Page 16 of The Captain's Midwinter Bride
“If she had true feelings for the man, the rest would be inconsequential—”
She curled her hands into fists. “But what do feelings matter to marriage? I felt a warm regard and respect for you, but we were no love match. I’m certain you felt the same when we pledged ourselves before the vicar at the parish. And yet our marriage has been successful…thus far,” she couldn’t help but add.
“Thus far? What is that supposed to mean?”
Annalise smoothed imaginary wrinkled from her skirts and willed herself to be honest. “It means that now that you’ve returned home, things may change. But then again, they may not, seeing as how you plan to sojourn to Wales.”
Her tone was cutting, and yet Annalise couldn’t seem to help herself. He was leaving her. Again.
Instead of responding in a similar manner, Phillip sighed. “I have always wanted to retire to Wales. I thought you would be relieved.”
“Relieved?” She could not keep the incredulity from her voice.
“With me tucked away in Wales, you can continue your life here in Bristol without interruption.”
Annalise wanted to throw something. Preferably something fragile and delicate, so she could hear it shatter as it slammed into the opposite wall. “Whatever gave you the impression I wanted to continue on without interruption, as you put it? Perhaps I was hoping to build something new, together,” she threw out as she stood and strolled away.
* * *
Well.
Phillip was fairly certain his vivacious, good-natured wife was angry with him. Very angry, he wagered, based on the way she swiped a glass of ratafia off a footman’s tray as she stalked away.
Damn, but she was magnificent. He’d always found Annalise beautiful, and he was always eager to return home to her smiles and warm laughs and, if he were lucky, her warm bed. But in that moment, seconds after she had declared her anger with his plans to retire, alone, to the estate in Wales, Phillip had felt as if all the air had been sucked free from his lungs. He felt bamboozled and ten leagues out to sea.
It was an alarming and worrying sensation. It was also a bit cheering and completely new. For much of his career, he’d relied on his ability to predict the tide, anticipate the next move his enemy would make, or gamble on which greenhorn would wash out and which wouldn’t. And despite his experience, he had not anticipated his wife would be upset about his retirement plans.Perhaps I was hoping to build something new, together.Together. She had used that word several times, but it was just now sinking in that perhaps she meant it. Phillip’s throat grew tighter.
He spied Annalise speaking with a pair of women in the adjoining room, a small smile on her lips as she nodded her head at whatever the women were saying. She had always been a good listener. When he had been on leave, and the children would ply him for stories of his so-called adventures, Annalise never complained about the content of his tales or the length of them. Yet afterwards, she would ask about the things he didn’t emphasize in his narratives, the off-handed comments he made that showed the very real toll such work took on him. Those were the things that mattered to her, and in turn, it made him trust that despite their time apart, his wife truly cared about his well-being.
The least he could do is listen to her. He had believed his father when he had relayed Annalise’s supposed wishes without confirming them with her, so it was only right that he now believeherwhen she spoke of what she wanted.
Chapter Five
Acold breeze rattled the naked limbs of the trees that stretched over the narrow park path Annalise and Beth walked on not far from their home. They had donned their warmest wraps and capes to pick up a portion of Beth’s trousseau from the modiste. Once again, Phillip had insisted they take the carriage, but mother and daughter had managed to slip out the door before it could be brought around. Annalise knew he would be upset, but she longed for some fresh air, even if it was bitter and biting.
Even as they strolled through the barren landscape of the park, their arms tightly wrapped together, occasionally bracing themselves against the harsh wind, Annalise was happy for some time alone with her daughter.
“Were you aware Father knew the Countess of Jersey?” Beth asked, her teeth chattering around her words.
“I became aware when we discussed finding you a tutor or mentor. He mentioned her offer to aid the search for a suitable candidate, and I thought it a brilliant suggestion. If Lady Jersey is willing to assist you, I hope you do well to learn as much as you can from whomever she recommends.” Annalise bumped her shoulder into Beth’s. “Her experience in the political realm far exceeds Mrs. Newell’s.”
Beth squeezed her arm, her eyes bright. “Truth be told, I had been dreading my lessons with Mrs. Newell. She can be…”
“Ill-tempered? Harsh? Curt?”
“Yes, all of those are appropriate.” Beth chuckled. “It never occurred to me to ask you to hire me a tutor instead.”
“It never occurred to me either.” She smiled. “It was your father’s idea. I’m glad he suggested it.”
Dropping her head, Beth sighed. “I’ll make sure to thank him. I’m quite relieved I won’t have to learn from Mrs. Newell.”
That was twice she mentioned the older woman, and Annalise would not let the subject lie. If Beth was to marry Mrs. Newell’s son, she would be forced to interact with the woman on a consistent basis. Did her daughter believe that once she married Mr. Newell, his mother would fade from their lives? That Mrs. Newell would surrender the reins of her son’s life willingly simply because he had taken a wife?
But if she were to broach the subject, Annalise had to do it carefully. She did not want to make it seem she was questioning Beth’s decisions and thus her judgement, even if she was. Her daughter could be mulish when challenged, and she would block out anything she deemed as critical.
Sucking a breath between her teeth, Annalise ventured forth with deliberately chosen words. “Dearest, how would you describe your relationship with Mrs. Newell?”
She sensed more than saw Beth frown. “My relationship with Mrs. Newell? What do you mean?”
