WHEN TILLY AWOKE THEnext morning, Liam was still asleep on his side next to her. She sat up carefully, not wanting to wake him.
He’d made excuses about wanting to catch up on his reading after the incredible supper they’d had in the dining room at the hotel the night before. He picked up that dull, thick book about military maneuvers, sat himself in an armchair, and adjusted the lamplight as low as it could go while still allowing enough light to see by.
Utterly confused, Tilly changed into her nightclothes behind the screen in the corner of the room, and slipped under the bedcovers alone. Then she ran their dinner conversation over and over in her head. It had gone well, she’d thought. They were at no loss for conversation. He told her more about his plans for a new hotel, she talked about her favorite horse back at the farm, he admitted he was terrible on horseback, and then regaled her with a few stories that had sent her into peals of laughter. It had been a wonderful evening.
But at no point did he reach for her hand or, to her complete disappointment, did he attempt to kiss her again.
And then he sat alone, reading, while she wondered what she could have possibly done wrong.
She’d finally fallen asleep, and at some point, he must have joined her, because now he snoozed peacefully beside her.
Tilly watched him a moment. He was so very handsome, and if things had gone differently last night, perhaps she now would have reached out and traced his jaw with her finger, or snuggled back down under the covers closer to him.
She let out a silent breath of frustration.
Well, even if he seemed uninterested in her as a wife, he had done her an unimaginable kindness by marrying her. And she would be grateful for that always.
She crept silently from the bed and changed into the dress she’d worn on the train to town. It needed washing badly, especially considering it was all she’d brought aside from the dress she’d been married in yesterday. She pinned up her hair quickly and tossed some water on her face. She blinked in the mirror and smiled at herself.
She was a married woman now. Someone’s wife.
She couldn’t wait to share the news with Emily and her parents. Later that day, she would make time to write to them, although it was likely that Jamie had already sent a telegram. Mama and Papa couldn’t be too angry with her if she were married—or so she hoped.
Tilly slipped from the room. Pausing at the top of the stairs, she smiled down at the lobby area below. This hotel was so very grand, and she decided she would enjoy every moment of being here since it wouldn’t last long.
Downstairs, she found both the lovely dining room and a small lunch counter serving breakfast. Not knowing what Liam might like to eat, she opted to ask the kind waitress at the lunch counter for some coffee to bring upstairs.
“Cream or sugar?” the waitress asked.
“I don’t know,” Tilly said honestly.
The woman gave her a puzzled look but asked no questions. Instead, she placed a little bowl of sugar cubes and a tiny pitcher of cream on the tray she handed Tilly.
“Do I need to pay you?” Tilly asked. She had a few bills left over from her savings.
“No, miss. It’s only coffee.” The waitress smiled at her, and Tilly nodded.
“Thank you.” She left, carefully balancing the tray and trying to imagine a life in which coffee was hardly a luxury at all.
When she opened the door to the room, she found Liam awake and dressed.
“There you are,” he said, his eyebrows raising as he took in the tray she carried. “Did you bring coffee?”
“I did. I’m sorry if I woke you.”
“It’s all right. It’s past time for me to be awake.” He took the tray from her and laid it on the desk. “Thank you. I don’t think anyone has ever brought me coffee before.”
Tilly basked in his gratitude. “I thought it would be a nice thing to wake to. There’s cream and sugar, if you like.” She watched as he poured a little cream into his cup but avoided the sugar. That would be good to know, for next time.
“Don’t you want yours?” he asked as she stood off to the side.
“Oh, yes.” Her cheeks went warm as she realized she’d been staring at him.
Tilly quickly mixed in a little cream and sugar and wrapped her hands around the cup. “They’re serving breakfast downstairs.”
Liam pulled out a pocketwatch. “I need to get to the office, but please feel free to enjoy breakfast yourself.”
Tilly nodded, trying to hide her disappointment. She’d imagined the two of them enjoying a leisurely meal together, conversing happily as they’d done last night. Eating breakfast alone surrounded by all of those people sounded awfully lonely.
