But she thought back to the day they’d first met—the day she had dressed as a young man and found him in the tavern. He had flirted with a young lady on that occasion, even though he had been about to marry Prudence. Caroline remembered feeling scandalized by it. She had forgotten all about that in the wake of everything that had followed.
I’ll bet that’s who he was with.
She felt sick at the thought of it, and sick with the knowledge that there was nothing she could do. She had no hope of controlling her husband’s behavior. If this was the way he wanted to be, hewas within his rights to do so, and she was stuck—stuck married to a man who did not value her at all.
He didn’t arrive home until lunchtime, looking exhausted and worse for wear. Caroline, waiting in the sitting room, heard him come in, but she couldn’t bring herself to go to him. He had treated her terribly, and she had no desire to speak to him. She had no desire for anything except to free herself from the prison that was this marriage—but that was unlikely to ever happen.
That evening, she kept to her room even when the hour for dinner arrived. He would be expecting her, but what of that? She’d expectedhimto return home last night, but he’d failed. He couldn’t think she owed him any sort of loyalty or obedience after that.
After ten minutes had gone by, a knock came at the door.
Caroline ignored it.
The knock came again, more persistent this time. “Your Grace—Caroline—please.”
It was Bethany. Caroline went to the door and let her lady’s maid into the room.
She looked pale and upset. “Your Grace…”
“Bethany, please. We’ve talked about this.”
“I know. I apologize…Caroline.”
“You don’t need to apologize to me. You look as if you’re about to cry.” She took Bethany’s hands, led her to a chair, and helped her sit down. “Tell me what’s the matter, for heaven’s sake.”
“The duke—he’s angry,” Bethany said. “I’m afraid he’ll have me dismissed from the house.”
“No,” Caroline said. “No, he wouldn’t do that. I’ve told him many times I’m not interested in any other maid. I’ve made that clear.”
“Yes…but it’s you he’s angry with,” Bethany whispered. “He may send me away to punish you.”
“I’m sure he wouldn’t do that. He wouldn’t punish someone else for something I’ve done.Would he?She had to admit, her husband was very unpredictable. “Is this because I didn’t come to dinner?”
“He says I have to make you go down,” Bethany said. “He said if I value my position in this house, I’ll make you go to the table.”
“Oh, for heaven’s sake!” Caroline rested a hand on her maid’s shoulder. “You don’t have to worry, Bethany, I’m going.”
“You’re my friend. I don’t wish to make you do anything,” Bethany said, tears spilling over at last. “But I can’t lose my position. I need this job.”
“I understand, Bethany. And you aren’t making me do anything, don’t worry. If my husband is determined to behave irrationally then it’s my wish to go down to dinner and confront him directly about it.” She squeezed her maid’s hand. “Don’t worry. You aren’t going to be sent away. I’ll make sure of it.”
Steaming with anger, she made her way down the stairs and into the dining room.
Levi was waiting at the table. He clearly hadn’t touched his food. It didn’t look as though he had even touched the silverware. He watched as she made her way over to the table, took a seat, and began to serve herself without speaking.
“We had an agreement,” he said at last.
She hummed noncommittally.
“Our agreement was that you were to present yourself at meals each night. Look at me, Caroline.”
“I don’t believe any part of our arrangement granted you the authority to tell me where to look,” she said, keeping her eyes on her plate.
“I am you husband. Look at me.”
She wanted to illustrate the point, but at the same time, she did wish to look at him, if only to see whether he showed any regretfor the way he had behaved. “You didn’t come home last night,” she said.
“I was out.”
