Swallowing down the sickness, Celia smiled at her husband from the middle of the enormous bed. He pulled on a shirt, his fingers nimbly fastening the buttons.

“You look so very handsome, Gabriel.”

For all his natural confidence, Celia knew he was nervous. The strangest emotion melted through her, swelling her heart until she recognized it for what it was. Pride. Pride that he was her husband. There was nothing she wouldn’t do to ensure his success when it came to being part of her world. Even if she must hide certain things from him, things like the existence of Bryan Flannigan and what he’d done so many years ago. The scandal would ruin Gabriel before he even had a chance of establishing his dominance of the ton. And she could not let that night in her father’s stables ruin everything her husband deserved to have in his life.

She would not let it happen.

“Thank you, pet. I don’t know when I shall return today. I must meet with Carraway and discuss arrangements for dowry funds. Once they are transferred into your own account, only you will have access. I will not dictate how you spend it, nor will I have an accounting of its spending. It is yours.”

“You are too good to me, Gabriel.” Celia bit her bottom lip, realizing just how true that was. She’d married a man who surpassed all her expectations when it came to husbandly attributes. A man who would protect her from the world if necessary.

Gabriel leaned over onto the bed, his hands on her shoulders. He pulled her closer, landing a sweet but fiery kiss on her lips. “I’ll do anything for you, Celia. Do you understand? Anything and everything. Even when you don’t know what it is that you need, I will provide it. And should I need to burn the world down giving it to you, I shall.”

After dressing with Katie’s help, Celia made her way down to the foyer. Mister Harold, the butler, kindly showed her the various rooms on the main floor. Along the way, he introduced various maids and footmen, imparting tidbits of information about the enormous house. She was shown the kitchen, the ballroom, all five drawing rooms, and the library.

Mister Harold also took her by Gabriel’s study. Peeking inside, Celia could see her husband had already put his own touch on the space. It was warm and superbly decorated in muted tones of gold and deep scarlet. The colors of the Rosenthorne marquessate.

“Which way should I go to reach the stables?” Celia asked Mister Harold.

The elderly man gave her directions, and with a sick feeling, Celia exited the house.

The sun was a fiery ball in the morning sky as she followed the gravel path leading to the large building at the back of the manor. The stables bustled with energy as groomsmen and stableboys mingled with skilled workers making repairs. It appeared some parts of the structure had fallen into disrepair over the years.