Page 79 of Enticing the Devil
The first thing she noticed was that it was a lovely bedroom, full of light from the midday sun shining through two large casement windows through which the branches of a large willow could be seen against a mountainous backdrop. The floor was covered in a rug woven of various shades of blue in an intricate and lovely pattern and the bed set up in a corner opposite the windows was also covered in blue.
Beynon’s mother sat propped against the pillows.
The woman was dressed in a white dressing gown and navy-blue robe and her thick black hair, threaded with silvery strands, was plaited in two braids that rested over her narrow shoulders.
She was smaller than Anne expected—quite petite actually—and despite the bit of gray in her hair, she looked very young. And when she smiled, Anne could easily see the cherubic features which had been inherited by her youngest daughter.
“Lady Anne, allow me to present my mother, Mrs. Thomas. Mam, this is my bride, Lady Anne Thomas.”
“You’ll call me Glynnis, of course,” his mother quickly noted before giving beckoning gestures with both hands. “Come in, my lady! Come in. Please don’t tarry by the door. I hadn’t expected such a wonderful surprise today and I’m anxious to indulge my curiosity.”
Anne approached the bedside as requested, suddenly feeling very tall and gauche.
But Beynon’s mother continued to smile as she indicated a chair that had been pulled up aside the bed. “Sit, my dear. Please.” Then she shifted her attention to where Beynon still stood by the door. “You may go.”
“But, Mam,” he began, but she stopped him with a swift wave of her hand.
“Off you go. I’ll see you at dinner.”
Anne glanced back as she took a seat in the empty chair and managed to catch Beynon’s very put-out expression as he skulked from the room.
“Oh my, now let me look at you,” his mother said.
Anne met the woman’s dark brown eyes that were so similar to Beynon’s. And not just because of their near black shade. She saw a similar depth and emotional intensity in this woman’s gaze, though it was decidedly less angry and forbidding.
“Tell me, my dear,” the older woman said in a thoughtful tone, “what on earth brought you and my son together?”
Anne stiffened at the bluntness of the question. She blinked as she tried to consider what Beynon might have said.
“I, ah...Beynon—”
Glynnis gave a swift shake of her head. “I already heard Beynon’s explanation. I’d like to hear from you now, if you don’t mind.”
Anne realized the woman’s small stature and the sweetness of her features were slightly misleading. Her new mother-in-law possessed an inherent toughness and a sharp perception she wasn’t afraid to use.
Anne made a quick decision to be as forthright as possible. What point was there in beginning this new chapter of her life on a deception, even if it was by way of omission or glossing over the facts?
Clearing her throat, she met her mother-in-law’s steady but not unkind stare.
“We were partnered for a series of games at my friend’s house party,” she noted simply. “Reluctantly partnered, I should say. Beynon wasn’t very interested in participating.”
Glynnis gave a subtle roll of her eyes then nodded for Anne to continue.
“Our partnership was occasionally contentious,” Anne admitted, “but I’d like to think we got to know each other through the competition.” She paused, hoping that might be enough of an explanation, but the older woman simply arched her brows and waited for her to continue.
At this point, Anne had to lower her gaze to the detailing embroidered on the counterpane.
“Eventually...one evening...we found ourselves...” How exactly did one admit to such a thing to their mother-in-law? She really wished she knew what Beynon had said to her.
“Overcome?” the woman offered.
Anne’s eyes flew back up to meet her mother-in-law’s pointed stare. All she could manage was a brief nod.
There was a moment of silence, then Glynnis said, “Well, that explains the rushed wedding, I suppose.”
There wasn’t exactly censure in the older woman’s tone, but there wasn’t delight, either.
Determined not to start her new life upon a foundation that even hinted of deception, Anne decided to take a page from the young Miss Claybourne’s book by being painfully honest.