After the morning ceremony and breakfast reception, Henry and Mary drive to London to begin their honeymoon. During the drive, they initially make small talk about the wedding and the guests, laughing at the gossip its rapidity would cause, and being very pleasantly amused that neither of them feels guilty about it in the least.
Once Mary decided to give in to her feelings for Henry, she understood what they would be facing: there would be society talk of the unequal nature of the union. Perhaps if they had a longer engagement, some of that gossip would have gotten to her. "No matter," she thinks, "None can say I didn't put serious thought into this marriage. Fate had other plans for me than being a duchess." She smiles at what she believes to be her own maturity and independence at her decision.
Mary then confides in Henry about the visit from Edith. "I cannot begin to relate how I felt when she entered my room. I don't know, I felt guilty and undeserving, but also very relieved. Our relationship has had more downs than ups, to be truthful. She and I have been at odds as long as I can remember. The incident with Bertie was just the latest of many between us in which she has hurt me or I have hurt her. She has always had the bigger heart, the more sensitive and caring personality. Certainly more than me. Would I have been so forgiving? I am not sure."
Henry is not really surprised at Mary's words. He had sensed as much between the two of them the night Mary spurned him. And Mary had told him what transpired at breakfast the next morning. On the one hand, Henry had been appalled at her behaviour. On the other, he had been inwardly thrilled that the episode was borne out of his departure that morning and Mary's frustration and confusion over her love for him. Still, while he is a calculating and competitive person, he had never been known to be spiteful. It is not a trait that gets one very far in the racing circuit-one will always have losses and so it is best to learn to deal with them graciously. He is not so blind in love that he is in denial about Mary's faults. But he is hoping that his presence in her life will give her fewer reasons for poor behaviour.
He glances over at his new wife, "Edith is a good soul, and so are you; you just exhibit it in different ways." At this statement of apparent love and confidence after her confession, Mary smiles and squeezes Henry's arm. Henry continues, "Perhaps after we return I can contact Bertie. I can imagine the initial shock at the revelation has subsided, and he has had some time to consider things rationally."
Mary snickers a little at the wording, "Bertie always seems to be rational!"
Henry laughs back at her, "Ah-you do not realize what you Crawley women do to men, do you?"
Henry also tells Mary the general plan for the few days they will be away. "We will take the train from London to Brighton. Since they have built more luxurious accommodations, and the Pier is there for entertainment, the location has been in fashion for holidays for some time now. I wanted us to get away, but not so far that we would be spending all of our time on trains."
They arrive at Henry's London flat while it is still light out; sunset won't be until around 8 PM. As they get out of the car, Henry's manservant approaches, saying, "All is as you requested, Mr. Talbot."
Henry replies, "Good man! Thank you, Gibson." Mary is curious to see that Gibson starts to get the bags from the car. The newlyweds enter the building and begin to take the single flight of stairs to Henry's flat. While they ascend and arrive at the door, Mary asks, "What time is our train?" Henry, opening the door, smiling, says, "Tomorrow."
Mary, surprised, says, "Tomorrow?"
Henry replies with a mischievous grin, "Travel can wait; consummating our marriage cannot." Then he kisses her, picks her up, carrying-over-the-threshold-style, and carries her into his flat which has been decorated as a bridal suite, with flowers, champagne, and the like.
Inside, he puts her down and opens the champagne and pours two glasses while Mary takes off her hat and sets it down. The manservant brings their bags to the bedroom, where he puts them both on stands, takes care of their hats, then departs. Mary notices the decor: "You've managed a lot in a short time." Henry: "You can count on me being resourceful." Mary, smiling, "Of course, darling, and thoughtful."
Henry hands her a glass of champagne and encircles her with one arm to hold her close. "I believe I have wanted to hold you like this since we met."
Mary is dubious, "When I was scowling at you?"
Henry replies, smiling: "If you were scowling at me, at least I had your attention. I was quite pleased when you warmed up later as we danced."
"You certainly played it cool: you were going to leave Brancaster without even a goodbye!"
Henry smiles and kisses her. He hadn't lied-he had been instantly attracted to her beauty, style, and yes, even her bluntness, and would have bed her that night if the opportunity had presented itself. What he does not say is that at the time he had been a bachelor with no intention of marrying. "My, how much has changed since then…," he thinks. To Mary, he says, "I shall be grateful eternally for your grandmother's friendship with my Aunt Prudence."
Mary adds, "We have more than that to be thankful for to Granny!"
They toast, sip, and kiss tenderly. Sensing the timing is right, Mary pulls away gently, "If you'll excuse me, I am going to change." In the bedroom, she gets some things from her bag and goes into the bathroom. Henry heads into his walk-in closet, where he begins to undress, loosening his tie and collar while removing his shoes, then his socks. He has just removed his shirt when he hears the bathroom door open, and Mary's voice, "Henry?"
Henry looks out from the closet, "Yes, love?"
