She told herself that if he did care, then he would have been there to stop her. It sounded good enough to her ears, and she was thus able to ignore how hollow the words felt.
Deep down, Rose knew that this was likely going to upset him, but for reasons she could not fully explain, she wanted them to. She knew so little about her husband, and if this is what it took to learn who he truly was, so be it.
Rose never was one to shy away from doing what she thought was right.
CHAPTER NINE
Christopher noticed the changes to his home immediately. Worse that he hadn’t even had the luxury of arriving at his manor, taking a bath, changing his traveling clothes, perhaps even having a nice meal, when he saw them.
Sitting atop his horse, Christopher steered it at a steady pace through the large, iron-made front gate, when he was gifted his first proper view of his home, a moment that came with a writhing sensation felt deep in his soul.
Perhaps I should have stayed away for even longer… maybe never having come back at all.
He had been gone for three days, a necessary departure that had everything to do with his wife. Married for less than a day, Christopher decided that time apart was what they needed. Just long enough so that Rose could settle in—without him.
Besides, all he was doing was what he promised he would do. She wanted nothing to do with him, and he gave her that. Surely, that was the right thing to do?
But then he arrived home. That writhing sensation through his body returned as he did. And then he saw something that made his entire being squirm with discomfort.
It was the hedge wall that ran parallel to the left side of the driveway. Thick and verdant and lush, while also being in desperate need of a trim. Christopher’s eyes narrowed when he spied a stray branch protruding from the perfect straightness of the hedge’s wall, and he allowed the softest snarl to escape from his lips.
If Christopher had his days correct, the hedges were supposed to have been trimmed earlier today. Joseph was the Head Groundkeeper and knew how particular Christopher was about these things.
He cast his gaze further, thinking to find one of the other gardeners who should have been tending his lawn right now so that he could tell them to take care of that hedge first, and find Joseph second. Only, and it took Christopher a little while to comprehend this, but there was nobody in sight.
What is going on? Where is…
Stomach turning, he kicked his heels into the horse and hurried it toward the manor.
A footman by the name of Thomas was waiting by the front door for him, which would have been fine, had Liam not been the one who was supposed to be there!
“Your Grace!” Thomas squeaked as he hurried down the drive to meet Christopher’s charging horse.
“Where is Liam?” Christopher barked as he threw the reins at Thomas and climbed down. “Is he sick? What?”
“Sick, Your Grace?” Thomas’ voice cracked. “No, he’s helping Alfred in the stables. Or I was told that was the case.”
Christopher felt a throbbing sensation building in the back of his head. “Remind me, Thomas. Are you not assigned to the stables?
“I am, Your Grace.”
“And you are not there right now because?”
Thomas’ eyes widened. “I… Her Grace thought it was best if we switch because… well, I was telling her about my back, how sore it gets, and… Liam, well, he was tellin’ her how much he loved horses, and… I guess Her Grace…” His mouth started to open and close wordlessly as Christopher’s glare became increasingly irate.
Something was going on here; it didn’t take a man of great intellect to figure it out, and the throbbing sensation in Christopher’s head worsened.
“And what of Joseph?” Christopher barked. “Or any of the ground staff? What in the name of all things is going on here?”
“Her – Her Grace,” Thomas stammered. “She told us… she was certain you would not mind… we were only doing what…”
His first instinct was to let loose all his anger and frustration on the poor footman, because it would be better to get it out before he confronted his wife. But Christopher suppressed that urge, because he rarely lost his temper at the staff if he could help it. The last thing he needed was to be known as the type who abused his staff for fun.
Rather, he offered up averydisappointed sigh and stormed past Thomas’ mumblings, up the stairs, and into his home as the anger inside him gathered wind like a dark storm over a calm scene.
“Your Grace, welcome home.” Standing in the foyer was Mr. Carter, the Head of Staff.
Christoper came to a halt at the sight of his Head of Staff, waiting to greet him. That was because Mr. Carter should not have been doing so. That was that young chap… James! This was his role.
