“Well, I wish to enjoy a few years alone with my wife before we move into the responsibilities of parenthood and grooming an heir to take over my dukedom,” Edward explained. “Surely that’s something the two of you can understand.”
“No one is going to understand this,” Lord Haddington snapped. “People are going to talk. This is very irresponsible behavior. I think you’re inviting trouble, Your Grace.”
“Frankly, what you think is not my concern. I’m at liberty to make this decision for myself.”
“Is it because of Lydia? Has she done something to make you turn away from her?” Lord Haddington turned to Lydia. “You know that your duty is to your husband now, Lydia. You must abandon your rebellious ways! If you’ve done something to compel him to decide against having a child with you—”
“I won’t have you coming to my home uninvited and saying these things to me and my wife!” Edward declared. “You may see yourselves out.”
“Lydia,” Lady Haddington implored.
Lydia stood firm. “My husband is the lord of this house,” she said. “His word is law here. I’ll come and visit you in a few days, perhaps, but our meeting tonight is at an end.”
Lord Haddington rose to his feet. “The hospitality of your house leaves a fair bit to be desired,” he commented bitingly.
Edward said nothing.
“Come,” Lord Haddington said to his wife. “They’ve made it clear we’re not wanted here.”
Lord and Lady Haddington swept out of the dining room. As they disappeared into the foyer, the tension seemed to leave Lydia’s body.
Edward went to her and held out a hand. “Are you all right?” he murmured.
She took his hand and allowed him to help her to her feet. “That was awful,” she murmured as the door closed, signaling the departure of her parents. “I’m so sorry, Edward. I’m used to them speaking to me that way, but I never dreamed they would be so rude to you. I can’t imagine what they were thinking.”
“To tell you the truth,” Edward said, “nothing about what I saw from them came as a surprise to me.”
“You can’t mean that. They were awful.”
“But they were exactly as you’ve always described them. They weren’t trying to be cruel. They’re just so worried about appearances that it makes it impossible for them to set that concern aside and pay attention to the needs of their daughter. They were probably here because your aunt was asking questions about whether or not you were with child yet, and it made them think that ifshewas asking,otherpeople would start asking.”
“Do you think that’s what it was?”
“They did say your aunt was curious about how things wereprogressingbetween us. That’s what this was all about.”
Lydia sighed and leaned into Edward’s chest.
Without thinking, he put his arms around her, wishing only to give her comfort.
CHAPTERTWENTY-FIVE
“Are you all right?” Edward murmured.
“I’m fine,” Lydia replied, even though she was badly shaken.
“I could tell how upset you were,” he said softly. “You know, we’ve been talking all day about the fact that you taught yourself to rebel against them. But it seemed so hard for you to do that tonight. What happened? What was different?”
“Don’t be upset,” she warned.
“I’m already upset. I don’t like the way they treated you. But I won’t be upset withyou, if that’s what you’re worried about.”
She nodded. “It was different because you were here,” she said. “I didn’t want you to see me argue with them. And I didn’t want you to see them trying to put me in my place. They like to make me feel small—they think that’s the way to get me to obey. If I tried to resist, they would speak to me like a child. I didn’t want you to see me like that.”
“Oh, I could never see you as a child,” Edward assured. “Your fierce independence is something I admire—something I look up to, really. I know how difficult it must have been for you to earn it. You don’t need to worry about the way other people speak to you in front of me. It will never change the way I look at you. It never could.”
Lydia nodded.
“You’re trembling,” he observed.
