Page 80 of Earl, Enemy, Husband?

They sat side-by-side on the sofa in Lilian’s little cottage as they had on so many other afternoons. She had been home two weeks now and it was the first time she had felt able to leave Father alone with the girls.

‘I was worried about Father,’ Florence said, as she had said what felt like for the hundredth time to everyone who’d expressed surprise at her return. Unfortunately the excuse she had used had proved to be true and Father was not in good health. That she had not expected.

Primrose had been having a terrible time getting him to let the doctor visit him. ‘And with Blackdown Hall still under construction, I could hardly stay there.’

What she could not say was how sad she felt, and how empty. Graydon had not even tried to excuse his behaviour with that horrid woman. And she certainly would not tell her friend that she was pretty sure her marriage was as good as over. She was to be like his mother, living apart from her husband for years, reviled and ridiculed.

‘What was it like?’ Lilian asked. ‘Did you meet the Prince or the King? Is everyone dressed in diamonds and pearls day and night? Oh, and did I tell you, I love the dress your are wearing.’

Her new walking gown. The one Graydon had admired, or said he admired.

She had no illusions that she could in any way compete with the soon-to-be-widowed Lady Standish. How disappointed Graydon must feel to realise that, if he had waited, he could have married the love of his life.

Her stomach felt hollow thinking about it.

Instead, she tried to think of things her friend would find entertaining. Her heart wasn’t in it, but she forced a smile. ‘Diamonds and such are worn in the evenings. When driving and walking in the park, it is the fashion one wears that counts.’ She sipped her tea. ‘My goodness, I must have changed my clothes four times a day: morning attire, walking attire, afternoon gowns, dinner and ball gowns. For each one must wear something different, and something no one has seen before.’

Lilian stared at her, eyes wide. ‘It must be exhausting.’

Oh dear, had she sounded as if she was complaining? Her friend would think her terribly spoiled. ‘Not exhausting,’ she said, forcing a chuckle, ‘But time consuming.’

‘Was it any fun at all?’

Indeed, it seemed as if she did sound as if she was complaining. Some of it had been fun, hadn’t it? Meeting new people, dancing with her husband, making love… She pushed that thought aside. She still felt a hot flood of shame when she remembered how bold she had been. ‘Oh yes. Some of it was most enjoyable.’

Lilian blinked and looked puzzled. ‘Well, I expect your husband is missing you.’ Lilian and her husband had made a love match. For the first two years of their marriage, they had done nothing but bill and coo. In the meantime, her husband was likely in the arms of Lady Standish.

‘Apparently fashionable people do not care for displays of emotion. I doubt he would even notice I am not there, except that I brought his coach.’

She had sent the coach and horses up to Blackdown Hall and was back to Shanks’s pony for her trips to the village—and happy to be so.

Lilian looked shocked, but quickly schooled her expression into neutrality. She leaned forward and fingered the cloth of Florence’s gown. ‘Such beautiful fabric.’

‘I will send you some, next time I am in Town,’ she said. As long as Graydon continued to provide her with the pin money they had agreed on, she didn’t see why she could not buy her friend a gift.

‘Oh that is so kind of you, but no. Where would I wear such a gown?’ She laughed. ‘Everyone here would think I was getting above myself. But thank you for the offer. When will you be returning to London?’

Florence restrained the urge to wince. ‘I am not sure. Perhaps not this season, but next, when I will go again when it is time for Primrose to come out.’

Whatever happened, she would make sure that Graydon stuck to that part of their bargain.

Lilian passed the plate of biscuits. Florence shook her head; she didn’t seem to have any appetite these days. Even Iris had noticed she wasn’t eating.

‘What has been happening in Stoor since I left?’ she asked.

Lilian was happy enough to tell her all the village news and, when it was time to go home, she felt as if she had hardly been away at all. She comforted herself by telling herself she was home. Though why her heart should ache wasn’t entirely clear. She had known what sort of marriage she had agreed to.

She should never have allowed herself to hope for love.

She didn’t deserve such happiness.

Chapter Seventeen

‘Thank you for coming, my lord,’ Foley said. ‘I am sorry to bring you back from London, but I needed you to see this for yourself.’

‘What is the problem now?’ The last place Graydon wanted to be was Blackdown Hall, knowing his wife was only a short walk away. If she thought he was here because of her, she would think she could rule the roost over him for the rest of their married days. And he would not allow it.

Except that after three weeks of living at the townhouse in London, a townhouse that felt as empty as a drum, he’d begun to think he might do anything to persuade her to come back to him.