He supposed she asked this based on his note about his insomnia and related worries. It was an opportunity to change his mind.
While Dominic contemplated on doing just that, he found he didn’t want to disappoint her. Or himself. And he rather liked the idea of getting some sunlight.
“It’s not part of my routine,” he said aloud mostly for himself.
“No,” she echoed softly.
Perhaps she doesn’t mean for me to join her. She wants to do something else with her time, not with me. I haven’t seen her myself before noon any day thus far. I could change my mind and take my leave…
“As long as you shall not be embarrassed with me on your arm, I should be glad to go as I am,” Dominic said.
There was something glimmering in her eye when she nodded. “Very well. Shall we?”
He switched from his morning slippers and accepted a hat and cane from his footman. It only took a few minutes before he took his wife on his arm and they left the house together.
“Isn’t it a beautiful day?” Verity said warmly as they left the drive, looking about at the sunshine. Her smile transferred over to him as she asked him, “I’m glad you decided to come with me.I didn’t really think you would come. Your mornings are so often busy. What inclined you to change your mind?”
He hesitated over an answer before saying, “As you said, it is a lovely day. Besides, it is expected for newly married couples to be seen together. Not just by the household, but by our neighbors as well.”
The smile faded from her lips. “Ah, yes. Of course.”
“I suppose it is mostly for others to gossip upon,” he added, thinking that might boost her interest. If she did support the gossip journals, then wouldn’t this be something that mattered to her?
But she turned away from him, looking out onto the street.
Hiding a smile? He couldn’t decide. Dominic fell quiet as she did the same. There was a tension in the silence he couldn’t sort out. It left the walk uncomfortable. He glanced back, wondering if he should simply leave.
What good would that do us? No, she is my wife. Surely I can do right by her.
“Have you explored outside the house?” Dominic asked finally. “The grounds are maintained well through every season. I’ve seen the flowers bloom well. We also cycle the vegetable garden through every season.”
“Hm? Oh. Oh yes, the gardens are lovely. I explored them yesterday,” Verity added. “The pond was particularly quaint; do you like fish?”
“No, but my mother did.”
Her eyes widened as she turned to him, and then she glanced away for a moment. The truth was meant to be shared. She wanted honesty and he wanted to give it. All the same, Dominic was hard-pressed to hope that she wouldn’t ask more about his family.
He braced himself for the worst.
Then Verity surprised him by saying, “My mother didn’t like fish. We rarely ate it for supper. But my father loved kippers to break his morning fast. His breath always smelled fishy when he, er, talked to us. I rather like seeing them in the pond rather than on our plates.”
Dominic released the tension in his spine as she spoke. “I find I must agree.”
“The stepping path over the pond was particularly lovely. I felt like a child again. That’s often hard to relive such a memory since I am so tall. It always feels like I am towering over the world,” Verity shared while offering him a smile.
“I know quite how you feel.”
“Do you really?” She teased, before chuckling. “I imagine it is much preferred to be a tall gentleman over a tall lady.”
He helped her cross the street by keeping her close to his side. “I wouldn’t know as I have only ever been a man, but I shall take your word for it.”
“It would seem you can be clever on occasion.”
“I save it for valuable moments such as this.”
Rolling her eyes, she smiled at him. “How generous of you, Your Grace.”
They paused when someone called out her name. A carriage was slowing down as a hand waved wildly out the window. Once close enough, the curtains widened to reveal the cheery face of a lady whom he didn’t recognize; judging by Verity’s smirk, she did.
