't just old estate accounts and the like."
Elizabeth hugged Mark impulsively. "I'm so proud of you," she said, delighted.
Mark said rather dryly, "I'm so glad."
Elizabeth's face fell and she started to apologize.
Mark interrupted her, "I really mean that love, I am very glad that you approve." He added, "You see, as I tried to tell you before, we are surprisingly well suited." He hugged her tightly. Elizabeth shyly returned his embrace and ventured to kiss him. Mark realized, if she did not, that it was the first time she'd dared to initiate a kiss. He kissed and cuddled his young bride tenderly.
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Elizabeth went to her fitting alone in the coach, but happily returned with the first morning gown completed ahead of schedule, and orders for accessories placed.
They took a bath together before supper that evening, and Elizabeth wished that she had the evening gown finished, or more of her clothes with her, but simply put on her new shift and pulled the summer gown back on over it.
Mark took her again that night before they slept.
The next day was spent in a similar quiet fashion. Rising late, and spending most of the day together in Mark's study.
Mark liked the new morning gown, Elizabeth considered it a compromise, unlike the one being made up to wear at her wedding, this one did not quite sweep the floor with its hem. It's long sleeves were more comfortable in the cool of fall mornings than the summer gown though, and she was glad to have it.
Elizabeth asked Mark about the odd arrangement of their bedroom and was amused to learn that he greatly disliked being woken by the sun in the morning. She asked why he hadn't chosen a different bedroom and he replied humorously that he was enslaved by tradition.
It wasn't until the day after, that Mark made time to show her around in the morning. The large airy ballroom was their first stop, from the main hall it could be entered either through a large dining hall or the heavily furnished parlour that lay beside the entry doors. Mark explained, with a hobbyist's enthusiasm, the large enameled pipes that encompassed the room, running up and over doorways and under windows along grooves set into the walls. "It's a hot water heating system, part of the original construction."
He explained that the room had been added to the house by his grandfather for his grandmother. The same grandfather who'd first been elevated to the rank of Marques. "It must have been the very cutting edge of current engineering at the time," he speculated, pointing out that even now, such installations and innovative heating systems were extremely rare.
The system apparently took a full day to heat the room from a cold start, but was good at maintaining an even temperature afterward. "It was designed to be coal heated, but I've had it converted to gas," Mark added. The ballroom was also the only part of the house with interior gas lighting installed. Elizabeth imagined that it must be a truly splendid display when all the lamps were turned up.
The ballroom had its own entrance onto the drive out front, and another entrance on the lawn behind, which looked across at the magnificent glass greenhouse that occupied the space south of the stables. A fifth door off of the ballroom led into a card room decorated in a masculine style, which also had another door back into the long dining hall.
Looping back into the center of the house in this fashion, Mark showed her the other rooms that occupied the same side of the hall as his study, Andrew's office, which looked as if it could double as a waiting area, with its row of chairs against the first wall. A smaller sitting room or tea room, with tall windows and chairs scattered around a small table, smaller tables set here and there. And another small room, used by the butler and footmen.
Up the stairs, they made a quick tour of the guest quarters, which took up the eastern half of the upper story, Mark showed her where it led into the servants wing, and Mrs. Whitmoor met them there. Mark asked his housekeeper if she would show Elizabeth around that wing and the attics if she wished, at some later time. Mrs. Whitmoor happily agreed. Mark led her back out and past the doors that led to the family quarters, to the final set of double doors, where he hesitated.
"I should have shown you these rooms when we first arrived," he said apologetically. He explained that these were the public rooms of the upper story, and, he added, the domain of the women of the household. A bright, mostly empty north facing gallery with tall windows and paintings hung along the walls, was the first room they peeked into. "It's been used for all sorts of things," said Mark. "Painting studio, sewing room, dance practice," he listed a few.
The next room occupied the northwest corner of the house, it was windowed on two sides, and was furnished as a splendid sitting room, with musical instruments hanging from the walls and set around the room's edges. "We call this the conservatory," said Mark, "all the instruments except the large piano in the parlour downstairs are usually kept up here."
"Oh," said Elizabeth, feeling daunted, "I don't play any instruments."
"I can play a few, with indifferent proficiency," replied Mark with a grin for her.
The next room was the school room, which had a door out onto a large balcony that ran across the first third of the curve of the ballroom's roof. Stepping out onto the balcony, Mark pointed out the door that led back into the conservatory that she hadn't noticed, and a third door in the south corner, that led into the passageway of the family rooms.
Back inside they approached the final door. Elizabeth wondered at Mark's oddly hesitant manner as he opened it for her, but on stepping through, she froze in amazement. The last room was a magnificent library.
Mark explained that the windows were inset so deeply so that the direct sun could only hit one set of shelves opposite them. That shelf was where she would find her cheap novels and monthly publications, he explained with a wry smile. The rest of the tall shelves in the room were mostly full too.
One section was enclosed in a locked cabinet. Mark told her the key was in his desk and she was welcome to use it, but asked that she wear gloves and be gentle in her explorations, as that cabinet held the very oldest books.
Elizabeth was overwhelmed. About the oldest books she asked, "Have you ever thought of having them copied?"
Mark gave her a tiny smile very unlike his usual confident grins, and answered, "I try to have one or two printed up each year. I have a deal with a publisher, I bring in an elderly book to copy, and he gives me the first three copies, and is allowed to make as many more as he thinks he can sell. Of course, I try to select volumes that actually have something interesting to say, and aren't just old estate accounts and the like."
Elizabeth hugged Mark impulsively. "I'm so proud of you," she said, delighted.
Mark said rather dryly, "I'm so glad."
Elizabeth's face fell and she started to apologize.
