So much had changed in such a short time. He sank back against the chair. Whatdidhe want? He wanted to be a good father to the girls, but, more importantly, he wanted to be a good husband to Anne. Any decision he made would affect his family, and he decided to discuss it with Anne.
“Sir? Will you be sending a response to His Majesty?”
Colin peered up at Greene, having forgotten he told the man to wait. “Not yet. I need to speak with my wife.”
Greene’s mouth twitched as if fighting a smile, and a gleam in the man’s eyes set Colin on edge. “What is it?”
“Nothing, sir.”
Colin didn’t believe it for a moment. Something was wrong.
He pushed back from his desk, past Greene, and strode from the room in search of his wife.
Hard at work dusting the bric-a-brac dotting the tables in the hallway, Mattie curtsied when he approached.
“Have you seen my wife?”
“No, your lordship. I’m sorry.”
Continuing his search, he poked his head into the music room. Empty.
Anne wasn’t much of a reader, complaining about the book Honoria had coerced her into reading. What was the name of it? Ah, yes.Emma.Colin smiled to himself, thinking that when Anne described the titular character, she reminded him so much of Anne herself. Nonetheless, he checked the library. The suit of armor stood guard in the empty room.
The unease he’d felt upon beginning his search increased as each servant he stopped seemed to have no idea where Anne had gone. The tension in his neck from poring over his ledger moved into his shoulders and squeezed his chest painfully.Not again!At least he knew all the entrances to the passages had been sealed. He’d checked them himself.
Anne seldom remained in her room after waking, but perhaps the pain in her ankle had flared up. He would check to see if she needed more willow bark for tea.
At the entrance to her bedroom, panic, cold and hard, froze him in place at the sight of trunks open on the bed and Joan neatly placing Anne’s clothes within.
“What is the meaning of this?!”
Joan jumped, the gown in her hands dropping in a heap into the open trunk. “My lord. I didn’t see you there.” The maid’s gaze darted between him and the cursed trunk. “My lady asked me to pack. She said she is returning to Kent.”
Christ!“Did she say why?” he asked, althoughhe knew very well the reason. The damn stipulation Weatherby had insisted upon in the marriage contract. But was she truly that unhappy?
Not meeting his eyes, Joan fumbled with her answer. “I couldn’t say, my lord.”
“You very wellwillsay. I demand that you tell me.” God, he truly was the tyrant and ogre Anne accused him of being.
“She thinks you don’t care, my lord.” Her eyes held an apology, but the truth of her words struck him like a blow to his chest.
He stumbled back, dizzy and disoriented. His perceived indifference was driving his wife away. In his quest to shield himself from his own feelings, he had ignored hers.
Without another word to the maid, he continued his search for Anne, but his purpose had changed. He would find her and tell her everything that was in his heart and beg her to give him another chance.
His pace quickened as he scoured each room frantically.
Seated at the front door, Alan rose to attention upon seeing him.
“Alan, my wife.”
The man didn’t bat an eye at the curt address. “She stepped outside with the young misses, sir.”
Of course. That explained the awful silence. He turned to rush outside, only then remembering his manners. “Thank you, Alan.”
Outside, he shielded his eyes from the bright, late-September sun, the heat searing his face and seeping through the fabric of his coat. A quick scan confirmed neither Anne nor his daughters were anywhere in sight, but his groundskeeper was weeding a flower bed at the front of the house.
Rupert straightened at his master’s approach, then pulled off his hat and wiped his brow. “Good afternoon, my lord.”
