He exhaled sharply, but he wore a slight smile. “It certainly was.” Deep breathing and he was focused on the ceiling. “We will do it again soon.”
“Oh, will we now?” she laughed. “Very presumptuous.”
He looked at her, and his brow was furrowed with confusion. “We will need to, so we can ensure that you are with child. Hopefully, it will not take too many tries until you are.”
“Oh…” Thalia pulled back. “That is… yes, yes, let us hope so.”
She did not know what else to say. And that Caspian appeared satisfied with his response, offering a single nod and then returning to staring at the ceiling, told her that he did notconsider how his words were received. Or perhaps he did not care?
What they had just done felt so personal and intimate to Thalia. It felt to her like they were turning a new leaf in this relationship, so that things were going to start moving forward for them both. That maybe… that this marriage might finally become something real.
However, with that single line from Caspian, Thalia was forced back into reality.
Did her husband care about her at all? Or was his only concern for having a child? If they were closer, she might have asked him to his face… but they were not.
And what a fool Thalia was for thinking differently.
Chapter Fifteen
“Are you looking forward to this evening?” Caspian asked his wife over breakfast.
“I am,” she responded simply, not bothering to look up at him; it was as if the food on her plate held such interest that to look away would be unthinkable.
“As am I,” Caspian told her, expecting this to elicit a reaction out of her. Anything from a smile to soft laughter might have been nice, proof to Caspian that she appreciated his excitement.
“I am glad,” was her withdrawn response.
Caspian found himself eyeing his wife with extreme concern… or perhaps it was frustration… or maybe it was annoyance? Likely, it was all the above, blended into a stew of confusion because Thalia was acting strangely and Caspian could not fathom why that might be.
I expected her to be buzzing this morning. I thought to have found her lazing about with a smile on her face and laughter in her voice. After last evening, and was I the type to do so, I might very well be the same.
Alas, his wife was behaving strangely in Caspian’s eyes. Ironically, she was behaving as he would usually be doing. No emotion. No regard for others in the room. An island without land in sight.
“What are your plans today?” he asked her, feeling the need to keep the conversation flowing, because the silence existing in the room was deafening and even uncomfortable.
“Nothing exciting,” she said without flourish as she cut into the toast on her plate and took a small bite.
“I thought you might wish to visit London,” he attempted. “Perhaps buy some jewelry to wear to tonight’s Ball?”
“There is no need,” she said, still not looking at him. “What I have will suffice.”
Caspian clicked his tongue as he felt his anger start to brew deep inside his gut. He should not have cared how cold his wife was acting this morning. He should not have given a damn whether she wished to talk to him or not. Dammit, that he was even forced to pretend that he looked forward to the Ball this evening was beyond what Caspian thought himself capable. And the fact she could not see how hard he was trying…
Is this not what she wants? For me to try harder, to pretend that I care, and to put effort into our marriage. I thought that was the entire point of all this!
He narrowed his eyes at Thalia, and if he was a different type of person, he might have snapped or demanded that she tell him what was going on. But Caspian was not that type of person, so he did what he always did in these situations: nothing.
Caspian did not care. He did not wish to waste time pretending otherwise. And he certainly was not about to pander to his wife to placate her feelings when as far as he was aware, she should have been on top of the world.
“Good,” he said stiffly, tearing his eyes from Thalia and going back to his breakfast. “We shall leave shortly after sunset. I expect you to be ready.”
“I will be,” she responded apathetically.
Things were not supposed to be this way. After last evening, even Caspian was looking forward to what he had presumed to be changes occurring between himself and his wife. Changes that, as far as he had been able to tell, were for the best.
It had started two weeks prior, the sense that he and Thalia were becoming more comfortable around one another. She no longer vexed him purposefully. She no longer pushed and teased him, as if searching for a reaction. She seemed to accept who he was, and rather than changing him, leaned into his personality.
This saw them grow closer. This saw Caspian want to spend more time with her. He knew where their marriage was heading and thus saw no reason to try and avoid her. If anything, he might have even gone so far as to say that he was starting to enjoy the time they spent together.
