Jessica’s head perked up. “What did you do, Robert? Boss her around too much?”
“No.” He scowled. “Rather the opposite, actually. I tried to love her, and she didn’t want it. So, she left for home, and now I’m here complaining to you.”
“I am likely not the one you should be complaining to. If anything, I am more along your wife’s line of thinking. Though, you are only, what, ten years her senior?”
He stared into his tea, likely too cold to be enjoyable anymore. “What does that have to do with anything?”
“Lord Drake was nearly thirty years older than me, so it’s not exactly comparable.”
She had not thought his age an issue when she gladly accepted his offer of marriage. But he kept his thoughts to himself on the matter. “No, I do not believe my age is the problem. It’s Louisa’s stubbornness.”
Jessica let out a disbelieving laugh. “Her? If that is the case, perhaps you have merely reached an impasse, as neither of you are willing to be wrong.”
“No. I changed for her. I was only foolish in thinking it would have any effect on our relationship.”
“I cannot believe the stoic Duke of Boroux tried to change for someone. What made you do such a thing?” Jessica’s face formed a grimace as she shifted in her seat, as if the very idea of changing for someone made her skin crawl.
He pulled the cup to his lips. “You.” His breath caused the steam above his tea to swirl in the air.
“Me?” Jessica put a hand to her chest as she gave a disbelieving laugh.
“Your reaction to Lord Drake’s death was most unpleasant. I didn’t want that to be my fate.”
“Who knew you were such a romantic?”
“I didn’t. Not until then.” He sighed, shaking his head. “But it doesn’t matter. Louisa doesn’t want a love match, and now she has left to forget me.”
Jessica leaned forward, taking another biscuit, her tone light and unbothered. “Speaking of a love match, Lord Griffith came by to see me the other day.”
Robert’s stomach turned to stone. “Excuse me?”
“He came by for a call. Not officially, of course, as I am still in mourning, but we had a lovely time.”
No, his sister was many things—calloused, sometimes a bit reckless—but she would not go so far as to start a relationship while still in mourning for her husband. And yet, that is precisely what she just admitted to. “A lovely time? Jessica, you cannot be considering another man already. That is not how things are done.”
She shrugged, indifferent to his scolding. “We will keep things quiet.”
“No, you will not do any such thing. You are a reflection on this family, and you cannot move on and have clandestine meetings with a man after only a couple months of mourning!”
Her nose scrunched. “You always were a prude.”
“Better a prude than someone without any honor.” Robert stood, his cup clanking as he set it down on the tray. “Thank you for the lovely visit, Jessica. Until next time.”
“Come, now. You are leaving already?”
“Yes. If you will not listen to reason, I do not wish to further this discussion.”
He strode from the room, hearing Jessica scoff as he rounded the corner into the hall. His stomach was in knots, as it seemed to be after all his recent visits with his sister.
Why had he expected anything else?
Chapter twenty-eight
It had been twoweeks since Louisa left Stonemoore. She busied herself with Colin, stealing him from his governess whenever she could, as well as being of any help to Violet as she could. Prince seemed comfortable to be back at home in Tunbridge, almost as if he had never left. If Louisa tried very hard, everything felt normal, at times. Like it had felt only months ago. But when she laid her head down at night, her mind reminded her of all she left behind.
She tried to picture what Robert was up to. Without her or Prince, he would be alone with his staff in that large, rambling house. Guilt crept up her spine, and she tossed and turned in her bed. Her hand fell against the empty pillow beside her, and she pictured Robert lying there instead, his broad shoulders peeking out from beneath the covers and his hair in disarray as it had been the morning she left. If only fear of the unknown did not grip her, that reality could be hers.
Louisa’s legs itched with unease until she finally rose from her bed and padded into the hall, dragging her fingers alongits wall. They were so familiar, yet they no longer felt like her home. Moonlight filtered through a window at the far end of the hallway, giving just enough light to guide her.
