“I am, which is why I will remain here until this mess has been taken care of.”
“And then what do you plan to do? You cannot simply return for one month of the year and then leave your wife behind for the rest of it. These threats shall come every year if you do that, and eventually they will tire of waiting.”
“I do not plan to do that.”
“Then what do you plan to do?”
“I do not know,” he said helplessly. “Nothing I think of makes sense. I do not want to leave my wife, you are correct, but what can I do?”
“Tell Sophia to come here.”
Spencer did not like the way he said her name, for it was with the faintest trace of venom.
“I know that you are not particularly fond of her–”
“I cannot stand her, and I have half a mind to tell your wife about her, too. She has a right to know, and I assume that she does not.”
“I… I do not know how to explain it to her. I will tell her eventually, but not now. Not yet.”
“Then I am disappointed in you. I want her to know precisely who it is that you are running to, for as it stands, you are hiding far too much, and she does not deserve it.
“You make it sound like I am being disloyal to her.”
His friend raised an eyebrow, not responding with words.
It irritated Spencer to know that his friend thought that of him. Throughout his marriage, he had never considered being disloyal to Anna. She was a stranger to him, but that did not change the fact that they were married, and he had a duty to her. He had several, but for all the ways he had failed her, he would not betray her in love.
“She will know,” he repeated. “Eventually, I will tell her everything, and she may do with that information as she wishes. For now, I have no plans to leave, and she and I are enjoying one another’s company.”
“Then that will not change for a long time.”
“I did not say that,” he snapped. “Alexander, I know that you are trying to help, but perhaps your time would be better spent finding a wife of your own. Then you may cherish your own lady, rather than mine.”
“Is that jealousy that I hear?”
“No,” he bluffed. “If anything, I am territorial. She is my wife, and you have gained quite a reputation. I know that you want the best for her, but you need to accept that I also do, and you need to let me do what is necessary.”
“I would never do anything to a married woman, especially not yours. I do not say any of this to anger you; I say it to make you think of her before anyone else. You swore at the altar to dedicate your life to honoring her, and thus far, you have left her alone, then returned without a word of explanation. She has an attachment now—Heaven only knows why—and I dare say that you do too. Do not leave her again, for I do not think she would forgive you a second time.”
He had said it in a measured tone, but Spencer felt the anger. There was no denying that Alexander had a specific expectation that should be met when it came to a marriage, and Spencer had fallen short consistently. He had tried to be a good husband and was courting Anna as she had asked, but that was precisely the problem.
He was being a good husband, and Alexander was right in saying that she had formed an attachment. He had done the same, and it would be agony to leave her behind, but his mind remainedmade. He could not leave Sophia, and Sophia would not want to see Anna. They had to remain apart, and Spencer…
Spencer did not know what to do with himself.
He left Alexander’s home before lunch, and when he returned, Anna was waiting for him in the dining room. He tried to fix the expression on his face, for he did not want her to worry, but of course, she was intuitive and could tell that something was amiss in an instant.
“Is something wrong?” she asked. “I do hope that you and the Duke have not quarreled.”
“Not as such. We exchanged words, but we will be fine come tomorrow.”
“What was it about, if I may ask?”
He was quiet for a moment, skewering some meat with his fork.
“It was about you.”
It was her turn to fall silent, looking at her plate before looking back at him.
