Page 22 of The Lyon Whisperer
She arched her brows in silent rebuke.
His dark eyes gleamed with amusement. “My mother was French. Her maiden name wasChancier,”he said in a perfect French accent.
He shifted his gaze to the small-paned window to study the passing scenery. “I’m told she wanted to name me after her, and my father agreed to her demand.” He paused. “After a time.”
As he spoke, the corners of his eyes tightened, and his mouth turned down.
Talk of his parents distressed him? Why? Because both of them were gone, she wondered, or had she detected another undercurrent?
Having never known her own mother, she could certainly relate to the former. She wanted to ask his age at his parents’ passing, to know how it had affected him, but sensed now was not the time to delve further in that direction.
“My father tells me we are to live at Warren House for a set period of time. Six months?”
His head swiveled in her direction and his frown deepened. “He told you that?”
“Yes, just before we left. Did he have the right of it? Is there something I should know?”
“Something you should know? About what?” Suspicion laced his words.
Engaging her husband in conversation was proving much more difficult than she had anticipated. “About why we shall vacate Warren House in six months’ time.”
He sank back into the cushions, resting his long arms across the top. “Fallsgate has his facts mixed up. We have no set time limit on our stay at Warren House, nor are we bound there. I merely chose it as its proximity to London affords me the ability to see to my parliamentary duties, while the property itself provides ample space in a relatively peaceful environ.” His mouth curved, a brief flash of gleaming white teeth. “In other words, the estate seemed the best location for the two of us to become better acquainted—as per your request.”
She swallowed over a throat that had gone suddenly dry. It sounded as if he had chosen the manse for her sake, to honor her request that they get to know one another before anything of a physical nature transpired between them.
He had listened to her. Perhaps he even wished to know her intimately, as she wished to know him.
His gesture could also indicate nothing more than a desire to claim his marital rights sooner than later.
A flutter tickled her belly, as if she’d ingested a live butterfly.
“Do you prefer city life? Is a country estate not to your liking?” he asked, brows furrowing.
“Not at all. Warren House sounds like the perfect place for us to begin our lives together. Thank you for your consideration, my…Chase.”
He inclined his head, never taking his dark eyes off her. “As I said, the distance from town does not preclude me from my responsibilities, both to England and”—he shook his head in evident exasperation—“my uncle.”
Before she could ask what he meant by the latter, he spoke again. “I’m afraid your book club meetings will no longer be quite so convenient to attend, with us living so far out of the city.”
That got her attention. “Are you saying you mean to go back on your word, sir?”
Something like irritation sparked in his eyes. “No, I am not, Amelia. You will soon learn I say what I mean, and mean what I say. I am merely expressing a statement of fact.”
She felt a little silly for jumping to the wrong conclusion. “You’ll avail me of a horse, then?” she asked hopefully.
His black brows beetled in an instant. “A horse? I hope you’re not implying you mean to ride a horse on your own into the city.”
She had meant precisely that. “I’m an excellent rider.”
“Be that as it may, you may take the carriage into town for your club meetings, when it’s available.”
When it’s available. Hmm.It certainly sounded as if he planned to curtail her meetings, albeit in a roundabout manner, but she’d half-accused him already, and then been made to feel churlish over doing so. She could wait and see how this played out.
In any case, there wasn’t a meeting scheduled this week.
Evidently considering the matter closed, he went on. “I am gratified to learn you ride. Perhaps we can venture out on the trail from Warren House to the river together.”
At his suggestion, some of the heat went out of her. “I would like that very much, Chase.”
