“Yes?” He was certain she must have hundreds, and it was entirely likely that he could not answer any of them, but what was the harm in at least trying to soothe a few of her fears?
“If I am to be your wife—”
“You are.”
“Yes, I know.”
Had she so loathed their night together, she wished to cry off? Or had she decided to back out of the whole arrangement? Perhaps in the last twelve hours, she had decided the idea of tying herself to him in any way, shape, or form was simply too distasteful. His hands tightened on her waist until the edges of her stays nipped back at his grip.
“Well then?” he pressed.
“If and when you die…” There was a penetrating hazel glare to her eyes now as she stared into his face, with such a look that fixed him to his seat. “And your plan works, and I do have a child. What will I tell him when I know so little about you? How am I to let the infant know of your character, as I can hardly inform him, assuming it is a boy, of your bed sport? If that is the only aspect of your character I know anything about.”
“One of the Set—Verne will take an interest. Besides, you are a teacher. You know more than I about raising children.”
Maeve opened her expressive mouth, a small exhalation of sound escaping her as she looked at him before simply shaking her head in confusion. With both her hands, she pushed him off and made several steps towards the door before she turned back. “Have you so little interest in the child—” She cut herself off. “You told me that you wanted an heir. But you have never told me your plan, about what happens when you die? To me? To the baby? Growing up without a father to care for them?”
Unable to sit still, Silverton stood up, but only to straighten the pile of papers she had knocked against as she’d brushed past. When he raised his head, any embarrassment her questions might have caused him were safely packed away. “You knew all too well about this arrangement, and you agreed to it. Our union is for the creation of an heir, nothing more.”
“So, am I at liberty to tell the child that its father never cared a whit for it beyond the infant serving a purpose?”
“Tell him whatever you like. As I will not be alive to witness it, you may tell the boy anything. I do not care about the life of the child, merely that he is born and fulfils his function.” Silverton needed to be realistic. Any false imaginings that he would somehow get to see his child for any length of time was absurd.
“I cannot think of a worse reason for bringing an infant into this world.” She folded her arms over her chest protectively. “I was hoping that—you wished to, to have a chance of continuing, of leaving a legacy behind. You wanted something of yourself to remain. And that, finally, there would be something you wanted me to tell that child.” The look she gave him would have been heart-breaking if Silverton had ever allowed himself the luxury of having a heart.
“I hope you do not think to leave here. You may already be increasing,” he snapped back at her. He was sure the idea had crossed her mind. In fact, perhaps she was already wondering if she could reapply to her old position as a schoolteacher.
She sniffed, though whether from distaste or from anger he wasn’t sure. “If I am with child, I will never tell my babe what you have said today. I would never be so cruel.”
“I have no interest in children. As soon as you are increasing, I will know that my plan worked. That is all that matters.” The statement left a bitter taste in his mouth, but he forced himself not to say anything further to her on that matter.
“What if I have a girl?”
“I thought of that, and if that’s the case, we will simply adopt a baby boy from the nearest foundling hospital and put it about that you had twins.”
“You have thought of everything.”
Getting to his feet and walking through the study towards her, Silverton came to stand before Maeve and waited until she slowly raised her eyes to his face. She gave him a sad smile that pulled at a tightness in his chest, which he had no desire to acknowledge.
“You have thought of everything,” she repeated. “Except what a beast this will render you to everyone.”
“I do not have the liberty of time for considering that. I am a dead man, regardless.”
“That being the case, right now would seem to be the only time left for you to consider it.” Having replied, she ran from the study.
CHAPTER10
Her wedding day was not one which Maeve would have predicted. Perhaps it was for the best. Maeve had not seen Silverton since she left his study, not even when she’d knocked on the connecting door, hoping to talk to him again about inviting her father to join them. There had been no answer.
On the morning of the ceremony itself, Betty knocked and entered with the breakfast tray. Behind her entered another maid, who said she was called Hughes, and in her arms was a handsome-looking box which. When opened, it revealed a beautiful, vivid green-and-gold patterned dress which Silverton must have ordered for her.
When Maeve’s hands moved over the dress’s rounded puff sleeves, the golden filigree lacing, and its gorgeous high waistline, she had felt a flurry of excitement mount within her. As she held up the gown, a finely wrought gold and flowered tiara glinted up at her. The piece was small and fragile, but it was exactly the kind of thing she would have selected for herself. It unnerved her how well Silverton seemed to know her taste. Although, perhaps it was merely a lucky guess on his part.
“Oh,” Betty said, “it suits you, madam.”
“Thank you.” Maeve placed the gown back down and moved away to drink her tea, not allowing her thoughts to dwell on the fact that the dress seemed better suited to a woman far above her station. Or that there would be no one she knew at the ceremony to soothe her nerves.
Thankfully, the next few hours were a blur, and whilst hardly the stuff of girlish daydreams, both Hughes and Betty were happy enough to mould Maeve into a charming bride. At one point, a bridal bouquet arrived made up of a dozen white roses, baby’s breath, and snowdrops. It was bizarre how Silverton had obviously cared enough to do these things and yet would not go a step further to give her what she really wanted. The invitation of her sister and father.
