Husband. I’m a husband now. What an uncomfortable feeling.
“Your Grace…” Her voice softened as she came to stand at the edge of his desk. She offered a hopeful smile that he steeled himself against. “Her Grace is confident and kind. I think the two of you would get along quite well if you try.”
“You’ve hardly known her a day.”
She smiled. “I’m an excellent judge of character. The two of you only need to spend some time together.”
Shaking his head, Owen said, “I don’t think so.”
“Consider how it’s your wife’s first day away from her home. Her family,” the housekeeper urged. “It is difficult to suddenly be shipped off to a new home, away from family. A letter on a new desk will hardly be enough for her. Why, she’s surrounded by strangers in a strange house. You’re right that we don’t know each other, and she doesn’t know you either.”
“Be that as it may, this is not a stranger’s house. It’s her house.”
“And yours.”
“Hardly.” Rising from his desk, Owen decided that if his housekeeper was going to stay in his study, then he would leave. He couldn’t continue this conversation. “She can enjoy the house as she desires. Do with it what she wills. But she has no right to claim my time or my attention.”
Or any other part of me.
Mrs. Helen studied his face quickly, finally beginning to comprehend his words. Her lips pressed together into a thin line. But at least she bobbed a curtsy, as though she accepted his words.
“Yes, Your Grace,” she murmured.
“Thank you, Mrs. Helen. I appreciate your dedication here.”
She opened the door for him while he crossed the room. “Are you leaving? What about your breakfast?”
“Leave it. I don’t mind it cold. But I find that I need that ride, after all,” he admitted.
Although his housekeeper muttered something under her breath, it wasn’t loud enough for him to hear. He decided not to dwell on it. Mrs. Helen had no qualms about speaking her mind to him, as this past conversation had proven. If she wanted to tell him something, then she would make sure he heard it.
Owen was annoyed by the conversation, but he respected his servants, and that included Mrs. Helen. She had a big heart, even if it was in the wrong place.
Perhaps his new wife did need time to get used to her new life. It had been a blur for him both coming to live with his extended family and then leaving them. Neither occasion was anything to compare to Georgiana’s new life. If anything, she was most likely better off here than anywhere else.
What other lady will have money and freedom like this? I want nothing from her. Only the desire for her to keep her nose out of my affairs. I want my peace.
There was nothing Owen prized more than his peace. He needed the calm and quiet after the storms of his youth.
His childhood had proven that it was safer to stay away from people rather than to take any risks. Curses weren’t real. He was just an unfortunate fool who had caused his parents’ death, proving to himself that love was too costly. He couldn’t love, not anymore.
The less he felt, the better off he was. It had been a mantra he’d kept in mind during his days at university before he had his growth spurt and was picked on, and afterward when he saw the backstabbing and the manipulators. He relied on it even now.
People are nothing but trouble. More than anything, I do not want to get to know Georgiana. First, we would talk about the weather. Then that would turn into conversations about the house and then families, and then she’ll have me hog-tied while she sobs over her feelings.
He would have to brace himself for every conversation, especially more now that he knew how nosy she could be.
Having had years of experience in building these walls, however, Owen didn’t worry too much. Georgiana would just have to learn to live without him. That couldn’t be too difficult.
As he rounded the path toward the stables, barely remembering where to go, Owen found he was still wound tight. He reached the open doors in a huff. They had no need to be open this wide, not the two of them. But as he opened his mouth to tell whoever was in the stables to be more careful, he heard someone talking.
“Yes, you are a beauty, aren’t you?” a gentle voice crooned. Owen stilled. “What beautiful black hair you have. That’s a very fine mane. You would let me brush it, wouldn’t you? Look at you, so wild and beautiful.”
His mouth dried. Those soft words threatened to undo him in a heartbeat. Blinking, he found he needed to understand why someone was talking to him like this.
It only caused his ire to rise as he found Georgiana leaning over a stall while stroking the neck of his horse, Albert. Owen stared and listened to her whispering sweet nothings to his stallion.
He wanted to tell her to be quiet, that this was not the way to tame a stallion. Albert was a wild beast who deserved his peace and quiet, along with his right not to be bothered.
