Lady Edith’s tense questions caused Amelia’s lashes to lift. “We met in the park.”
“Oh yes, I do believe I heard something to that effect.” Lady Edith sounded triumphant, as if forcing her sister to answer her was a success of the highest order.
His wife shrunk in on herself, the exact opposite of the effusive, angry woman he had seen in the carriage. Her diminutive stature and closed off expression brought out that same protectiveness he had felt in her father’s study. It was a foreign feeling... but it made him wish to do something. Something insane like woo her into feeling toward him the exact opposite of what she’d expressed in the carriage.
Suddenly eager to begin his attempts to do just that, Edward cleared his throat. “Thank you all for joining us today. As I see our meal coming to a close—” That was not true; he was aware his cook had made even more food that would soon be arriving. Best make this quick, then. “—I would like to express my gratitude at having you all witness and be a part of our wedding. But if you would not mind, I would now request you allow Lady Norwich and myself to become settled.”
That got Amelia’s attention. Her head came up so quickly, he was surprised pins did not go flying out the back. To pacify her, he smiled. Her eyes widened.
The remainder of her family were staring at him blankly, but after several drawn-out moments, the duke nodded, then stood. “Very well.”
With no more than that, he paused until his eldest daughters had also come to their feet, then made his way to the door. Edward followed, holding the door aside. Thankfully, his butler, Coombs, was ever-prepared and already had the family’s things to leave.
Edward did not think anyone even noticed the footman turning back from their group and carrying his tray laden with more food back down to the kitchen.
With a deep breath, a smile for Coombs—that was met with only a flat look—Edward turned back into the room wherein Amelia still sat, frozen, at the table.
“Would you like a tour?” he asked.
She blinked.
His confidence wavered. “Of the house.”
“But you—we...” She trailed off, her hand gesturing to the front of the house, then falling into her lap.
“Come, I believe you will enjoy seeing the house. Unless you do not wish to see your new home?”
Something in his words jolted her to awareness, and she came to her feet, eyeing him. But then she nodded.
He offered his arm. She took it without applying hardly an ounce of pressure.
They began on the first floor. He showed her the study, which also doubled as a library, then the dining room, and he pointed out the servants’ stairs. They rounded to the back of the house, and he indicated the door to the gardens. But then they reached a closed, polished door, and he faltered.
“And what is here?” Amelia asked in a strained sort of tone.
He clenched and unclenched his free hand. “This is the music room.”
“You have a music room?” The tension in her voice had melted.
“Yes.”
“Are we to see it as part of this tour?”
Well, he could not very well avoid the room now, could he? Perhaps he ought to have come up with some other sort of plan outside of taking a tour of the house. Or told her this room was for storage.
“Lord Norwich?”
“You may call me Edward.” He was delaying the inevitable.
She said nothing, and finally he could put it off no longer. He reached for the handle and pushed the door open.
He thought he heard her take in a quick breath, but memories of this room were busy making their attack, and for a moment, it was as if he could not detect anything occurring in the present moment. When at last he managed to focus his mind, he was eager to leave.
“Let us begin on the next floor now.”
“Oh but—”
He had already stepped back to the door, and after a moment’s hesitation, she followed.
