She cleared her throat and then glanced around the room. He realized that her eyes had teared up.
“A baby?” she asked softly.
Another man’s baby. “Babies.” He’d best come to terms with this.
His sister smiled for the first time since he’d returned. “I am not surprised, you know. What with there being twins on both mother and father’s side. And have you forgotten, Hugh, that I am a twin?”
He vaguely remembered hearing something to that effect. The other child had not survived for even a week. There was a small marker in the family plot.
If he were the father, it would all make perfect sense. Because he was not, Margaret’s statement meant very little to him.
That had been just two days ago. He’d not encountered any difficulties in obtaining the special license. He’d considered a quick ceremony in the drawing room, or in his study even, but changed his mind when it was time to tell Penelope.
The chapel on the edge of his property would lend itself to privacy and expediency.
And, he admitted to himself, a bit of sentiment. It was to be his damn wedding, after all.
Penelope had agreed with no argument or opinion. And now he stood beside her, pledging his life, his worldly belongings and his fidelity to a woman who had trapped him with his own conscience.
She was dressed all in black, not a good color for her, and there was no triumph or gloating in her manner whatsoever.
Smart girl, had she exhibited either, he was not sure he could go through with this.
He’d seen her refuse the flowers Rose had presented her with. It angered him to feel guilty that the ceremony was so austere. She angered him period.
How had this happened? Why him? He’d managed to escape some of the most manipulative marriage-minded mamas in all of England for that past decade, but he’d not been able to escape Penelope Crone.
It was still very difficult to imagine her doing anything so foolish as to give herself up to a man who could never offer his protection. Who had the man been? Did he know the man? If he was a member of theton, most likely Hugh had played cards with him, or perhaps participated in the same hunt.
And if the man was not a member of theton, who then?
He wished she would simply tell him the truth. He’d at least want to know who the man was so that… So that what? So that he would never come into contact with him? So that he could beat the bounder to a pulp?
The ceremony passed without incident and Hugh boldly signed the license. It was done.
Ignoring his new bride, Hugh stepped out of the church and into the smattering of sunlight that managed to penetrate the thick forest covering. Penelope had been driven over in an open barouche. Hugh suspected that he was expected to drive her back to the house in his curricle. Frederick, Rose, and Margaret climbed into the barouche and were promptly whisked away. Everybody seemed to understand that this was no typical wedding.
He stood silently and watched as the horses and vehicle disappeared down the road through the woods. When even the sound of the crunching wheels could no longer be heard, he became aware that his wife now stood beside him.
“Hugh?” She placed one hand upon his arm tentatively.
“I ought to have known you would not heed my wishes,” he said in a cold, clipped manner. “You’ve not cared to heed my opinion where anything else in my life is concerned.”
“You still wish for me to address you as my lord?” She did not sound sarcastic, only curious… and hurt.
He let out a long slow breath. He suddenly felt exhausted from being angry. He was not typically a foul-natured creature. “Hell, Penelope, does it matter?” If she began crying, he swore to himself he would leave her to drive herself back to the house alone.
“Does it matter how I address you? Or does it matter if I respect your wishes? Yes, I think, to both. Contrary to what you believe of me, I do not wish to cause you any more… inconvenience than I already have.” She spoke rationally, as though contemplating a mathematical problem.
“Inconvenience! Ha! That’s a delicate word for it.”
“Hugh, I’ve told you the truth. I would never lie to you about something like this.”
He looked over at her in astonishment. “You forget, dearest wife, that I would have had to be an active participant. You are merely making matters worse by persisting in your assertion that I am your babies’ father.”
She didn’t say anything for all of a minute. “If I relent, if I admit to you that my story is untrue, then you would feel better about all of this?”
Hugh nodded slowly. “Yes.”
