She had purchased a dozen romantic novels, hoping to find a solution. Yet in all of the stories, the women pined for their lovers and did nothing. Or they died from heartbreak. Neither sounded like a particularly good way to win a husband’s affections, in Amelia’s opinion.
During their journey north, she intended to spend a great deal of time with Lord Castledon—no, David. It was the perfect opportunity to remind her husband that he wasn’t married to a pasteboard wife.
“He’s been kind to me. But he’s still grieving for his first wife,” she admitted.
Victoria sobered. “There may be too many memories right now. In time, he may grow to love you.”
“Perhaps.” Amelia reached toward several sketches of new undergarments that Victoria had drawn. Though she commented on each of them, her mind was already thinking about her new household and the child she was supposed to mother. She knew nothing whatsoever about being a parent, but her sister had many years of experience.
“Toria,” she interrupted. “How am I supposed to be a stepmother to an eleven-year-old girl?” The very idea intimidated her. She was only nine years older than Christine, and the idea of instructing the girl on how to make her debut seemed utterly foreign. Margaret would have known how to manage it.
Her sister thought about it a moment, pushing the drawings aside. “Does she remember her mother?”
“I don’t know. I believe she was five years old when the woman died.”
“Her father will be very important to her,” Victoria said. “If it were me, I’d be careful not to take Lord Castledon away from her. She would resent you for it. Perhaps try to take an outing together or do something that involves the three of you.”
Amelia nodded, while she tried to imagine ways to bring them together. She’d spent so little time among children, but her nephew and niece spoke their thoughts with complete honesty and almostno regard for anyone’s feelings. She raised her cup of tea to her lips, remembering them.
“What about you?” her sister asked softly. “Could you be expecting a child of your own?”
The tea flew out of Amelia’s mouth, and she began coughing. “I don’t think so, no.” Though she knew it was an honest question, her face flamed with color. Her menses had come and gone already, and there was no chance of it at the moment. “Not yet, anyway.”
Victoria went utterly still. “Amelia…has he consummated the marriage?”
“Yes.” Amelia closed her eyes, feeling mortified. “But only once.” This was not at all a conversation she wanted to have.
“That’s ridiculous,” Victoria shot back. “What iswrongwith him? You’re a perfectly lovely young woman.”
“I suppose he’s still in love with his first wife. He didn’t truly want to marry me.” The confession was a bitter fact she found difficult to swallow.
“But hedidmarry you,” Victoria pointed out. “He must care.”
Her sister’s words struck a sore note. Though Amelia wanted to believe that David might one day treat her as a wife instead of a companion, she wasn’t going to harbor illusions. Right now, she was his wife in name, but little more than that.
“The most I can hope for is friendship,” she admitted. “And aside from our one night together, he’s been avoiding me during the day.”
The smile that spread over Toria’s face surprised her, for her sister appeared quite pleased. “Good. That means hedoeswant you. He’s afraid he wants you too much.”
“Or perhaps I wasn’t very good, and he has no desire to be with me again.” The words were laden with self-pity, but they were the truth. “What should I do now?” She wanted to believe Toria’s words, but the fact remained that the earl had isolated himself.
“When you reach his estate, you should try to spend time with him. Don’t let him shut you out.”
It was a reasonable suggestion, but Amelia wasn’t certain if it would resolve the problem. Lord Castledon seemed intent on separating himself.
“Or find a problem for him to solve,” Victoria continued. “Men do like to fix things. Break it yourself if you must.”
Amelia had no idea what sort of problem to invent, but her sister hadn’t finished yet. “Oh, and one last thing,” she interjected. “Visit his bed in the morning, before he’s awake.”
Amelia’s cheeks burned at the idea, but she managed to nod. “Bring him breakfast, you mean?”
Her sister began to laugh. Leaning closer, she whispered in Amelia’s ear. At her sister’s suggestion, she blurted out, “No, I couldn’t!”
“If you want to win his heart, there’s no man alive who would turn down a naked woman in his bed, first thing in the morning.” Victoria sent her a secretive smile. “You might even convince him to give up his plans for the day while he’s with you.”
Amelia bit her lip, unsure if she wasthatbold. Though she did like her husband a great deal, she wasn’t certain if she was quite ready to seduce him.
“Trust me on this,” her sister answered. “He won’t turn you down.”
