“Fine. I’ll acknowledge that, perhaps, the carriage was somewhat lacking. But do you truly believe I would snub anyone who invited me into their home?”
“No, no. I just… We’re about to impose quite significantly, and I wanted to be sure you were prepared.”
“Noted,” she replied sharply, turning back to the road.
“Davina…” I sighed. “I didn’t mean to imply that you would be uncivil. I didn’t—don’t—think you will be. But in my experience, occasionally members of the gentry do not recognize their privileges.”
“And you thinkI’mlike that?”
“Your brother once handed me £150 to rescue you from that milliner’s shop. Like it was nothing. He was concerned it wouldn’t be enough. It was also more money than I’d ever held at one time.”
“That doesn’t mean I don’t know how to act.”
“Davina, I’m sorry. You’re right. I should not have said anything.”
“No, no. It’s good to know what you think of me.”
My head gave an angry throb to accompany every single heartbeat. “I’m sorry?—”
“If I am frivolous, it is because there are no other options available to me. But I have never been accused of being oblivious, or worse, cruel. And I thought, of everyone, that you— Well, I thought you saw me differently.”
“Davina, please. You know that is not what I intended. I have a head wound,” I tried, wincing at the pathetic whine in my words.
“If you do not stop talking, you will have another one,” she snapped before stomping ahead.
With a few curses under my breath, I jogged after her, my head pounding with renewed vigor. We continued in terse silence for more than a mile before we reached the familiar plotsof Sydney’s land. He’d begun to plow the fields and hadn’t done any of the plantings yet—probably anticipating a final frost.
Up ahead, I could see the turnoff for the house and relief settled in. I may be having a spat with mywife, but at least there was a bath in my future.
“This way,” I directed, pointing to the turn. I could only hope Sydney had a wagon that wasn’t in use. Perhaps the rains had kept him inside today.
Davina strode along at my side, righteous indication rolling off her in waves.
“We’re newlyweds, remember,” I offered.
“Are you sure you want me for a wife? I might give insult to your family.”
Irritation settled through me once again. “You’re not my wife. You don’t even wish to be a wife, let alone mine. But you’ll need to pretend because, as mad at me as you are, this is your mess that you’ve gotten me into.”
“Of course,darling,” she snapped, sarcasm dripping from her words and disdain written in the set of her mouth and the fire in her eyes.
“Wonderful, my little fairy cake.” I watched for the exact moment the endearment registered and she struggled not to laugh. “Too much?”
“You tell me, they’re your family. But I didn’t see you as the endearment type.”
“I’ve never used one before. I suppose we’ll find out,” I said as we approached the little white house Sydney built for my sister, then stepped up on the wrap-around porch that was her only request.
With a fortifying breath, I knocked on the red door I’d helped repaint the last time I was here.
Behind the door, I heard the commotion of Lizzie’s brood arguing over who got to open it. And then a voice that had mystomach sinking to the wooden boards beneath my feet. “I’ll get it, little loves.”
It swung open. And there stood my mother.
Damn.
Fifteen
EARNSHAW RESIDENCE—APRIL 11, 1817
