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“Hudson, that – that is an inappropriate thing to say here,” she whispered rapidly.

“Is it?” he mused with a grin. “I do not care, regardless. You are my wife, and it only matters to me where and when I express my opinions about your graceful form. It is no concern of anyone else but us.”

Anna still refused to meet his eyes, which made him chuckle as he glanced away for a moment, the laughter dying in his throat as he spotted a familiar figure standing in the distance, at the other end of the ballroom.

The person looked up, and when their eyes met, Hudson’s suspicions were confirmed. That was none other than his brother, Cornelius. Something like hope sprouted in his chest, but his body felt reluctant to take a step in the other man’s direction.

Apparently, that was the right course of action, because after their gazes met, Cornelius turned and walked away without even looking back.

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

“It seems I have made yet another mistake tonight,” Anna mumbled as she attempted to reach for the strings of her corset.

They had returned from the ball a while ago, and as soon as they entered the house, Anna thanked Hudson for keeping her company before she headed to the nursery. Angelica was seated in the rocking chair in a corner, reading a book. She assured Anna that the children were fine and encouraged her to get some rest.

Linda had offered to stay and help her change out of her dress, but Anna assured her that she would be fine, feeling somewhat still overwhelmed over all the interactions she had endured all evening. She needed a moment to breathe, away from the crowd and music – needed to gather her thoughts and decipher what had transpired between her and Hudson.

His words had been greatly unexpected, and the strange thing was... he seemed honest. Anna couldn’t fathom why his gaze had been earnest, and his touch was so warm where it rested on her body.

She felt as though she had been moments away from leaning further into his grasp, an odd flicker of yearning growing within her.

“I must stop being so silly,” she sighed, tugging at the strings of her corset.

The knot remained tightly fastened, no matter how hard she pulled, and her frustration only grew. It appeared she would need to cut the corset away.

With a groan, she left her room, headed down the hallway that led to the library. She recalled that she had left a pair of scissors in the drawer of her desk, and perhaps that would do the trick and free her from this nightmare undergarment.

She quietly opened the door to the library, trying not to cause a stir when the household was peacefully asleep, and walked in, her brows furrowed as she noticed that the fireplace was still lit.

Had the maids forgotten to put it out?

Anna stepped closer to the fireplace, which was in the opposite direction of her desk, startled when a voice asked from the side,

“Does sleep elude you as well?”

She jumped, frightened, resting her hand over her chest when she realized it was only Hudson seated in a settee, his eyes on the dancing flames in the fireplace. He looked as though he was bothered by something, and her heart squeezed in discomfort at the thought of leaving him to deal with whatever it was alone. He brought a glass containing an amber liquid up to his lips, and when Anna noticed a half-empty bottle on a table next to him, she parted her lips to speak,

“Is that why you are here? Because you cannot sleep?”

Hudson glanced at her and emptied the contents of his glass. “Something like that.”

“Now, now, Hudson,” she tutted lightly, almost teasing, “That is not how to confide in someone who is offering you a listening ear. I am determined to teach our children that a problem shared is half solved. As their parents, we must ensure that we utilize whatever life lessons we hope to instill in them. Therefore, consider this your very own practice session. What ails you? What weighs so heavily on your mind that you are currently nursing a drink before a fireplace?”

Hudson smirked, clearly entertained – even just for a moment – before his face fell again.

“I saw my brother tonight,” he announced.

“Oh,” Anna said, blinking in confusion. “I did not get to greet him. My apologies –”

“That is not necessary. I was unable to speak with him either. I doubt he has any interest in speaking to me currently.”

Anna frowned, settling in the chair next to his own. “Why, is something wrong?”

Hudson groaned, running a hand through his hair.

“I wish I could say that I did not know – but the truth is... I do have some clue as to what the problem is. I have not spoken to him in months – practically the same amount of time you and I were apart. We have not had a single conversation since you and I were married. I tried to understand that perhaps he needed some time to come to terms with the fact that I only had his best interests at heart, but it seems the longer I let him deal with it however he liked, the more comfortable he grew staying out of contact with me.

“He’s... Our relationship has been this way ever since we were children. I want to help him, to protect him, and somehow – he claims I've crossed the line and hates me for it. I am no fool. I understand that my methods are likely too exhausting for him to handle. I know that I am being too controlling, but I need to protect him. He’s my family.”