blinked in surprise when Giles himself opened the door.
“Simon?” Giles asked.
“Have I been gone so long you didn’t recognize me?” Simon teased.
“No. I recognized you,” Giles said adamantly. “You’ve never darkened my door before.”
“I didn’t think you’d want me to.” And judging by the way Giles hadn’t invited him inside yet, he had the feeling that Giles didn’t want him to darken it.
“Why wouldn’t I want your company?” Giles asked, his brow furrowing.
Simon could rattle off a dozen reasons. He didn’t. “I don’t know,” he said a tad sarcastically. “Everyone finds me charming.”
“My wife didn’t.”
Simon’s face burned with mortification, and a retort sprang to mind. He reminded himself that Giles’ often blunt words and simple speech was a result of his being born with his life’s cord wrapped around his neck, not of malice intent. “Indeed, she didn’t,” Simon agreed. “For the best, too.”
Giles stared at him, his expression unreadable.
“We didn’t suit and never would have,” Simon said. “She picked the right brother.”
Something flickered in Giles’ green eyes and his jaw tightened. “Is that why you came?”
“Because Mother had a moment of confession last night? No.” He removed his grey felt hat and fingered the brim. “Giles, I’d already put the pieces of that particular puzzle together.” He grimaced. “I’ll grant you, a few didn’t go where I thought they did, but overall, I’d already deduced we shared more than just a mother.”
Giles stiffened.
Surely Simon wasn’t informing Giles of something he hadn’t already realized. Or had he? Uncertainty filled him. “Perhaps I should go.”
Shrugging, Giles said, “If you want to.”
“Considering you haven’t invited me inside, and you’re staring at me as if you’d like nothing more than to strangle me, I think it’s my best option at the moment.”
Giles took a step back. “You can come in.”
Perhaps it was merely because Simon didn’t know Giles well enough to read his expression and tone, but he had the oddest feeling he should go and allow Giles to get back to whatever it was he’d been doing before Simon had arrived.
“That’s all right, Giles. Perhaps another time.”
With only a single nod, Giles closed the door, and Simon went about his day. He’d tried. That’s the best he could do. Rae and her siblings might have a wonderful relationship, but that didn’t mean Simon and Giles would have the same.
After nine long hours of errands and paperwork, it was finally time to go to the lending library.
“Did you two have a good day?” Simon asked his mother; Rae was nowhere to be seen.
“I did.” Mother bit her lip. “Simon, I think Rae isn’t feeling the thing.”
Ah, so it hadn’t been his imagination. A small measure of relief coursed through him.
“Ladies,” Mother began again, shifting uncomfortably from foot to foot. “Every so many weeks your new bride will…um…her mood will change a bit.” She found something fascinating about his cravat and stared at it. “As will some of her interests.”
Now it was Simon’s turn to shift uncomfortably. Long ago his father had informed him of the facts of life. That was awkward enough, but if he understood his mother correctly, that made things even more awkward.
“Thank you,” he choked, still uncomfortable about the conversation and yet, grateful that he now had a reason for why Rae had turned so cold toward him. “Where is she?”
“I sent her to go lie down.”
Simon made his way to the small living quarters in the upstairs part of the library. Without knocking, Simon slowly opened the door and took in his wife’s resting form. With her dark hair slipping from its pins and a faint pink staining her cheeks from exertion, she was an image of beauty. Simon sat on the bed next to her and swept the hair from her forehead. “Are you ready to go home?”
“Yes, please.”
Simon helped her up then looked around. “Where are your purchases?” He wasn’t sure if she’d remembered their new address to have them sent there.
“I don’t have any purchases.”
“Oh.” Simon handed her reticule to her then frowned. “Please forgive me, tomorrow I’ll inform all of the shops on Bond Street that you may charge to my account.”
“Thank you,” she said.
“Was there something you liked that you’d like for us to go back for now?” he offered, willing to do anything he could to bring a smile to her lips.
Rae knit her brows. “Simon, why do you think we went shopping?”
“Because that’s what ladies do,” he said without hesitation. As soon as the words were out, a better understanding of the