She looked like she was about to argue but instead nodded. “Thank you, Robert.”
“You’re welcome, minx,” Robert said, finishing off his food.
“Where do you expect us to reside?” Elizabeth asked after a slight hesitation.
He cleared his throat nervously. He wasn’t exactly sure how to approach the subject, but he knew that he could no longer put it off, not since he’d announced barely ten minutes ago that there wouldn’t be any more secrets.
“I sold the estate that I bought a few months ago,” Robert said, deciding to break the news to her as gently as possible. He hoped that she took the news well and didn’t refuse to leave with him because he’d really hate to resort to kidnapping his own wife since he refused to live without her.
“The one that our parents have been talking about?” Elizabeth asked, sounding confused but not terribly upset, at least not yet.
“Yes,” he answered slowly before adding, “I’ve bought a new estate in the country.”
“I don’t really like London,” Elizabeth said with a shrug, taking him by surprise and reminding him of their conversation that night in the orangery. “Where in the country is it?” she asked, sounding genuinely curious.
“Bridgewater,” he said, trying not to cringe as he waited for her response.
She started to nod, only to pause with a frown. “I’ve never heard of it before. Is it up North?”
“You could say that,” Robert said, shifting nervously on the bench.
“How long will it take to travel there?”
“About six weeks,” he admitted with a grimace.
“We’re staying for another six weeks?” Elizabeth asked, appearing confused and for good reason.
Thanks to their hasty marriage and the scandal that had accompanied it, the majority of the ton had already cut them off. Invitations that had been extended to both of them weeks ago were now being rescinded. They’d had no visitors or notes congratulating them on their marriage or anyone wishing Elizabeth a quick recovery. Their parents were surviving the scandal, but just barely.
From what he’d heard, his mother had been given the cut direct by Lady Penelope yesterday in a ribbon shop and it probably wouldn’t be too much longer until that happened again. The longer they stayed, the worse it would get for their families and neither one of them wanted that. It would be for the best if they left as soon as possible. He was just waiting until he was assured that Elizabeth was able to travel.
“No, we’re not staying for six weeks. Perhaps another week or two,” he said, hoping that it would be quite a bit sooner than that, but he wasn’t going to rush her until she was well enough to travel.
“I don’t understand,” she finally admitted.
“I bought a home in Bridgewater, Massachusetts. We’re moving to America, minx,” Robert said, preparing himself for a fight since even his mother would have taken issue with that announcement.
“America?” Elizabeth repeated slowly as though she were testing out the word.
“Yes,” he said, clearing his throat awkwardly, wondering what he should say to convince her that this was for the best.
“Really?” she asked after a moment, eyeing him suspiciously.
“Yes.”
When her lips turned up into a pleased smile, he felt himself relax. “I’ve always wanted to visit America,” Elizabeth admitted, appearing excited.
“We won’t be able to travel back here often,” Robert admitted, realizing that she at least deserved to know the truth of the matter. He had money, but he wasn’t rich enough to afford yearly trips back to England. It actually made him feel horrible when he realized that he was taking her away from her family and everything that she knew.
She merely shrugged. “Our families are well off enough that they can come visit us.”
“You’re not upset?” he asked, more than a little surprised.
“Why would I be? You know how I feel about London and if we’re going to try to start fresh, what better way than to start over somewhere new?”
“You’re a remarkable woman, Elizabeth,” Robert said with a wink.
“Now,” she said, pretending that she wasn’t pleased by his words, but he could tell by the way that she did her best to bite back a smile that she appreciated the compliment, “what else do you have in mind for this truce of yours?”
