“Then what has happened already to make you both so distant?”
Allan couldn’t listen anymore. He dived for the safety of his study, locking the door tight and absorbing himself in the plans for his estate and garden.
* * *
Frederica stared at the empty spot at the head of the breakfast table. So far, she hadn’t touched her food though Honora ate rather noisily at her place opposite Frederica.
Allan had not come to breakfast. The unhappy feeling this caused was amplified by the fact that the evening before, Allan had scarcely said a word during dinner, leaving Honora to handle most of the conversation.
“You must eat, dear,” Honora said softly, pushing some of the plates of food toward her. “Trust me, I know you never eat that much — I saw that the year you were under my roof — but you should eat now. After all, wives often have to eat for two shortly after they are wed.”
Tea shot the wrong way down Frederica’s throat. She coughed and spluttered so much that Lucy and Mrs. Long appeared in the nearest doorway, peering around the frame to check on her.
“I’m — well —” Frederica tried to assure them though they sprang into action anyway. Lucy presented her with a clean handkerchief to clean herself up, and Mrs. Long poured out a fresh cup of tea. “Thank you for your kindness,” Frederica said as they both smiled at her and left the room again.
“Well, I can see you are well taken care of by the staff,” Honora said with interest, taking it upon herself to now pile food on Frederica’s plate. “Even if your husband takes little notice of you.”
“He does take care of me,” Frederica argued, wiping some tea from her chin. “He buys me gifts all the time. He usually sits here and has breakfast with me. We talk, we smile together, and…” she trailed off, realizing that none of this explained his behavior the last couple of days. “And as for eating for two, that is not possible.”
Honora nodded slowly.
Frederica realized again how grateful she was for her aunt. By now, her mother would be outraged that they had not consummated the marriage, but Honora simply accepted this fact.
“Very well.” Honora sat back in her chair and looked around the room. “Well, if you are intent on changing much in this house, and your husband has agreed to fund such changes, let us go shopping today? A little trip to Covent Garden might just make you smile.”
Frederica stared at her, blankly.
“Do not think I haven’t noticed your manner,” Honora whispered. “You smiled when I arrived, but you have smiled for little else. If it is your husband making you miserable, then we shall escape for a little while. So, Covent Garden?”
Frederica glanced at the empty chair at the head of the table, deep in thought as she debated her answer. Mrs. Long soon came in with another pot of tea.
“Mrs. Long, have you seen Allan this morning?”
“The master had breakfast early, My Lady,” Mrs. Long said gently. “He’s gone to visit his tenants with his steward.”
Frederica’s spine stiffened. Allan could have left her a note to tell her or even left a message with the housekeeper, but Mrs. Long’s forced smile showed there was no point in Frederica asking about such a message.
“Yes, Aunt, let’s go to Covent Garden,” Frederica said with finality. “Perhaps a little excursion would be good.”
Honora clapped her hands together excitedly.
* * *
“What of this one?” Honora asked, presenting a cloth for new curtains in the draper’s shop. She laid it upon another bolt of material for Frederica to look at.
“Hmm.” Frederica chewed her lip in thought. “My mother would certainly approve. It’s busy enough for her taste.”
Honora snatched away the material, a sudden sharpness apparent in her expression.
“What?” Frederica asked.
“We are not shopping for your mother. We are shopping foryou.” Honora waved the material at her in consternation then threw it aside where it was promptly caught by the draper’s assistant who was looking rather panicked at the careless way Honora was handling all the samples. “So, let us pick another.”
Honora now presented Frederica with a soft cream curtain, inlaid with a gentle sage green leaf. It was beautiful without being overstated. Frederica smiled when she considered that Allan might also like this curtain. He was so fond of the outdoors; it would work very well to bring the outside in.
“I like it,” she whispered, “very much.”
“Excellent, then write down the details, so you can consider it.” Honora added it to a pile of other swatches they were building to take home with them. “Do you know what your husband would like? Or is he always as distant with you as he has been since I arrived?”
