Page 67 of His Scarred Duchess
“I… I’m not certain, Thornley,” she replied, her voice hesitant.
How to explain that her husband had withdrawn from her, that she had spent the night alone, wondering if she had pushed too far?
Before she could formulate a proper response, the door to the breakfast room swung open, and Edmund strode in.
“Yes, I will be joining the Duchess this morning, Thornley,” he said, his voice strained. “Thank you.”
Adeline’s heart rate quickened as he took his seat across from her. She searched his face, trying to gauge his mood, but his expression was carefully neutral.
“Good morning,” she offered, offering a small smile.
“Good morning, Adeline,” Edmund replied. He paused, seeming to gather his thoughts. “I… I owe you an apology for my behavior last night. It was ungentlemanly of me to react so coldly to your questions.”
Adeline felt a surge of relief wash over her. “There’s no need to apologize, Edmund. I understand that the subject of your father is… difficult for you.”
Edmund’s shoulders relaxed slightly at her words. “Nevertheless, you didn’t deserve such treatment. You were only showing concern, and I… I appreciate that more than I can express.”
Their eyes met across the table, and Adeline felt a warmth bloom in her chest.
Stop it, she chided herself.Don’t read too much into a simple apology.
“Thank you,” she said softly. “I hope you know that if you ever wish to speak about it… about anything… I’m here to listen.”
A ghost of a smile played on Edmund’s lips. “I do know that. And I’m grateful for it, truly.”
They fell into a comfortable silence as they began their breakfast. Adeline found her appetite returning, the knot of anxiety in her stomach loosening.
“I’m afraid I have some estate matters to attend to today,” Edmund said after a while. “As much as I’d prefer to spend the day with you, duty calls.”
Adeline’s heart gave a traitorous leap at his words.
He’d prefer to spend the day with me?
She quickly tamped down the hope.
“Of course,” she replied, keeping her tone light. “I understand completely. The estate won’t run itself, after all.”
Edmund nodded, looking relieved at her understanding. “Indeed. But I do plan to join you for dinner this evening if that’s agreeable to you?”
“I’d like that very much,” Adeline replied, perhaps a bit too quickly. She felt a blush rising to her cheeks and hurried to change the subject. “I thought I might spend the day exploring the library. I noticed some fascinating volumes on my last visit.”
Edmund’s eyes lit up with interest. “Ah, yes. The Holbrook library is quite extensive. My grandfather was something of a collector. Do you have any particular areas of interest?”
Adeline found herself relaxing into the familiar territory of books and learning. “I’ve always been fascinated by natural history. I’ve discovered some fascinating volumes on maritime exploration that I hadn’t expected to find. And there’s a collection of Persian poetry that’s simply breathtaking.”
Edmund’s eyes lit up with interest. “I’m glad you’re finding such treasures. I must admit, I haven’t explored those particular sections as thoroughly as I should have.”
“Perhaps we could explore them together?” Adeline suggested, a hint of shyness in her voice. “I’d love to hear your thoughts on some of the passages I’ve found particularly moving.”
A warm smile spread across Edmund’s face. “I’d like that very much. Your insights have already proven invaluable in our discussions on agriculture. I’m eager to see what you make of these other subjects. Perhaps we could discuss your findings over dinner?”
Adeline’s pulse quickened at the prospect. “I’d enjoy that very much,” she said, trying to keep her voice steady.
As they finished their breakfast, Adeline found herself stealing glances at Edmund. The Edmund of this morning was so different from the closed-off man of the previous night.
Which is the real Edmund?
“Well,” Edmund said, rising from the table, “I should be off. The steward is waiting for me. Enjoy your day in the library, Adeline. I look forward to hearing about your discoveries this evening.”
