He saw her in the next moment—his Lucy. She stood amongst a group of her friends, chatting away. Even from a distance, he could see the sparkle in her eyes. The first time he ever saw Lucy was at a ball, like this one. She’d been standing, as now. At first he’d taken only a passing notice of her. But then she’d smiled, and Reed hadn’t been able to look away.
He hadn’t managed to summon the courage to pay her court until the start of the next Season. Fortunately, he’d not turned coward then. He’d asked her to dance, and she’d agreed. At the end of that Season, he’d asked her to marry him, and she’d agreed.
What went wrong? Why hasthis Season been so miserably disastrous?
She hadn’t been satisfied with his company any longer. Every evening, it was the same complaint—she didn’t want to be at home with him. She wished to be out with Society and her friends.
Mr. Harris appeared at his side unannounced, “You’re not turning lily-livered on us, are you?”
“Not lily-livered. I only—” His eyes returned to Lucy. “I was only wishing things were different between Lucy and me.”
“They will be, my boy.” Mr. Harris slapped a firm hand on his shoulder. “Your marriage’ll be happy and loving again, just as soon as you’ve ignored your wife properly.”
“I am beginning to suspect, Mr. Harris, that your entire family is a bit touched in the upper works.”
“Nothing mad about it, Reed. It’s a fine plan.”
He was attending a ball, something he generally did his utmost to avoid, and his wife, whom he’d not really seen in two days, was there. This “fine” plan required him to not dance with her—indeed, to not even talk to her. That seemed a little daft.
But he had only been married a few months. His father-in-law and brothers-in-law had more than forty-five years of marriage experience between them. They understood the issues better than he did. And if their plan worked, and he and Lucy could have the happy and contented stay in Town he’d anticipated, the entire ordeal would be worth it.
That was what he told himself as he tore his gaze from Lucy and walked away.
Chapter Five
Lucy’s patience was nearly spent. She had sat through four nights of Society functions waiting for Reed to rush to her side and declare he couldn’t bear to be away from her another moment. She had even seen him at most of the gatherings, but he never said so much as a word to her. He smiled and made friendly conversation with any number of people then left without ever noticing her.
She stepped into her parents’ sitting room, where her mother and sister-in-law Amelia bent over their needlework, discussing someone’s choice of gown the evening before.
“This is not working,” Lucy declared with all the authority a youngest child could manage.
“Nonsense, dear,” Mother said. “Our embroidery is coming along nicely.”
“Not the embroidery.” Surely her family had noticed her dilemma. “This plan we’ve concocted to remind Reed how lonely and miserable he was as a bachelor so he’ll come running backto me and declare he’ll never neglect me again.Thatis not working.”
Mother looked at her over her needlepoint. “Why in heaven’s name do you think that?”
Lucy looked from one of them to the other. Surely they weren’t so blind as to have not noticed the lack of results their scheme had produced.
“Reed is living as a bachelor and couldn’t be more pleased about it,” she explained. “I have never seen him look happier at a ball or musicale as I have these past few nights. He pokes his head in, chats amicably with a few people here and there then gladly leaves with his cronies, no doubt to spend the night at their club. He’s gleeful.”
Mother and Amelia exchanged knowing looks.
“Clarissa said Lucy’s determination was flagging,” Amelia told Mother.
As Clarissa was not currently present, Lucy could only assume her “determination” had been a previous topic of discussion among them.
“This is not a question of determination,” Lucy insisted. “I miss my husband. I miss seeing him each day and talking to him. That isn’t a bad thing. I love him enough to have married him, after all. Wishing he were with me is to be expected.”
“Of course it is,” Mother said, but she didn’t sound as if she actually agreed.
“He may not like to attend balls and soirees and such, or perhaps he doesn’t like attending them with me— he has, after all, made more appearances at social events these past few days than in the weeks prior— but I would rather have his company quietly at home or doing something he enjoys than to not have it at all.”
Amelia gave her a commiserating look. “And are you prepared to make that sacrifice every day for the rest of your life?You would be telling him that his preferences are the only consideration in your marriage.”
“But by staying away, aren’t I insisting that my preferences are the ones that must be bowed to?”
“Come sit, dear.” Mother patted the space beside her on the sofa.
