Louisa forced a smile, hoping she wasn’t blushing too fiercely. But if the heat in her cheeks was any indication, they were likely flaming. “His grace has been very good to me.”
That was true. It was only her smile that was false. Louisa did not like the rift that had formed between them, but she was helpless to know what to do about it. It was as if she were stuck in quicksand. The wrong move would make her sink deeper and deeper. She needed to think of the best route going forward.
If only someone would supply her with the wisdom she needed.
Lady Campbell sat across from Louisa, eyeing the duke. “He is a very striking man. I’m glad he has finally settled down. We were all beginning to wonder if he ever would.”
“His mother was pressuring him,” Lady Hughes said, leaning toward Lady Campbell. But Louisa did not care about their gossip. She was more intrigued by Lord Griffith as he made his way to her husband. Were they friends? They were of a similar age, but Louisa did not ever remember hearing Robert mention the man.
Lord Griffith drew Robert’s attention, shaking his hand in greeting. How odd. Robert did not shake hands. He was a duke. But as he pulled his hand away, Robert palmed a small object and tucked it up into his sleeve.
What in the blazes . . ?
And then, as if he didn’t just hand a secret note to her husband, Lord Griffith joined the other men in studying the pages of the unknown book.
“Don’t you agree, Your Grace?”
Louisa turned to Lady Campbell. “I’m sorry. What were you saying?”
Lady Hughes tipped her head back, laughing in delight. “You cannot even keep your eyes off your husband. Oh, to be newlyweds again.”
Louisa laughed, but it sounded forced even to her own ears. “Yes, it is certainly something.”
“But he is good to you?” Lady Hughes leaned closer, placing a motherly hand on Louisa’s skirts.
With this, Louisa did not need to lie. “Yes.” She looked at Robert, his face stoic and reserved. So unlike the man who had laughed with her just hours before in the carriage. No smile touched his face as he spoke, his head only dipping in a nod hereand there as his finger pressed into his leg. “He is very good to me,” she continued. But she needed to speak with him soon and figure out what to do about their physical relationship going forward. Boundaries needed to be put in place to protect herself.
As the evening came to a close, Robert walked over to escort her out to the carriage. “Shall we go home?”
She smiled, placing her hand in his. “Yes. I find I am quite tired. Goodnight, ladies,” she said, turning to Lady Hughes and Lady Campbell.
As they walked in silence out to the carriage, Louisa could hardly stand it.
“How was your evening?” she asked, trying to break the tension once they sat inside the carriage.
He gaze shot to the window. “It was how I imagined it would be.”
“Which means?” She leaned forward, hoping he might look at her. But why? Why was she trying to coax him out when she was the one who had rebuffed his advances?
“It means I was uncomfortable most of the night. People talked and I answered.”
Did she dare broach the subject of Lord Griffith? Perhaps she did not have to ask him outright. If she mentioned seeing them talking, Robert might voluntarily share what the man had slipped into his hand. Though, she quite doubted that would be the way of it.
“I did not know you and Lord Griffith were friends.”
“We are.”
Her jaw ticked to the side. Apparently, Robert’s mask was firmly in place for the evening. “And Lord Hughes? What was he showing you in his book?”
“It was about the process of fermenting port.”
Unable to figure out any other way to draw Robert from his shell, the rest of the ride was strained, quiet, and uncomfortable.After Robert escorted her inside, he immediately made his way up the stairs.
Louisa clenched a fist, unable to stop her mouth from running off. “You are wearing your mask again.”
He stopped on the stairs, his hand gripping the rail as he slowly turned his head back toward her. “Yes. And what of it?”
Louisa threw her hand toward the Lavender Room. The renovations were not quite finished, but she did not wish to stand in the entry hall with him on the stairs towering over her. His chest rose and fell three times in succession before he finally stepped down and followed her. Once he shut the door behind them, she let her words loose.
