Page 53 of Wicked Is the Duke
Chapter Eighteen
"Henry, would you beopposed to purchasing camera equipment?" Anna asked her husband the following morning in the breakfast room.
The two had spent an adventurous night in the privacy of their bed after Henry had taken her to Lady Tinsley's establishment. She was grateful her husband had taken the time to show her things she'd only read about in books. Now they could explore for themselves, and Anna had some ideas on how to do just that.
"Do you have someone in mind to teach you?" he inquired, deflecting her original question.
She smiled. "I already know how to use the equipment and how to process the plates. Robert let me hire someone who was a professional and well known before we moved to London."
"Really? How progressive of him," he replied.
"Robert's always been amenable if I want to learn something new."
"I see no harm. What exactly would you photograph?"
She placed her napkin next to her plate. "Oh, I have many things in mind," she replied demurely.
"I'm sure you do," he said with a laugh. "Would you like me to accompany you when you make your purchases?"
"Please. I'm afraid women aren't taken seriously."
Henry arched a brow. "I have a meeting this morning. I could accompany you this afternoon if you like."
"That would be wonderful, Henry. Thank you."
"I should like to use your skills to document the building of the railway at Blackmont Crest."
She nodded. "I can do that. In fact, if you like, I could take photographs of your lesser estates as well."
"Excellent."
She felt herself flush. "I would like to also take more private photographs. Just for us," she whispered.
Henry smiled. "I thought you might have something like that in mind."
"How's that?" she asked, looking at him through her lashes.
"You have become quite a tigress since our outing last night."
"I will take that as a compliment."
"You should," he replied. "Now if you will excuse me, I have a meeting. I'll come for you as soon as I've finished."
She smiled after he leaned over and kissed her. "I'll be waiting."
Anna rose from her chair. First off, she needed to respond to the invitations they'd received and see if more had arrived this morning. She made her way to the drawing room and walked across the room to the small desk. Sitting at the rosewood desk, she began to go through a fresh batch of invitations.
A couple were for tea, one with one of the matrons of theton, the Countess of Leeds. Another was an invitation from Lady Lucy Townsend, a young woman known to be a perpetual gossip. She’d recently married Viscount Worthington, a young man known in certain circles for his eccentric spending habits, especially when it came to his collection of rare firearms. The man was obsessed.
The invitations were two days apart. She could easily attend each, even after any shopping she may need to attend to. Carefully, she laid them both in her pile needing responses. She needed to circulate now that she and Blackmont were married. Anna knew there was quite a bit of curiosity about their match and whether or not it was a love match or if the duke had married her as a marriage of convenience. It was not uncommon among peers; it was a means to an heir if they never did anything else.
Anna smiled and thought how surprised the women were going to be to find out she and Blackmont had a love match. Certainly, there were some who would be skeptical, but what others thought was none of her concern. The only thing that mattered to her was Henry. If she made some allies and friends now, all the better. Those with doubts would have to try a little harder.
Still, the idea of sitting in one of these women's drawing rooms, sipping tea, and listening to gossip wasn't the way she liked to spend her afternoon. She would have to sacrifice her own interests now and then since her husband was a powerful figure. Her brother had even heard rumors there were some who wanted him as the next prime minister. Something Henry had not mentioned to her.
She was in the middle of finishing up a response when the drawing room door opened, and the cook appeared, along with the housekeeper. Drat, she'd promised the woman she'd go over menus for the length of their stay in London.
