Page 72 of Wedded to the Deviant Duke

It’d been easier to pass the time when everyone was still awake; Charlotte was a non-stop chatterbox, poking and prodding for information about the “courtship”. Not that there was much to tell, but Thalia was willing to look at past interactions with a new lens, disregarding any stories about the library. Or the stables.

It had been nice, thinking back throughout the week with fresh perspectives. Orion’s Hunt, the park opening, their walk through the field; everything suddenly had a far more intimate tinge to it, and Thalia wasn’t afraid to view it as such, now.

Of course, that only made it harder when Charlotte could no longer keep her eyes open, whisked off to the guest bedroom a mere fifteen minutes after ten. And Louise, ever the wonderful hostess, had long periods of time where she needed to step away, whether to handle matters of the home, or because the little one demanded more attention than she could muster in front of guests.

Thus, Thalia sat in the lightly-decorated drawing room, an embroidery project long since abandoned amidst a small pile of novels. Currently, a sketchpad provided by the servants sat across her lap, charcoal stick abandoned across the tea table as she remained fixated on the clock.

“Five till one,” she sighed, rubbing her eyes tiredly. Her body certainly was tired enough to head to bed, but her mind refused to settle. Not until Gabriel came back.

A gentle rap sounded against the drawing room’s door, Louise lingering beneath its archway. She held a silver tray with two cups of steaming tea, offering Thalia a sympathetic smile.

“Mind if I join you?”

Thalia immediately shifted over, opening a space beside her on the settee. Louise moved with a carefully cultivated grace, hardly impeded by the swell of her stomach. Even so, Thalia moved to take the tray from her, setting it across the table as Louise gratefully took her seat.

“You didn’t have to go to all this trouble, Louise.”

“I certainly did,” Louise insisted. “You are still my guest, regardless of my circumstances.”

Thalia offered her hostess a cup first, accepting hers next as she inhaled the pleasant aroma. A hint of sweetness and a fair share of earth and apple; it warmed her to the core after the first sip.

“I still stay up sometimes,” Louise sighed lightly. “Especially when the little one is just as restless.”

Thalia blinked, the tea’s warmth flushing across her face.

“I think it’s just natural,” Louise continued softly. “To worry about the one you love. It doesn’t matter how often I hear it, or how much I know it myself; until I can see Christian for myself, I am simply unwavering.”

“Love…” Thalia repeated the word gently, as if afraid it might shatter in her mouth. “That’s… a strong word, Your Grace. I don’t know if we can use it for my and the duke’s… situation.”

Louise chuckled lightly, taking a sip from her cup before awkwardly leaning forward in an attempt to set it back against the table. Thalia moved quickly to assist, and her hostess let out a far louder sigh, practically sinking into the cousin of the couch.

“There’s no need to rush toward it. Honestly, I’m impressed you managed to wrap Gabriel’s mind around the idea of proper courtship at all. Christian was convinced he would live out his life a bachelor.”

“I imagine they had a bet going about it,” Thalia giggled.

“If not between them, then certainly between my husband and his clubmates.” Louise laughed, hands folding against her midsection with a slight wince. “Ooh, so particular, this one is. Just like his father; must have every little detail perfectly so.”

“Are you in pain?” Thalia asked.

Louise offered a warm, if somewhat strained, smile. “Some days, I am. Right now, I’m simply uncomfortable.”

“I really don’t need the company, if you require–?”

“–Oh, lying in bed sounds positively dreadful at the moment,” Louise interrupted with a groan. “You’re only some of the reason I’m sitting out here.” She shifted in her spot, looking terribly uncomfortable while doing so. But, after a moment, her expression looked less tight, and she let out another relieved sigh.

The question danced around her mind, but Thalia bit her tongue to ensure it didn’t slip out.

“Some days, I don’t feel it was worth it.”

Thalia let out a startled gasp, her hand shooting to cover her mouth. Louise laughed loudly in reply, pulling an embarrassed flush across Thalia’s face.

“Gracious, Louise! I thought I had said something aloud!”

“You’re very easy to read,” Louise admitted. “It’s what I adore most about you; I’m sure that’s what drew Charlotte in.” Her smile softened, and she held her hand outward. Hesitantly, Thalia accepted it, allowing her hostess to guide it over her stomach and settle atop.

“Some days, it’s very painful. Some days are filled with anger, or anxiety, or a fight that seems impossible to overcome.”

A slight flutter passed underneath Thalia’s hand; she couldn’t help but inhale sharply once more.

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