“It’s all right. I’m free of him now.” She leaned up and kissed his cheek. “Thank you for helping me escape. I know it was never your intention for us to marry.”
“Well, I always needed a wife,” he said, “even when you turned me away the first time. I suppose it makes sense you finally came around.”
“As though I could have said no!”
“Would you have done if you could?” He raised a brow.
Thalia huffed a breath, though she could not help her smile. “I suppose not.”
“Well then. Your point is moot.”
Thalia closed her eyes. Things would change when they finally reached the house, but she felt ready for it. She and Maxwell knew each other—they had spent two weeks learning each other’s bodies and minds, and she felt ready for the world to see her as his duchess. As his wife.
Lydia and Lady Rivenhall were waiting in the hall to greet them when they finally arrived in London that evening.
“Maxwell!” Lydia said, rushing at her uncle and throwing her arms around him.
He swung her around as he embraced her, and Thalia laughed. He so obviously thought of her as a daughter—and she was determined to think of Lydia as the sister she never had.
Lady Rivenhall hung back, her face perfectly blank and a little reserved. “Welcome back, Your Grace,” she said, sinking into a curtsy. “Welcome back, Maxwell.”
“Thalia, please,” Thalia said. “We’re family now, are we not?”
Lydia glanced between Maxwell and Lydia. “You told her?”
“I told her everything,” he said, and at the relief that washed over Lydia’s face, Thalia knew it had been the right decision.
“And I am excited to have a larger family than I first presumed,” Thalia said, smiling down at Lydia. “I really hope we will be good friends.”
“Of course we will,” Lydia said. “Wealreadyare good friends, and now we will just be even better. Do you not think, Mama?”
“I’m sure I’m happy Her Grace has been so welcoming,” Lady Rivenhall said stiffly.
Maxwell pinched his nose. “Joyce.”
“I hope you understand that this is sensitive information,” Lady Rivenhall said. “If anyone ever knew that Lydia was not my husband’s child, she would be ruined.”
The smile fell from Thalia’s face. The coldness in Lady Rivenhall’s voice felt like a knife between her ribs. Of course, the lady had no reason to trust her, but surely, she could trust that Maxwell would not have confided in her if he thought she would betray them all.
“Mama,” Lydia said, a frown passing across her youthful face. “I trust Thalia.”
“Excellent.” Lady Rivenhall gave a tight smile that did not reach her eyes. “I’m very happy to hear it.”
Maxwell pinched his nose. “Enough, Joyce. I am confident Thalia will do nothing to threaten our situation, and I resent theimplication that she will. Do you need anything else, or will that satisfy you?”
Lady Rivenhall sank into a low curtsy. “I know how fortunate I am for you to shelter me, Maxwell. Be assured that I am grateful and would never dare question your judgment.”
With that, she swept from the room.
“Excuse Mama,” Lydia said apologetically. “She is concerned about me and, on occasion allows that concern to interfere with her judgment.”
Thalia pushed a knot of emotion deep inside herself. Although it would have been nice for Lady Rivenhall to welcome her with open arms, she could understand the lady’s suspicion. This was her daughter, and they were both in a precarious position. If anything were to happen, they would both be cast out of London.
Thalia would never let that happen.
“It’s quite all right,” she said, keeping her voice bright. She felt rather than heard Maxwell come to stand behind her, his hand resting lightly on her hip. “You have nothing to worry about and nothing to apologize for. In time, we will all be the best of friends, I’m certain.”
Maxwell gave her hip a squeeze, either in support or because he knew that was unlikely. But all he said was, “Let’s get rested and then we’ll start to settle into life here together.”
