Page 10 of Secrets of the Marriage Bed
Clearly looking for sentiment in her husband was wishful thinking.
‘About our move to the country,’ she said, metaphorically grasping the nettle. ‘Where is it exactly we are going?’ She smiled and sat on the sofa near the open French door. ‘Ring for tea, would you, and you can inform me of the plans.’
Mr Lewis’s shy smile returned in full force.
* * *
Walking into his office and finding his wife taking tea with his secretary ought to have added to the misery of Alistair’s day. In fact, the sight of her sitting on the sofa listening intently to Lewis lifted his spirits to the point of ridiculousness.
She looked up at his entry into the room with a smile so welcoming it plucked at a painful chord deep within him. An alien need to belong.
‘I’m glad to find you having such a rollicking good time with my Duchess, Lewis,’ he said and wanted to kick himself for the instant wariness on both their faces. He had no reason to feel jealous. None at all.
His wife, goddamn it,hiswife, lifted her chin. ‘Mr Lewis was regaling me with stories of organising your processions around the countryside. Will you join us for tea? I took the liberty of ordering an extra cup should you return in time.’
She’d thought of him? When was the last time anyone at all had thought about him in his absence and so kindly as to hope for his arrival? Surprised, he took a seat beside her on the sofa.
She set a cup of tea in front of him, then offered him the plate of shortbread. As he lifted the delicacy to his mouth he inhaled a faint scent of orange. A taste confirmed he was not wrong. The shortbread not only smelled lovely, it was delicious. He sipped at his tea and found it prepared exactly to his liking.
‘Her Grace wanted to discuss the move to Sackfield next week,’ Lewis said. ‘I have given her the date of our departure and an outline of the usual travel arrangements.’
‘Mr Lewis has been extremely helpful,’ Julia said, but while her voice was light and even, he sensed an underlying unhappiness. Did she not like the countryside? For him, it was always a blessed relief, though his business affairs remained as demanding as they were while he was in Town. Putting the Duchy in order after his prolonged absence had been trying indeed, though his half-brother, Luke, had done his best with it, under the circumstances. Keeping it that way required equal effort.
‘You will like Sackfield Hall, Julia.’ He hoped she would. It was the only place in all of the estates owned by the Duchy he felt any affection for. He put down his cup. ‘However, Lewis and I have a great deal of business to conduct before our departure.’ He glanced over at his desk.
The man jumped to his feet.
‘Indeed, Your Grace. The documents arrived from the lawyer’s office this morning.’
His will. He’d added a codicil to ensure Julia received his personal fortune in the event of his death. Everything else would go to the Dunstan heir.
Julia rose, graceful, elegant, and clearly unhappily aware of her dismissal. ‘I will ask Grindle to collect the tray, if you have finished?’
Alistair, having risen with her, glanced down at the biscuit in his hand. He hadn’t even realised he had taken another. ‘I have. My compliments to the chef. The shortbread is delicious.’
‘I will let him know.’ A small smile curved her luscious lips and he wondered if the orange had been her idea. The idea that his compliment had pleased her gave him a feeling of warmth in the pit of his stomach.
When nothing about her should warm any part of him.
He sat down at the desk, finished off the letter of dismissal and handed it to Lewis. ‘Send it round with a footman, would you, please. Lavinia will be well satisfied.’ He’d been more than ready to let Lavinia go for some time. Even if he had not, he would have done so. While he did not tolerate jealousy in a mistress, his wife deserved what little respect he could give her. He certainly wasn’t going to flaunt other women in her face.
‘Yes, Your Grace.’
‘Now, let us take a look at the documents from the solicitor.’ He wanted to be sure they had followed his instructions to the letter. There must be not the slightest opening for Luke or his mother to contest the new provisions he had made for his wife and there had been too many accidents in his life to leave her welfare to chance.
