your life.”
“I can continue with my life with you here. We can live separately within the same house. I do not want you to be alone.” He was so cool, collected.
Not forget-me-nots. Hyacinths. They were more vertical than forget-me-knots. Maybe she could ask to borrow his waistcoat. The design would make a fine needlework if she traced it. She would have much time for needlework.
“I still believe that it would be best if I went to Glynwolde.” She let the smile relax. “But, as you say I am your wife. It is your decision to make. I will do as you please.”
“I did not mean to displease you.” He sounded almost concerned. “I only thought that . . .”
“Please, my lord, it is not of significance. I am happy to do as my husband desires.” Her life was not her own. She had trapped him as surely as she had trapped herself. It didn’t really matter where she resided.
“I only wish to make you happy.”
“As I said, it is not of significance. Now I wish to be alone. I find you are correct. I am still fatigued.”
“Well then, I will leave you to enjoy the remainder of the morning. Should I summon some tea? Or do you prefer coffee?”
“I can ring myself.”
“It is my plan to attend to business this afternoon. I shall join you for dinner before departing for the evening’s events, unless you require an escort.”
“No, I may not require bed rest, but I do truly find myself weary.”
“That’s settled then. I will see you at dinner.”
Silence returned with his departure. Bone by bone, Marguerite let her back relax until it touched the back of the chair. She let her head fall back until she stared up at the ceiling.
She should ring for her tea, but the effort felt enormous.
Chapter Ten
Tristan peered around the dark gaming hell. The air was foul with the stench of cigars and bodies that had gone too long without a bath. Langdon and Moreland sat across from him, their eyes blood shot and watery.
“I am going to make myself a fortune soon.” Moreland slurped as he lifted his glass to his lips and downed another whiskey. God, who slurped whiskey? Although given the vintage of the malt, swilling it would not have been a bad move.
“You always have a plan to make fortune,” Langdon said, pulling himself up in his chair. “Why don’t you just wait for your father to kick off like the rest of us? You don’t even have any brothers to worry about. Whatcha need a fortune for anyway?”
The last phrase was so slurred Tristan had to consider each word on its own. If he hadn’t been nursing the same glass for half the night rather than drinking it he would have wondered at his own sobriety listening to the others argue.
Moreland tried to pour another glass, but sloshed the liquor across the table instead. Now they all smelled like a distillery. He picked up the empty glass and stared at it as if wondering what had happened to the brew. “With a fortune I’d be my own man. So tired of listening to Father tell me what to do. Who cares if I learn how to manage the estates or not? It’s not like he spends time looking over his own books. Got a manager and a man of affairs to handle them. He’s always off shooting at some creature he thinks we want to eat. Never cared for venison or pheasant myself. I like a good slab of beef or a tender roast chicken.”
“Don’t need a fortune to have a roast chicken.” Langdon smiled at his own wit.
“How are you planning to acquire this fortune anyway?” Tristan leaned forward in his chair and pushed the bottle back towards Moreland’s empty glass. Maybe there was something to learn here.
“That’s my secret. You have a pretty wife. Mother says I mustn’t tell anyone. Do you think she’d like flowers?”
“Your mother told you not to tell anyone I have a pretty wife?” Maybe more whiskey was not such a good idea.
“Don’t be a fool. About the flowers.”
“Yes, I think your mother likes flowers. I am sure that somebody must have remarked on it.” Tristan was loosing patience fast. Why did everybody want to speak of flowers? He’d be happy if he never saw another bloom.
“You’re right about that,” Langdon spoke up. “Lady Harburton always has the best arrangements. My own mother comments on it. Wants to know why I can’t find