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“Nothing. Get some rest; I am sure that was tasking on your body,” he urged with a small smile.

Anna, feeling vulnerable and warm, asked,

“Will you give me one more kiss?”

He hesitated, then leaned in to capture her lips in a deep kiss.

“Sleep well, Anna,” he whispered softly.

Anna snuggled deeper into the bed as he pulled the covers over her, and fell asleep almost instantly, with a nagging feeling that she had forgotten something important.

Anna woke the following morning in an unfamiliar room to an empty bed, the space beside her cool, as though he had been gone for some time already.

She lay still for a long moment, one hand drifting across the sheets where he had been, before a soft knock came at the door and her maid entered, offering a bright smile.

“Breakfast is ready, Your Grace. Would you like my help getting ready?”

“Um...” Anna mused, sitting up with the sheets pressed against her upper half in an attempt to preserve her modesty. “I suppose that will be helpful, thank you. Will the duke be joining me?”

Linda’s face fell, and for a moment, she seemed rather apologetic.

“His Grace departed this morning, Your Grace. Quite early.”

Oh. She had forgotten that was what he had planned, according to the arrangements they had made together.

“I see. All right then.”

It hurt that he could not have been bothered to say goodbye, but ultimately, she would not let it hold her back or consume her. She would live her life and live it well, without any regard for him.

That was the least she owed herself.

Anna had done her best to live her life as well as she could in the weeks that followed the duke’s departure.

She had learned to prioritize the well-being of the household and herself in a bid to focus on everything other than the fact that she was now a wife and did not feel like one. The staff seemed to understand just how desperately she sought a distraction and cared for her a great deal while she assumed the duties of the duchess of Wolvesley.

Anna attended to the matters of their tenants, oversaw and directed the renovations of several parts of the house, and kept her brother and sister up-to-date with her affairs with weekly correspondence.

It was not perfect. Some days, she still felt herself yearning for the life she could have had if only another scandal had not taken its place, but she knew better than anyone that there was no use crying over spilled milk. This was her life now, and she would simply have to live with it.

However, things took quite a turn one afternoon, when she began to feel a tad faint after breakfast. She thought perhaps it was a sign of some sort of fatigue and decided to take a quick walk around the gardens, as she always felt refreshed after an outing in that area of the house.

She never made it to the garden that day, because as she barely crossed the threshold of the dining hall, she slumped forward and darkness consumed her vision.

CHAPTER EIGHT

One year later

“Oh dear, my darling, please don’t cry.”

The child inhaled sharply, silence filling the room for a moment. However, Anna knew her son far too well to give in to the momentary peace, and seconds later, the boy began to wail again.

The duchess sighed deeply, trying not to join him in a fit of tears, instead lifting him into her arms and cradling him close.

“There, there, little Timothy. What upsets you so? Hm? My brave, sweet boy. Do not cry anymore, all right?” she whispered gently, using her thumb to wipe away his tears.

The boy continued to fuss, and just as she felt herself draw closer to the edge of frustration, she heard a small yawn from her side.

The housekeeper, Miss Hill, walked in, carrying Timothy’s twin sister, Lucy, in her own arms. Unlike her brother, Lucy was easier to satiate, given that she seemed fond of loud noises where her twin had an aversion to it. The slightest sound upset Timothy greatly, whereas Lucy could be lulled to sleep by the performance of an orchestra.