“They are so…alike. In looks, in speech, in manners, in the way they gesticulate. I’ve never seen a couple so well-matched.”
“And that causes you to worry?” Talbot frowned and Elizabeth frowned back.
“What makes you think I worry?”
“Your face,” he waved his free hand while he kept the other one on the reins. “You looked... preoccupied.”
Elizabeth turned away so he could no longer see her eyes. She didn’t respond immediately, but he could be patient. For a while, at least. Finally, she sighed.
“I wonder how mismatchedyou and Imust seem to people. You with your regal, perfect manners, and me -” Her voice broke, so she stopped.
Talbot straightened in his seat.
“Are you insulting my wife?” he asked angrily.
From the corner of his eye, he saw Elizabeth turn and stare at him incredulously as he kept his eyes on the horses.
“Are you?” he repeated.
“Talbot, it must be clear to you and everyone else -,” she started, but he shook his head.
“If there is something left to be desired in your comportment, I shall be the first to tell you. As Ididtell you when I warned you about being too familiar with your maid. You will do well to remember that when you interact with the servants.”
It hurt his heart to see her hang her head in shame, but it was for her own good. He himself was forced to learn that particular lesson at a young age, and she needed to as well, as would their future children.
The thought of one day having a child with Elizabeth hit him in the stomach more strongly than any pugilist from his club had ever managed to. The apprehension and joy and, surprisingly, erotic thrill of the idea took his breath away.
“It’s just that I grew up with Mary, and it feels odd to start being formal now,” Elizabeth interrupted his epiphany.
“And I grew up with Stevenson, and yet look at us now,” he retorted.
“Did you really?” Her eyes widened, and he wanted to kiss her eyelids, but only nodded instead.
“Right here in Norwich.”
“My mind still cannot piece together all these parts of you,” she said pensively. “It’s like you’re many different people in one body.”
“Aren’t we all?”
“I hope I’m not,” she shrugged. “I hope I’m the same woman in Norwich as I was in London. But of course, there are areas of a man’s life I know nothing about, so in a way, you will always remain a mystery.”
“What areas would those be, wife?” he teased, and she smiled at him.
“Gentlemen’s clubs, gaming hells, bawdy houses,” she listed, growing more serious with each word.
The air between them suddenly grew heavy and tense.
“No matter how it may have seemed to you at times, I do care about honour,” Talbot said and stopped the horses. He turned to his wife and said, surprising himself, “I shall keep my vows to you, you know.”
Elizabeth ran her tongue over her teeth before looking up at him.
“Truly?”
“I promised something when we got married, didn’t I?”
She nodded shyly.
“An honourable man keeps his promises,” he concluded and urged the horses to start walking again.
