I must not scare her.
“I understand your trepidation, Vivian. But I am not your ex-fiancée. I would never do such a thing to you. As a marquess, as your husband, I have sworn to protect you, to care for you. And those vows I will honor. All I can do is ask that you trust me.”
“Idotrust you.” Vivian sighed. “But that does not change things. Without giving you an heir, my future is not guaranteed. If anything were to happen to you, I would be utterly destitute, with no home and no status.”
“Nothing is going to happen to me.”There is no curse.His voice came out harder than he had meant.
“None of us knows what the future holds. I am not saying I believe in the curse, but even if it is not true, you could meet with an accident or who knows what.” Vivian gave him a frank look.“An heir would mean that even if something happened to you, my place here would be secure.”
“And yet childbirth is not without risks. If it is safety and security you wish for, there are easier ways I can provide for you.” He ran a hand through his hair, chewing his lip as he pondered what she had said. “You should not bed someone simply because you think you should. You should not have a child only for security.”
“There are few other options open to me.” Vivian shrugged. “I never want to be at the mercy of another, not ever again.”
“And I have no intention of letting you be.” Thomas met her wide hazel eyes. “If anything were to happen to me, I have already made sure you would have a settlement to keep you financially independent for a lifetime and beyond. When we visit my grandmother for her birthday, we will go to Mason’s—a jeweler—and pick out a proper engagement ring. If you ever need to, you can sell it, and that will support you as well.”
“And as for your home, we have always agreed that by the end of these few weeks, we would go our separate ways.” He saw her swallow and felt his own chest tighten. “I bought a cottage in the lake district for you. The deed is in your name. I meant to give it to you as a wedding present, but the solicitor has only just got it back to me.”
Thomas gently took her hand in his, brushing a tear away with his thumb. “I swore to look after you, Vivian, and I meant it. You need not do anything to earn my protection. It is my duty as your husband.”
“And is it not the duty of a wife to bear her husband heirs?”
“Some men might think that. But there are other, more important duties you fulfill for me.” “You give me respectability, and I value your friendship. Since our marriage, I have had six business proposals accepted. You are giving me freedom, and I would see that you are free to pursue yours. What do you actually want to do?”
Vivian opened her mouth and closed it several times before shaking her head. “I do not think anyone has ever asked me that before. My whole life has been planned out for me, and until recently, I was following that path.”
“Then perhaps it is time you tread your own.” Thomas took her hand in his and squeezed it gently. “This is your life, Vivian. Only you can decide how you want to live it.”
Vivian nodded, her eyes going distant before she gave him a small smile. “You might regret such an invitation, Thomas. What if you do not like how I choose to live my life?”
I doubt there is anything you could do that I would not like.He stopped the words from escaping, shrugging languidly instead.
“Unless you decide to take up the bagpipes, I think we should be fine. Besides, we only have to be together a short while; we can survive anything for a few weeks.”
He felt his heart twist at his words, frowning and trying to understand what caused it. Out of the corner of his eye, he thought he saw a look flicker across Vivian’s face, but when he looked up at her, she was smiling at him.
“I suppose there is some truth in that.” She took his hand in hers and squeezed it. “Thank you, Thomas.”
“It is my pleasure.” He swallowed around a lump in his throat. “I should let you rest unless you wish for me to stay?”
She shook her head. “I think a nap is in order, and I am sure you have things to tend to.”
“Very well, I shall see you later.” Thomas inclined his head toward her and left the room.
As he walked toward his study, he could not help but wonder if he should stay. For a moment, he almost turned back, his heart speeding up. A memory of his mother fluttered into his head.
He remembered her tear-streaked face when his father had died. He thought of Vivian, the tears on her face at the thought of how destitute she would become at his death.
I should have seen it sooner.
“I will ensure she is looked after.” He nodded to himself.
That would be of more use to her than his company. Though he could not help but glance back at the door, wondering if she would be all right.
Chapter Thirteen
“And what about your hobbies? Do you enjoy hawking?” Dowager Duchess Caverton’s eyes glittered as she leaned on her walking stick, eyeing Vivian up and down.
It had been several days since Vivian had had her conversation with Thomas, and though she had tried to think about what he had said to her, her mounting anxiety at the Dowager Duchess’s birthday party had driven it from her mind. It was the first time she would be at one of his family events, after all, and with how kind Thomas had been to her, she wanted to return the favor.
