As they traveled, however, Anna knew that they needed to talk. His instruction to dress for the evening was no more than a way to distract her from the conversation, and even she knew that.
“We cannot keep postponing our discussion,” she said as the carriage rumbled along. “I need answers, and I need to know what we are going to do about all of this.”
“I told you that it is none of your concern.”
“And I am telling you that it is.”
At that moment, however, they arrived. Anna turned to leave the carriage, but Spencer took her wrist, holding her in place.
“Very well, I will tell you,” he said coolly. “First, however, we must fix the mess you made.”
“And how do you propose that we do that?”
“We will present ourselves as a happy, united couple, and make everyone believe that everything is fine,” he explained. “We will make them believe that there is nothing wrong with our family.”
He let her go, and they made their way inside, but his words echoed in her mind. He referred to her as his family, something she had always wanted.
And yet, what she thought of more than anything was how incredible he felt pressing into her.
CHAPTER 8
“Now we are family?”
Spencer had expected his wife to pick up on what he had said, but he had not expected her to do so immediately. He was pleased that she listened, but he wished that she would consider more than feelings before she acted.
“Just play along,” he said bluntly.
She put on a smile, and the two of them made their way to the ballroom. Spencer did not fully trust the smile that she wore, for it did not seem genuine, but then he could hardly blame her for that. Even so, it felt as though she was hiding something, and given her penchant for doing exactly as she pleased, it could only have spelled trouble.
“Good evening, Your Grace,” their host, Lord Hunterson, greeted. “It is a pleasure to have you back.”
“It is a pleasure to be back,” he replied brightly.
“And such a miraculous recovery,” Lady Hunterson continued. “Truly, it is such a remarkable story. I am most pleased for you both.”
As she said it, she looked directly at Anna, who kept that same smile from before.
“I could not quite believe it, myself,” she said softly, in a tone he had never heard from her. “I feel most ridiculous for having put thetonthrough all of that, but I am most pleased to have been wrong.”
“If only I had arrived before the letter,” he chuckled. “You see, I had typhoid fever, and I wanted my wife to know what was happening when my condition worsened. Mere days after it was sent, however, I began to recover.”
Lady Hunterson gasped, her hand lightly pressed to her lips as she smiled wistfully at the tale.
“Well, we are glad to see you here,” Lord Hunterson nodded. “Should anyone have an unkind word to say to you, do not hesitate to come to me. I shall have them escorted out, for nobody will speak ill of such a couple as you.”
They thanked their hosts and made their way to the other guests. He felt Anna’s grip tighten on his arm. The curve of her lipssuggested she was pleased with their story and its effect on their hosts.
“Duplicity comes so easily to some,” she said, just loudly enough for him to hear.
“Later,” he replied. “We are in a precarious situation, and I cannot allow you to say something provocative.”
“Well, I am pleased to know that you think you can control my actions any more than I can yours.”
“Anna-”
“I see my friend, the Duchess of Winterleigh,” she said suddenly, letting go of him. “I shall see you later.”
She walked away before he could say another word, joining a tall lady with wavy brown hair and gentle brown eyes. She was accompanied by an imposing gentleman with port wine stains on his skin. They both greeted her warmly before casting a glance in his direction.
