Page 48 of The Gentleman Was Right
Basil didn’t respond, just continued up the stairs.
Once he was out of sight, she wrenched her gaze away and focused on her husband. “I’m parched, and now that things are settled with Basil, we should call for tea.”
She tucked her hand into the crook of Edward’s elbow and led him to the small parlor that overlooked the street, making sure to sit where she’d have a clear view of Basil’s departure.
She rang for tea, forgetting for a moment that the staff did not know Basil was leaving. Nor did they know that she was married. She probably should have ventured to the kitchens, where the housekeeper and maid were sure to be at this time of day, and informed them of the changes, but they had all been loyal to Basil, and she was not certain they would remain once he left.
Plus, she was exhausted after the day she’d had.
Their maid, Lydia, appeared in the doorway. “Miss?”
“Lydia.” Violet, suddenly nervous, spoke briskly. “My husband and I would like tea.”
“Your…your husband?”
“That is correct. We married earlier this morning.”
“But…but…what about Mr. Knightly?”
“Mr. Knightly will be leaving shortly to seek other accommodations. We are no longer betrothed.”
Lydia gaped at them, her confusion evident.
“Lydia, was it?” Edward asked, his smile charmingly wide.
She offered a tentative smile in return. “Uh…yes, sir.”
“I understand this is a bit of a shock. My wife”—he put extra emphasis on those two words—“was supposed to marry Mr. Knightly. It was what her father wanted, but unfortunately,it wasn’t what she wanted.” He let those words hang for a second and then added, “When we met…well…you can’t fight love.”
“Love,” Lydia repeated.
“When you meet the right person, previous agreements are no longer valid. Wouldn’t you agree?”
“Umm…yes?”
His eyes crinkled. “We married as soon as we were able. Circumstances being what they are, we felt it prudent to wait until after the ceremony was over to share our happiness with others. We couldn’t risk interference before we spoke our vows, you understand?”
Lydia nodded, her confusion replaced by something softer as she dropped into a curtsy. “Congratulations, sir, miss.”
“Much appreciated.” Edward placed his hand on Violet’s, just like he had done in the carriage. “We’re positively famished. Perhaps?—”
“Tea. Of course.” Lydia backed out of the room and disappeared into the hallway.
Silence descended. Violet’s thoughts tangled. Edward’s claims had been quite convincing. If she didn’t know the truth, she might have believed they were in love.
“I appreciate that you’re willing to lie for me.” She probably should have hated it more. Dishonesty was not an admirable trait, and just because he was spinning a tale that benefited her didn’t make it more so. “But you had better not lietome.” She’d already made him promise, but it could not be stated too frequently or too forcefully.
“You are my wife,” he stated, not flinching or hesitating. “You can trust me.”
She allowed the words to settle, even if they didn’t convince her. Trust did not come easily. And she certainly didn’t intend to extend it to him simply because he informed her that she could, but she couldn’t deny that she liked that he didn’t hesitate to reassure her. “Do you intend to spin that tale for everyone we encounter?”
“Only as necessary. Yesterday you were betrothed to another man. We must provide a reasonable explanation for why we married in secret.”
She sighed. He was probably right. Her circle of acquaintances in London was almost nonexistent, but his was probably much larger, and they had married rather abruptly.
Lydia bustled in carrying a large tray. She set it on the table and then disappeared back into the hall. Violet already knew Edward took a bit of sugar, so she didn’t need to ask his preference as she busied herself preparing the tea.
She was passing him his cup when sounds from outside drew her attention. Her own tea forgotten, she peered into the street and watched as Basil secured three trunks onto a small cart.
