“I imagine I’ll be back before dark.”
“Please, let Bradford know when you get in so that I won’t worry about you.”
As if you would.
“All right,” she agreed. “I’ll make sure Bradford is informed.”
“Thank you,” he said.
He made no move to walk past her. He seemed as if he was waiting for her to leave first. And after a moment, she did just that, turning her back on him and heading for the stairs.
What an uncomfortable encounter that was.
But it was always like that with Edward these days. It was clear that neither one of them really loved being in the other’s presence—they were both doing all they could to avoid it. When their paths did inadvertently cross, it almost felt like a race to see who could get away first.
She found Violet waiting outside next to the carriage that had been prepared for their journey.
“Are you all right, Your Grace?” Violet asked her, frowning. “You’re very pale.”
“I’m all right,” Lydia assured her.
She knew that Violet had observed the differences in the way she and Edward had been acting toward one another lately, but Violet was too well-behaved to ask without being invited, and Lydia didn’t want to talk about it. Not yet, anyway.
Although I wonder if Nancy will bring it out of me. She’s always been so easy to confide in, and I know she’s aware of the struggles I’ve had with this marriage. Besides, she is married to Edward’s brother. Maybe she’ll have some insights—something to say that might be able to help me work through all this.
She and Violet were helped into the carriage by the driver. A moment later, it pulled away.
“Look,” Violet said as they rolled down the path. “His Grace is standing in the doorway. Is he calling us back?”
Lydia looked out the window of the carriage. Sure enough, Edward was standing there staring out at them, seemingly watching them go.
“No,” she said. “I don’t think he wants us to come back.”
“What do you suppose he’s doing?”
“I can’t imagine.”
A part of her wished he would hurry after them and try to call her back. Maybe he would realize that he had left something unsaid. Maybe he’d want to come along. She could imagine sitting with him here in the carriage, sharing this confined space, being so close together that they would almosthaveto touch each other. And if he was here because he wanted to be, it would be so wonderful. The air would be charged and magical. She would lean into him as the carriage bumped along the road. Perhaps he would take her hand as he had once before, and this time she wouldn’t press him for answers about a change in their relationship. This time she wouldn’t try to tell him that she loved him. She had learned how little he liked hearing it.
I can still love him. I can do it quietly and keep it to myself. He has plenty of things going on in his life that he says are none of my business, after all. My love for him might be none of his business.
And for a moment, she really believed he might lift a hand and hail them, call them back home, and that all of that might come to pass.
But it didn’t, of course. Instead, Edward turned and went back into the house without so much as a movement in their direction.
Lydia sighed and relaxed back into her seat. “Whatever he came out for, I’m sure it had nothing at all to do with me,” she said. After all, so few of his choices had anything to do with her. “We’d better be on our way. Nancy will be waiting for us.”
CHAPTERTWENTY-EIGHT
“Lydia!” Nancy gripped Lydia’s hands excitedly. “I’m so glad you were able to be here today. It absolutely means the world to me to have you come by.”
“I’m happy to be invited,” Lydia said, looking around. The manor was quiet, and it had an empty feel to it. “Is Colin not at home today?”
“No, he’s out, I’m afraid,” Nancy explained. “He likes to go to the gentlemen’s club on Saturdays. It does get a bit lonely around the house without him at home, but I don’t really mind, of course. He ought to have at least one day to himself.”
“I suppose you’re right about that,” Lydia said, feeling gloomy.
Colin took one day out of the week to be by himself, and it made Nancy feel lonely! What a pleasant marriage they must have the rest of the time!