Mary, a little flustered, says, "Well, this is rather embarrassing, but there are some buttons that I cannot reach in the back. I have gotten so used to having Anna's help…"
Henry comes over to where she is standing barefoot but still in her dress, all but two buttons undone in the back, and reminds her, "Now you have me as well."
As soon as he reaches out to her dress, the sensual energy in the room sizzles, and they both feel it. He kisses her neck as he releases the buttons, and continues the kissing as he caresses her shoulders then arms with his fingers as he slowly slides the dress off. Mary leans back to him, exposing her neck for more, saying, "This is not what I intended…" Henry murmurs as he continues to kiss her neck and cheeks, "It's alright…"
Henry was used to speed. He was a racing driver, after all. He tended to be decisive and then act on his decisions without hesitation. That had certainly been the case with the courtship-as soon as he realized he was in love with Mary, he had set about winning her. It hadn't gone as smoothly as he originally had hoped, but eventually love prevailed. Their marriage and preparations for their wedding night and honeymoon were also completed with alacrity. To him, Mary's willing responsiveness to all this reinforced how compatible they were.
He just hadn't expected such speed on the wedding night.
It wasn't that he had had a specific plan; more that he was an experienced enough lover that he had intended on trying a number of things for foreplay, to begin to get to know what Mary liked. He had wanted to extend their first union as long as possible so they could both enjoy every moment. Whatever he had been thinking came to pieces when Mary needed help with her dress, and things became a blur.
"We should slow down," he murmured.
"I want to be as close to you as possible," she replied with an element of something in her voice that Henry couldn't place right away. It was not desperation, or lust...
Then, he understood. It was an intimacy that he had never experienced before. As contradictory as it sounded, it was about being close and letting go at the same time. Making love in a way that was not just about physical pleasure. She knew, because she had shared such intimacy with Matthew. And now she wanted to share it with him. He was overcome with emotion in a way he never expected. No, while he had been looking forward to adding the physical dimension to their relationship, he could never have anticipated this.
He pulls his head away from her and gazes at her beautiful face, into those eyes that captivate him so. "I will love you forever, Mary," he breaths, then begins kissing her again with as much love and tenderness as he feels.
A little while later, Henry trails his fingertips across Mary's body, from shoulders to hips as they lay facing each other. Kissing her lightly, he says, "I understand now, why some of my married friends and relations kept trying to find a wife for me."
Laughing, Mary teases him, while also caressing his torso, "We've only been married a few hours!"
"True, but I never imagined that love would feel so wonderful."
Mary smiles, and they kiss some more. Shortly, Henry sits up, the sheet still covering him from the waist down, pours glasses of water from a pitcher on the bedside table, and hands one to her. Mary leans on one arm to drink with the other, "Thank you."
Henry realizes that tea was the last thing on their minds when they arrived, so he asks, "Hungry?"
Mary, considers only briefly, "Yes, now that you mention it."
"Excuse me, then, while I see what Gibson has put together for us." Mary admires Henry's form while he gets up and goes to the closet to get his robe. After he leaves the bedroom, Mary gets up herself and heads into the bathroom.
When Mary has refreshed herself and comes out of the bathroom wearing a negligee and robe, she is pleased to see Gibson hanging up her dress and Henry's clothing, while Henry is over by the small table and chairs. He is looking over a tray of food and pouring wine.
"Thank you, Gibson," she says, sitting on one of the chairs. Gibson, head bowing, replies "M'lady" then departs the room to give the couple their privacy. Henry hands Mary a glass of wine as she sits and eats a blackberry.
Henry sits down and takes some bread and ham to his plate, "I hope you don't mind the arrangements. On such short notice, there were no acceptable suites available, and I didn't want to, um, break up our evening, so to speak, to go to dinner. I want you all to myself tonight."
Mary reassures him, "I agree."
She sits there smiling slightly, shaking her head a little, nibbling on some bread, and sipping the wine. Her expression is of such a mix of emotions that Henry is concerned, "What is it?"
Mary reaches for his hand with her free one, her face beaming, "It's just— I can hardly believe it, but I am happy, that is all." Henry takes her hand and kisses it, "To me—that is everything."
Henry is usually an early riser. He has gotten the impression that Mary is not, at least not on a day to day basis. He was not intending to try to change that behaviour, but this morning he cannot help himself. When he wakes with his body still wrapped around Mary's, memories of the pleasures of the day before make him smile. He begins to kiss and caress a sleeping Mary on the shoulder and neck. He thinks, "I liked her short hairstyle before as a representation of her style and modern sensibilities. Now, I love how it gives me immediate access to her neck."
She awakens and says, sleepily, "Mmm, I will not mind you waking me like that for the next fifty years." Henry, keeping her close, "I'll try to oblige. Did you sleep well?" Mary, more wakeful, turns over to smile at him, "I cannot recall the last time I felt so contented and well."
They kiss and snuggle a little more, until Mary asks, "How long until our train?"
Henry answers, "As long as you'd like, darling. There are several all day."
Mary smiles, "Good," as she becomes more aggressive in her kissing and caressing him.