CHAPTER 55 - I want to spend time with my wife
OLIVIA CAUGHT A GLIMPSEof the kiss Dale had deposited on Eloise’s head. Saw how his arms embraced her so tenderly, and knew that her worst fears had been realized.
Dale still loved Eloise and she, regardless of her reasons for disappearing before, had apparently decided to give their marriage a second chance. Her head was buried on his shoulder while her arms embraced him tightly.
All this time in the garden, she had tried to imagine what was going on. What could they be talking about? The situation was strange and shocking, to say the least. She still didn’t know what to make of it. But she hadn’t imagined this.
Seeing them embrace, seeing his display of affection. Oh, it was a kick to the gut. She couldn’t breathe. She tried to hide her feelings and didn’t know if she was successful, but she was proud of herself that her voice came out evenly and neutral when she said, “Sorry to interrupt. I was in the garden and saw Ninette come back into the house and I... thought it best to warn you.”
Dale gave her a searching look, and then, unhurriedly, released Eloise. There was something in his eyes she couldn’t quite decipher. Did she detect some regret in those depths? She hoped he couldn’t see how her heart was shattering in her chest. Obviously, he didn’t feel the least bit guilty about being found embracing his wife. His wife. It was another twist to the knife already piercing her heart.
And why should he feel guilty? She knew he had proposed this mad marriage for convenience's sake. It was supposed to be a practical arrangement. The fact that they had become lovers and found mind-shattering passion in each other’s arms did not mean he had come to love her, the way she had come to love him.
Dale was saying something, so she pulled herself out of her despairing thoughts.
“You are not interrupting anything, Livvy. Eloise and I had already finished talking. It seems we have reached an understanding.”
“Great! I’m so glad for you.” She faked cheerfulness to salvage some of her pride. “I will go back outside. Just... beware of Ninette.” She had to get away from here as soon as possible, or she was going to break down in front of them, and she refused to be so pathetic.
“Better yet, I’ll go back to the village.” She hurried out the door and down the driveway with only one thought in her head. Escape!
Oh God! She was so foolish. Such a complete, utter, unmitigated, idiot. Why couldn’t she just disappear? On top of the pain of seeing them together, she didn’t even have the choice of leaving with some dignity, for she had put herself in a position of depending entirely on him.
She should have insisted on her independence. Instead of marrying him, she should have found a job and fend for herself. At least then she wouldn’t be in this situation. She was going to suffer the humiliation of having to travel back to England with them. Feeling like a third wheel until Dale found her some other accommodations, which she hoped would be soon.
How had she gone, in an hour, from being his wife to being the cast away ex-lover he now needed to dispose of? Just this morning, they had greeted the sunrise naked in each other’s arms. It was her own damn fault for showing him that letter, sticking her nose in something that was none of her business. Why couldn’t she have left matters alone? She should have burned that letter. Should have torn it to pieces.
She had almost reached the lane leading to the village when she heard Dale’s voice calling her from the house. But her eyes were overflowing with tears she didn’t want him to see, so she pretended not to hear him and walked faster. She wanted to run, but that would be undignified, and he had already proven he could catch up to her, so she fervently hoped he decided not to follow.
Her hopes were not to be fulfilled. Running footsteps were getting closer, and he called again a few steps behind her. She could not pretend not to hear him anymore, so she stopped but didn’t turn, and surreptitiously dabbed at her eyes. When he caught up to her, she was as composed as she could manage.
“Livvy, where are you going?”
“I told you. To the village.” She started walking again.
“But why not wait for me?” He asked, falling into step beside her.
Was the man daft? “I thought you might want to spend more time with your wife.”
“I do. I want to spend as much time as I can with my wife.”
Livvy pressed her lips together in a grimace of a smile, nodded jerkily, and continued walking. “There you go, then. I’ll go so that you two can spend time together without having to worry about me.”
He put out a hand and grabbed her arm to stop her. Then he turned her and gently placed his fingers under her chin, lifting her face.
“You are my wife.”
A tear rolled out uncontrolled. “No, I am not. Eloise is your real wife. I was just someone you married in order to protect. Our marriage was a mad scheme and isn’t even legal anymore.”
“I don’t care about the legalities or anything else. You are my real wife.”
“What about Eloise?”
