His mother snorted. “I’ve read the serials. You were in a different spot than her, and you didn’t know why she left you. Would you betray her now?”
Thomas flushed, somewhat embarrassed to be having this conversation with his mother. “Of course not.”
“Talk to each other. Don’t keep things bottled up. It will only cause more harm.”
She was right, and even Lisbeth had mentioned that. He needed to be able to grieve everything he’d missed but also find a way to accept it and move on. He still believed they shouldn’t dwell on the what-ifs of the past, but he couldn’t continue to act unaffected—not if he didn’t want to lose the family he and Lisbeth were trying to build together.
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Lisbeth hadn’t seenThomas since the previous day when they quarreled in the carriage. She stared at her reflection in the mirror. Tonight was Rose and Sinclair’s ball to celebrate their marriage. Thomas would be escorting her. For a mad moment, she wondered if he would still accompany her. Lisbeth shook her head. He would.
A knock on her bedchamber door caused her stomach to dip. She sensed it was him. “Enter.”
He stepped in and shut the door behind him. Their eyes connected in the mirror before his gaze wandered down her form. “You are beautiful, Lizzie.”
She blushed. Lisbeth did feel wonderful in her gown tonight. It was a dark magenta dress that was tightened at her waist. Black crystals outlined the top of the deep neckline. She usually wore her hair in an elegant bun at her nape, but today she’d asked her lady’s maid to leave half of it down in curls.
It had a less regal look but was just as elegant. She smoothed her hands over her skirts. “I thought I would try something different.”
“You always look beautiful, but I won’t lie. I’d rather take you to bed than go to this ball.”
She walked to him and straightened his cravat. “Does that mean you aren’t angry with me?”
“Can I speak freely?”
Lisbeth stared at him intently. “That is what I want more than anything. I know this is hard. It isn’t good for us to pretend that it isn’t.”
He nodded and sat on the edge of her bed, and she joined him. Thomas was silent as if trying to formulate his thoughts. Eventually, he said, “It is still hard for me not to be angry that I didn’t watch my daughter grow up.”
Her heart clenched in her chest. She nodded and waited for him to continue.
“It is difficult for me to be in this townhouse and know I’m always in the presence of the duke’s ghost. Someday this will all go to Jeremy, and I want that for him, but I need something for us to have with Alice, Jeremy, and our future children. I need a place that I’ve helped create. I plan for us to spend time at the townhouse. Still, wouldn’t it be nice to have an estate right out of the city to escape to, but close by if needed?”
She nodded, knowing that for all of this to work, they needed something that was all of theirs. Lisbeth said, “Thank you for not insisting we abandon the only home Jeremy and Alice have ever known. I think you are right. We can have both. There is a ducal country estate, but it is over eight hours away. We only go there twice a year.”
Thomas threaded his fingers through hers. “I would never deny Alice or Jeremy the memory of their father, but I think to be happy, we need a measure of change.”
“We will tell Alice someday.”
He gulped. Lisbeth sensed the emotions swirling through him. She added, “Both Nicholas and I wanted her to know.”
Thomas took a deep breath. “In time we should, but for now I want Alice and Jeremy to allow me into their lives in their own time. When she is an adult, we will decide about telling her everything.”
Her eyes watered, and she whispered, “You are a good man, Thomas Easton.”
“I don’t care if I’m good or bad. I want to be the man who gets to grow old with you and watch our children become adults.”
“Nothing would make me happier, Thomas. I choose you. Let’s end our thirty-day evaluation of whether our marriage will work. We will ensure it does.”
They faced each other, and Lisbeth added, “You are my forever, Serious Thomas.”
He rubbed a tear from her cheek. “It has always been you, Lizzie.”
She fell into him, their lips touching gently and exploring. It was a kiss, not of wickedness or temptation, but belonging to one another. It was perfection.
Lisbeth pulled away, and Thomas frowned, looking around the room. “Morrison, the butler, told me you are redesigning the lord and lady suites of the townhouse. You don’t have to do that.”
Lisbeth held her hand out. “I’m doing it for us and our future. Nicholas and I used to discuss finding happiness wherever we could. He always hated the décor of this place, and I think my decision would amuse him.”
