CHAPTER 12
Marcus sat behind his desk as he stared at the invitation that had just been delivered. He read it twice, and then a third time, knowing what he needed to do while wishing that he did not have to do it.
You always knew it would come to this, Marcus. There is no avoiding it. No getting around it. In fact, try and see the positive. That we might get it over with quickly, rather than dragging it out…
“Your Grace?” The footman who delivered the letter stood before the desk. “Was there anything else you required of me?”
“Yes…” Marcus cleared his throat, deciding on what he had to do. “My wife, will you fetch her for me?”
“At once, Your Grace.” The footman bowed deeply and then hurried from the room.
Marcus remained in his seat and stared at the letter as if it were a snake that might suddenly bite him. As he did, he ran through his head how the following conversation might play out… how best to approach it so that there would be no misgivings or confusion.
Be honest and upfront, Marcus. Clear in what you desire, and clear in what is expected. She knows this is coming, so it should not be nearly so awkward as it could be.
Wise words, he knew, just as he knew things were nowhere near that simple…
“You sent for me?” Lucy appeared in his doorway a few minutes later.
Marcus started at the sight of her, then cleared his throat and straightened his back. He wore a neutral expression too, careful to hide any emotions he might be feeling. This was to be treated like a business meeting.
Most importantly, there could not be a repeat of the last time they spoke… when his hands had touched her shoulder… when he had felt something pass between them that he could not explain… when they had flirted with the notion of what this marriage was, and what it might become…
No, we certainly cannot have a repeat of whatever that was. I do not want it, and I doubt that she does either.
“Yes, thank you for coming.” He gestured to the chair across from him. “Please, take a seat.”
“I would have come sooner,” she explained as she walked into the room and took the seat, “but I was with James.”
Marcus smiled. “And how it he?”
“He is sleeping.”
“No, I meant…” He chuckled. “How are the two of you? Helga told me that you have taken to one another. She was rather impressed, in fact.”
“Oh…” Her cheeks flushed pink and she fidgeted with her hands as if she was embarrassed by the compliment. “I am just doing as I promised I would. It is not nearly so difficult as I thought.”
“She says that you are a natural.”
“I doubt it.” She rolled her eyes. “But thank you.”
Marcus studied her across the table for a moment. While he was surprised how quickly she was adapting to motherhood, he was not surprised by the way she fought against it. She acted as if it was something to be spurned, as if the more she enjoyed looking after James, the more ashamed she should be. A betrayal of herself, as it was.
But Marcus saw through this falsehood, and he knew as he watched her fidget, while noting the soft smile on her pink lips, that he had made the right choice in marrying her.
At least as far as James is concerned, anyhow. As to everything else… well, I suppose we are about to find out.
“You are probably wondering why I sent for you?” he began.
“I doubt it was to bask in my presence,” she joked. “I am not so interesting as that.”
“Maybe you are…” He looked right at her and, as expected, she shied away. “But you are right. There is something I need to ask of you, and I feel that it is best to get it over with.”
“All right…” He saw her tense slightly with anticipation.
“I have just received an invitation.” He picked up the letter and handed it to her. She took it with caution and read it with just as much. “As you can see, it is an invitation from some business associates of mine to join them on the morrow in what amounts to a picnic.”
She frowned. “Is this common? I cannot remember my father ever being invited to such a thing.”