Mark interrupted her, "I really mean that love, I am very glad that you approve." He added, "You see, as I tried to tell you before, we are surprisingly well suited." He hugged her tightly. Elizabeth shyly returned his embrace and ventured to kiss him. Mark realized, if she did not, that it was the first time she'd dared to initiate a kiss. He kissed and cuddled his young bride tenderly.
Elizabeth went to her fitting alone in the coach, but happily returned with the first morning gown completed ahead of schedule, and orders for accessories placed. They took a bath together before supper that evening, and Elizabeth wished that she had the evening gown finished, or more of her clothes with her, but simply put on her new shift and pulled the summer gown back on over it. Mark took her again that night before they slept. The next day was spent in a similar quiet fashion. Rising late, and spending most of the day together in Mark's study. Mark liked the new morning gown, Elizabeth considered it a compromise, unlike the one being made up to wear at her wedding, this one did not quite sweep the floor with its hem. It's long sleeves were more comfortable in the cool of fall mornings than the summer gown though, and she was glad to have it. Elizabeth asked Mark about the odd arrangement of their bedroom and was amused to learn that he greatly disliked being woken by the sun in the morning. She asked why he hadn't chosen a different bedroom and he replied humorously that he was enslaved by tradition. It wasn't until the day after, that Mark made time to show her around in the morning. The large airy ballroom was their first stop, from the main hall it could be entered either through a large dining hall or the heavily furnished parlour that lay beside the entry doors. Mark explained, with a hobbyist's enthusiasm, the large enameled pipes that encompassed the room, running up and over doorways and under windows along grooves set into the walls. "It's a hot water heating system, part of the original construction." He explained that the room had been added to the house by his grandfather for his grandmother. The same grandfather who'd first been elevated to the rank of Marques. "It must have been the very cutting edge of current engineering at the time," he speculated, pointing out that even now, such installations and innovative heating systems were extremely rare. The system apparently took a full day to heat the room from a cold start, but was good at maintaining an even temperature afterward. "It was designed to be coal heated, but I've had it converted to gas," Mark added. The ballroom was also the only part of the house with interior gas lighting installed. Elizabeth imagined that it must be a truly splendid display when all the lamps were turned up. The ballroom had its own entrance onto the drive out front, and another entrance on the lawn behind, which looked across at the magnificent glass greenhouse that occupied the space south of the stables. A fifth door off of the ballroom led into a card room decorated in a masculine style, which also had another door back into the long dining hall. Looping back into the center of the house in this fashion, Mark showed her the other rooms that occupied the same side of the hall as his study, Andrew's office, which looked as if it could double as a waiting area, with its row of chairs against the first wall. A smaller sitting room or tea room, with tall windows and chairs scattered around a small table, smaller tables set here and there. And another small room, used by the butler and footmen. Up the stairs, they made a quick tour of the guest quarters, which took up the eastern half of the upper story, Mark showed her where it led into the servants wing, and Mrs. Whitmoor met them there. Mark asked his housekeeper if she would show Elizabeth around that wing and the attics if she wished, at some later time. Mrs. Whitmoor happily agreed. Mark led her back out and past the doors that led to the family quarters, to the final set of double doors, where he hesitated. "I should have shown you these rooms when we first arrived," he said apologetically. He explained that these were the public rooms of the upper story, and, he added, the domain of the women of the household. A bright, mostly empty north facing gallery with tall windows and paintings hung along the walls, was the first room they peeked into. "It's been used for all sorts of things," said Mark. "Painting studio, sewing room, dance practice," he listed a few. The next room occupied the northwest corner of the house, it was windowed on two sides, and was furnished as a splendid sitting room, with musical instruments hanging from the walls and set around the room's edges. "We call this the conservatory," said Mark, "all the instruments except the large piano in the parlour downstairs are usually kept up here." "Oh," said Elizabeth, feeling daunted, "I don't play any instruments." "I can play a few, with indifferent proficiency," replied Mark with a grin for her. The next room was the school room, which had a door out onto a large balcony that ran across the first third of the curve of the ballroom's roof. Stepping out onto the balcony, Mark pointed out the door that led back into the conservatory that she hadn't noticed, and a third door in the south corner, that led into the passageway of the family rooms. Back inside they approached the final door. Elizabeth wondered at Mark's oddly hesitant manner as he opened it for her, but on stepping through, she froze in amazement. The last room was a magnificent library. Mark explained that the windows were inset so deeply so that the direct sun could only hit one set of shelves opposite them. That shelf was where she would find her cheap novels and monthly publications, he explained with a wry smile. The rest of the tall shelves in the room were mostly full too. One section was enclosed in a locked cabinet. Mark told her the key was in his desk and she was welcome to use it, but asked that she wear gloves and be gentle in her explorations, as that cabinet held the very oldest books. Elizabeth was overwhelmed. About the oldest books she asked, "Have you ever thought of having them copied?" Mark gave her a tiny smile very unlike his usual confident grins, and answered, "I try to have one or two printed up each year. I have a deal with a publisher, I bring in an elderly book to copy, and he gives me the first three copies, and is allowed to make as many more as he thinks he can sell. Of course, I try to select volumes that actually have something interesting to say, and aren't just old estate accounts and the like." Elizabeth hugged Mark impulsively. "I'm so proud of you," she said, delighted. Mark said rather dryly, "I'm so glad." Elizabeth's face fell and she started to apologize. Mark interrupted her, "I really mean that love, I am very glad that you approve." He added, "You see, as I tried to tell you before, we are surprisingly well suited." He hugged her tightly. Elizabeth shyly returned his embrace and ventured to kiss him. Mark realized, if she did not, that it was the first time she'd dared to initiate a kiss. He kissed and cuddled his young bride tenderly.
