Page 27 of A Duchess in Ten Days
A small voice in the back of her mind urged her to stop, to let it go before the conversation spiraled further into tension. But she couldn't help herself. The anger that had been simmering for days bubbled to the surface, impossible to ignore. She was tired of being left in the dark, tired of the silence that filled every corner of the house.
"I have been occupied with matters of the estate," he answered simply, returning to his meal.
"Who vanishes on their honeymoon, Your Grace?" she asked, sitting back as the maid set down her food.
Andrew looked up from his plate, clearly taken aback by her words. "I didn't think of it as a honeymoon, Lavinia," he replied softly, offering a small, apologetic smile. "I thought we both understood why this had to be done."
"We both understood?" Lavinia asked and raised her eyebrows. "We?"
Andrew's gaze faltered for a moment before he met her eyes again. "I didn't mean to speak for you," he said.
"If you don't want to give me a good reason for what you did, that's fine. I will learn to live with it. I won't keep pushing," she said. "But is this how you expect marriage to work? You think just showing up, marrying me, and then disappearing into your personal matters will make it all fine?"
"I've been busy," Andrew said, his tone stiff. "I have responsibilities. There's more to marriage than spending every waking hour in each other's company."
"Who says I want to be in your company?"
"It sounds like you do," he replied.
Lavinia's eyes flashed with irritation and she scoffed. "I didn't say I wanted your attention, Andrew. If anything, the last thing I need is for you to feel pity for me."
Andrew's brow furrowed slightly, clearly thrown off by her sharpness. "I didn't think that was what I was offering," he said, pausing to look at her.
"Well, it certainly feels that way," Lavinia retorted, folding her arms across her chest. "You've been absent for days, and now you're acting like I'm supposed to be grateful for whatever crumbs you choose to throw my way. You can disappear all youlike, Andrew," she said. "I'm not asking for your company, nor do I expect it. I have enough to keep me occupied."
"So, why were you complaining about my absence?" he questioned. She could see a slight smile tug at his lips, but it only lingered for a second.
Lavinia's jaw tightened at his words. "I wasn't complaining," she shot back.
Andrew raised an eyebrow, clearly amused. "Oh? What exactly have you been doing with all your newfound ‘free time' then? Starting a book club?"
"Hardly," she replied with a smirk. "I have been working on the estate, actually. You would be amazed at how much a lady can get done when her husband isn't around to get in the way."
"Is that so?" Andrew said and smiled, leaning back in his chair. "And what exactly are you improving? The wallpapers?"
Lavinia scoffed, shaking her head. "If you must know, I have been focusing on the gardens. They could use some...care. I have also started work on some of the rooms in the estate.”
"Ah, I see." He leaned forward. “Gardens, eh? Let me guess—you have been planting a row of roses for me?"
"If I was planting anything for you, it would be a row of thorns."
Andrew lowered his head and sniffed. "It's good to see you have found something to occupy your time," he said. "At least you're not just pacing around the house, waiting for me to show up and keep you company."
Lavinia shot him a sharp look, her lips curling into a half-smile. "Oh, I'm far too busy for that."
Andrew's gaze shifted. "It doesn't matter what you do, Lavinia. I don't particularly care. You're free to entertain yourself however you see fit."
That struck a chord. Lavinia's eyes narrowed, and she felt the fire of annoyance flare inside her. He didn't care? How could he say that to her, so casually, as if she were some passing inconvenience? The words stung far more than they should have. Her grip on her teacup tightened as she sat at the table, her mind working furiously.
She couldn't let him think she was just some passive figure in his life, someone who would sit around waiting for his attention, or for him to give her the time of day. That seemed to be the notion he was starting to have and it made her stomach turn. She was supposed to be angry at him for what he did to her, and she kept forgetting that.
No, she would show him. He had to feel her fury. He had to feel the annoyance she was feeling. The confusion. She had to make him take notice in the only way she could.
"I've been thinking about the estate," she began with a calm voice but with a deliberate undertone of something more. "There's so much potential here, don't you think?" She glanced around the room, as if she was seeing the place with new eyes. "Like I said, the gardens could use a bit of attention. And the house, well, it could definitely benefit from some renovations. A bit of luxury here and there."
Andrew's eyebrows raised, but his expression remained guarded. "Renovations?" he asked.
"Yes," she said, her voice light as if it were a casual observation. "Perhaps a new wing for the guest rooms, maybe some marble floors in the hallways...freshen up the place, make it more...inviting."
