“You truly do think of everything.”
“As is the role of a duchess with guests. I shall assume that you know their preferences?”
“As the one who makes purchases for them when I am there, I know them all too well. Gilbert prefers softer food, so potatoes and gravy for the most part, and Sophia… she is interesting.”
“In what sense? Is she difficult to feed?”
“On the contrary. She likes to try more exotic things that she is unable to have. I found chocolate for her once, and I thought she was going to cry.”
“Then consider it done. I will arrange for something simple tonight, as it has been a long day, and then tomorrow it will be something special. Is that alright?”
Spencer looked at his wife, her tired eyes somehow still sparkling, and wondered just what he did to have a wife like her. He wished that he had not been such a fool, for he could have been honest from the start and protected all of them the way he had wanted, but because of his actions, they had all suffered, and he wanted to make things better.
Then again, Sophia had never wanted to go to London. She had been cold toward Spencer, but she had needed him too much to push him away completely. The truth of the matter was that only one lady had had no say in what happened at all, and that was Anna. He felt like the worst husband in London, even if he knew it was not true.
“It sounds wonderful,” he replied. “Anna– I know that you do not wish to discuss this now, but are you certain that you do not hate me for what I have done?”
She looked at him in thought for a moment, then nodded her head.
“Of course I am. If I hated you, I would have arranged a second funeral for you. Perhaps this time, there would have been a body to lay to rest, too.”
She laughed, and he could not help but do the same. It had all been quite ridiculous, he had to admit, but it was going to bebetter now. He had done the hardest part, and now they could be a family.
But that night, he could not sleep. He had done as Anna requested and not pushed to tell her what had happened, but it played on his mind. He needed her to know the truth, for the one thing he could not stand was the thought that she believed it was somehow her own fault. The blame lay entirely at his feet, and there was no changing that.
He jumped out of bed, dressing hastily and going to her room. On the way, he remembered that she would answer the door wearing his favorite thing, and he stifled a groan. He did not know how he would be able to think properly if that was the case.
But he did not need to knock, for it was opening just as she arrived, and there she was—scantily clad, her hair wild, looking at him expectantly.
If only he knew what to give her.
CHAPTER 26
Anna had not wanted to discuss all that had happened, not yet, but that did not mean she could stop herself from pacing the floor.
Why had he chosen that moment to bring Sophia home? Why not before? Or never? She seemed a nice enough lady, albeit standoffish, and she seemed grateful enough to be there, so it simply did not make sense that so much time had to pass before she would come to their home.
But just as she had decided to go to him, he arrived.
“I was coming to see you,” she explained as he took a seat in her armchair. “I did not want to have this discussion with your sister present.”
“I agree,” he nodded. “She is uneasy about all of this as it is, and I am pleased that you did not speak of your apprehension in front of her.”
“What makes you think that I am apprehensive?”
“I could see it in your eyes.”
She bristled. She had never expected to be known by her husband, not well enough to be read by a single glance. She took a seat at the edge of her bed, her feet dangling.
“Well… It’s good for the boy that you brought him here. He will be far better off for it. What I cannot understand is why you did not tell me before. You could have at least written to me, Spencer. You promised that you would.”
“And I had every intention to, but then when I arrived, I realized that I had another plan, and by the time any letter would have arrived, I would be home. Not only that, but I did not want to tell you what I planned, only for it not to work.”
“And what was your plan? To drag Sophia here kicking and screaming?”
“Not at all, which is what I meant by it not working. I have always wanted her to be closer to our home, so that I would not have to be away as often, but she is a proud woman. She sees leaving to be supported by me as a failure, and believes truly that it is her responsibility to care for Gilbert alone.”
“So you at last convinced her?”
