Page 6 of Married to the Lord

Chapter Three

Arms propped upon the fence, Augusta tilted her head and rested it against her forearm. From here, she watched the farrier lead the new horse around the paddock. Though the air was becoming tinged with the light chill of the approaching Autumn on some days, a shudder ran down her spine for which she could not blame the weather as it was quite temperate today. She squinted up at the sun, half covered by a delicate wisp of a cloud that did little to dampen its power. Certainly not the weather’s fault.

No, the tremors attacked every time she recalled her behavior last night. She should never have run away from Miles. But how could she face him? It was all too embarrassing. He knew better than anyone that his brother had no interest in returning to her. At least in the ballrooms, the gossips did not know the truth. Certainly she overheard them pondering her fate.Will he ever return?they asked.Why does he not set a date? Perhaps he has changed his mind?But to all of those people, it was still questions.

To Miles, it was fact.

And if there was anyone she did not want to look a fool in front of, it was him.

She snorted to herself and lowered her head to press it against her arm. What a fine job she’d done of that!

If only she had never accepted Henry. She should have known it was too good to be true. Henry was charming, attractive, and though he was the second son, she was no lady. Her family had enough wealth and stature to hold their own, but she could never have expected to marry into nobility. She was beginning to suspect Henry had only offered for her out of grief or perhaps some sense of duty. His father had been sickening and passed away just prior to him asking her to marry him. If she looked back, his proposal was surely due to how muddled his mind had been. Augusta had been there, as a family friend, to offer a shoulder to cry on.

Apparently, that shoulder was no longer of interest to him.

She raised her head to see her father in the distance, riding his favorite horse around the fields that surrounded their home. Most of the land was either for farming or pasture and they owned a fair amount but nothing like the acres that Miles and his family owned.

“Are you not riding today, Gus Gus?”

Augusta twisted and smiled at her mother. “Not today, Mama. I think I am a little tired from the ball.”

Her mother tilted her head. “You did not dance at all. How can you be tired?”

Augusta peered at her mother, who looked as fresh-faced as ever despite their arrival home in the early hours of the morning. None of them could have had more than five hours of sleep and were it not for the temptation to see the new horse, Augusta might have remained in bed past lunchtime.

Unfortunately, the idea of riding did not appeal today. Nothing seemed to appeal. She was feeling supremely sorry for herself, and she loathed herself for it. Had she not said yesterday to her friends that she would do better? That she would show Henry what he was missing?

She blew out a breath. The problem was, she did not quite know how to start. She had been quiet her entire life. Were it not for Henry offering for her hand, she could not have imagined how she might meet a husband. She had always rather hoped some bookish, equally quiet man might find her appealing and then they could live a quiet life together.

“Gus Gus?”

Augusta resisted the urge to roll her eyes at the nickname. Everyone had been calling her that since she was a girl and could not pronounce her own name. Though it did not usually bother her, she wished her mother would not call her it in public.

“I am well enough, Mama. I just do not feel like riding today.”

Her mother shifted a little closer and pushed a strand of gray hair from her face. “Did someone…”

“Yes?”

She cleared her throat. “Someone say something?”

“Well, I imagine lots of people said lots of things. Conversation does tend to happen at a ball.”

Her mother tutted. “You know that is not what I mean.”

“I am afraid I am at a loss as to what you are saying.”

“I saw that Lord Ashwick was in attendance last night. Did you speak with him?”

What she meant was, had there been any news of Henry? Oh how she hated to disappoint her family like this. They were almost more eager than her to have a date set.

Augusta shook her head. “I did not.”

“It is unusual for him to bother with such events.” Her mother leaned on the fence and Augusta joined her as they watched their father ride past elegantly. “Though he really ought to attend more. He is quite the catch and could do with a wife to help him with his duties.”

Augusta scowled to herself. Miles had shown little interest in marrying, even though he would be a fool not to understand it was part of his duty. She was secretly glad in a way. Somehow, she could not bear to see him marry. It was most likely because if he married it would remind her of her still unmarried state.

Yes, that had to be the reason for the churning in her stomach when she considered him gaining a wife.

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