Phoebe shrugged and walked to the window and looked out. A finger in her mouth. What did she have left to chew on?
George began. “Alice is in France—”
“Good,” she said around her finger.
“Do you want to ask another friend of yours?”
“No. I—” She took the finger from her mouth and balled her hands into fists at her sides.
“Should I ask Phineas?”
Phoebe shrugged again.
“I’ll ask Phin.” Phineas owed him, after all. And the earl could be appropriate if pressed. His affable presence might lighten what seemed likely to be a very funereal wedding.
“Fine.”
“And the wedding breakfast? Shall we have it at my house or here?”
“No wedding breakfast.”
“And . . . ” George was scared to ask the next question. Slay dragons, yes. Ask this of Phoebe? He felt himself tremble. “And after the wedding, will you come live with me?”
Phoebe turned and faced him. “Since this is a marriage for the sake of appearances, I have every intention of making it appear as normal as possible. Yes, I will live in your house after the wedding. A wife lives with her husband.”
“I hope it won’t just be for appearances, Phoebe.”
“It will be for the child.”
“Yes.”Will it be for us, Phoebe?
“I hope I give you an heir, George. It’s the least I can do.”
“You don’t owe me anything, Phoebe. You know I want to marry you. And yes, have children with you.”
“Well, a child, at least.”
A stab at his heart. “And I’ll be a good father.”
“Yes. You’ll like teaching him.”
“Or her.”
“You will not. If it’s a girl—” Phoebe bit her lip and squared her shoulders. “No chess. No hoydenish things. She’ll be a proper lady.”
“You’re a proper lady, Phoebe.”
“I’m not. I never have been. But if we have a daughter, she will be.”
He went to her at the window and embraced her. She didn’t move.
“You’ll be a wonderful mother, Phoebe.”
He felt her relax just a bit. Her bowed head leaned into his chest. A stuttering inhale. Then a sob. He tightened his arms around her. Her body shook under his grip.
“There, there.”
A growl from her. She lifted her head off his chest, her eyes angry, and reached up and pulled his head down and kissed him. A wild kiss with a forceful tongue, her teeth knocking against his. And through it all, she continued to cry, her chest heaved, her nose ran. She cried into his mouth, almost shrieking.
