“You seem to have enjoyed your excursion,” he greeted.
“Indeed, we have.” Adelaide smiled. “I did not think I would say this, but you were right. They do seem very fond of me in the village. That seems to extend to my mother, too.”
“That is excellent news.”
“It is, indeed,” Lady Wynn agreed. “However, I must say that I am weary from all the travel. I had hoped to push through until tonight, but I believe I may collapse if I carry on much longer.”
“Then you may rest,” Cassian said softly. “I shall have a maid show you to your room.”
She thanked him and was then taken away.
It was strange to be alone with Adelaide, for it had not happened since their argument the night before. The accusation still lingered in her eyes, but it had softened. Considering what he had done for her, that was no surprise.
“You did not tell me that you had invited my mother.”
“I thought you would appreciate the surprise. Was my assumption incorrect?”
“No, and that is what frustrates me.”
“Ah, I see. You are frustrated that I knew what you wanted and did it for you.”
“That is not—well, I suppose I am, in a way. Cassian, I do not understand you. You made it so abundantly clear that you do not want to get to know me, but then you do such a lovely thing, and it does not make sense.”
“I would have to disagree. I know that you are unhappy here, but that is not what I want. I do not have to be in love with you to know how to make you happier.”
But he realized, as she stared at him with her hands clasped in front of her, a curl loosened as she preferred (and as he did too, so that he had an excuse to touch her) that she was exactly the sort of lady he could fall for.
He did not want to, for it would only make everything more complicated, but he could not help it. She was everything he could have wanted: poised and perfect when needed, but so alive when she came undone.
No amount of pushing her away seemed to fix it. And no amount of spending time with her revealed a flaw that he could not see beyond.
“Is your mother well?” she asked after a moment.
“She is not pleased with what I did at the ball either. It appears that the two of you have more in common than I expected.”
“I am not angry with you, not anymore. I know that you were only trying to help, but Cassian, you have to be more careful with Hargrave. You have offended him, and now he will want revenge.”
“Adelaide, you have to trust me. I have made my presence known, and he will not challenge it. Men like that—if you can call them men—hurt ladies because they know they do not risk retaliation. He is afraid of the consequences, the very ones I threatened. He will not bother us.”
But his wife was not convinced. Uncertainty shadowed her face, and her eyes darted around as though there was something she knew but was not telling him. He wanted her to say it, but he was also aware that he would dismiss any concerns she had. He could not help himself; he knew how gentlemen worked, especially ones like Hargrave.
The man would not be a threat to them any longer. He had already lost, and Adelaide had married someone else, and there was nothing he could do about it. He would have to accept defeat and find another young lady to pursue.
Cassian hoped that the man would remain alone for the rest of his life, but he was not a fool. He knew how society functioned, and it was on marriage.
He was fortunate to have taken a good wife, but even then, there was conflict. Adelaide did not trust him, and he could hardly blame her for that. He was the one keeping his distance, but he had the best reason for it. It was also keeping his mother at bay, and that was most important.
Because if his wife knew that he killed his own father, there would be no coming back from it.
CHAPTER 22
After Lady Wynn left, a strange quiet descended on the house.
Adelaide knew that something had happened between Iris and Cassian, but neither seemed to want to explain, so she did not pry. Had she had an argument with her mother, she would have preferred for it to remain private, too.
And yet, in the silence, she truly began to see just how dreadful her new home looked. It was miserable; dark and cold and too immaculate.
It did not feel like a home, and she desperately wanted that to change. Irish had told her that she could change whatever she pleased,everythingif she wanted, and she decided to do exactly that.
