‘Bath,’ she murmured. ‘Such a wonderfully lively place and so full of opportunities, especially for young ladies of a marriageable age.’
‘Yes. Well, I hardly need to worry about that,’ I told her. ‘I am already happily married.’ I took Max’s hand and squeezed it, andhe smiled at me, albeit in a pained way.
‘And your friend Jane, will she be looking for a husband?’ continued Seraphina.
I laughed a little at the thought of Jane scouring the streets of Bath, looking for a suitor. ‘Perhaps. But knowing Jane, she will more likely be on the lookout for material for her next novel.’
‘Oh, of course. She likes to write, like that awful Ann Radcliffe.’ Seraphina wrinkled her nose slightly. ‘Let us hope her novels are better than that woman’s!’
‘I have read one of Jane’s novels, and it was wonderful,’ I said defensively, glancing at Max, who still didn’t know that he was Mr Darcy. Jane and I had decided it was better not to say anything unless the novel got published as he might not like what she’d written about him. But if it did get published and was popular, he might be more amenable to seeing himself portrayed as a proud, haughty gentleman who did not care to dance.
‘I like Mrs Radcliffe’s novels, Mama,’ said Lucinda quietly. ‘They are evocative and wonderfully imaginative.’
I smiled at her and nodded. ‘Harriet loves them too.’
‘I see I am outnumbered,’ said Seraphina huffily.
As Lucinda smoothed her mother’s feathers, I excused myself from the table, thinking I might peruse Jane’s letter again in private and formulate a way to present it moreagreeably to Max.
Before I could walk off, he said, ‘We’ll talk about this later, Fliss.’ Then he gave me a look. What he meant was ‘Mark my words, we will certainly be discussing it because I do not want you to go to Bath’.
But I was determined that Iwouldgo. Although I was content in my marriage, I had been feeling restless of late and was too excited by the prospect of a change of scenery to pass up the opportunity. A trip to vibrant Bath was just what I needed to blow my cobwebs away!
***
By bedtime, I was in a state of high anxiety and more than ready to go into battle with Max. I had endured his terse silence during lunch and supper and a strained game of whist in the parlour (which I let him win in an effort to make him more agreeable). We were both so strong-willed that I didn’t know how this conversation was going to play out.
Max was already in bed, reading by candlelight, as I completed my ablutions at the nightstand and began plaiting my hair by the mirror, going over my opening argument in my head:Max dearest, I will miss you so much, but it is imperative that I go to Bath.
Finishing with my hair, I took the candle over to thebedside table and sat on the counterpane beside him, smoothing the material of my chemise nervously.
‘Max dearest—’ I began.
But he didn’t let me complete my sentence. ‘You can go, Fliss,’ he said gruffly. ‘On one condition. I expect a steady stream of letters from Bath telling me what you’ve been doing and how much you miss me.’
I let out a squeal. ‘Oh! I love you! I love you! Of course I’ll write. I’ll write every day—morningandafternoon!’ I bounced up and down on the bed excitedly.
Max chuckled. ‘There is no need to go to that extreme. Every second day will suffice.’
‘All right!’
Placing his book on the bedside table, he held out his arms; and I launched myself at him, covering his face with kisses, making him laugh. When the kissing frenzy had died down, I snuggled against him, feeling like I had won a great prize, though I hadn’t had to do anything much.
‘What is all this about?’ he asked, stroking my back. ‘Why this sudden desire to take off to Bath? You were perfectly happy before Jane’s letter arrived.’
‘Well, maybe notperfectlyhappy,’ I muttered, my head nestled in the crook of his neck. ‘Lately, I have been a little—’ I bit my lip, not wanting to say the word for fear of offending him.
‘A little?’ he prompted and waited for me tofinish.
Oh, I may as well say it, I thought.It is best to be honest with him.‘I have been a little bored,’ I said flatly.
Max didn’t say anything in reply, but his hand stopped stroking my back and rested heavily on my shoulder blade.
‘Not with you!’ I added hastily.
He let out a breath. ‘Well, that is good to hear. So just bored in general?’
I nodded, feeling awful. ‘I’m sorry. I don’t want to sound like an ungrateful wife. The house and grounds—this place, it is incredible! And of course our home, Iloveliving here with you. But you have the estate business to occupy you and your fishing. Apart from riding George and going for walks, I have nothing to do all day ...’
