Page 83 of Debating with the Duke (Second Sons of London 2)

Chapter Twenty-Three

For the lifeof him, Ev couldn’t understand why Addie blew hot then cold.

She had looked so achingly beautiful as she came down the stairs and it was hard for him to imagine that this magnificent woman was his wife. When he presented her with the sapphire necklace and bracelet, she had seemed genuinely moved by his gift. As he placed it around her neck, he had longed to kiss her but refrained from doing so, still feeling as though he walked on eggshells around her.

Then she suddenly changed again, a veil dropping over her. He couldn’t understand what he had done wrong or why she had withdrawn so quickly from him.

They walked outside and a footman lowered the stairs, allowing Everett to hand Addie into the carriage. He followed her and was greeted effusively by Spence and Tessa.

“It is good to see you back in town, old friend,” Spence told him.

Tessa gave him a sweet smile. “It is always good to see you, Everett. How was Cliffside? Adalyn said that you had business there which kept you from returning to town with her.”

He saw the questioning look in her eyes and hated lying to her but said, “It involved sheep.”

“Sheep?” Spencer asked. “I didn’t know you were interested in sheep.”

“I wasn’t until I spoke at length with Painter, my steward, and it seems there is indeed a good market for wool. Cliffside is so vast and not all of the land was being used to farm so I decided to purchase a small flock and see if I could give it a go.”

Addie turned to him, a worried look in her eyes. “Should you have come to town so soon after purchasing this flock?”

“Everything is in good hands,” he assured her. “One of my tenants—Mr. Haggert—grew up on a sheep station. I have put him in charge of the station.” He paused and then added, “I believe you have met his wife.”

Her cheeks pinkened and she nodded. “Yes, I called upon her and some other tenants before I came to London.”

He noticed she did not share what had happened during that call and he wondered why. Pushing her, he asked, “Did anything unusual happen during your visits to the tenants?”

“No,” she said. “I was only distributing baskets of food to those who had need.”

Why would Addie hide the fact that she had delivered a child from him? It bothered him greatly but he did not want to discuss it with her in front of Spence and Tessa.

They spoke of inconsequential matters until they arrived at the Martindales’ townhouse. The four entered the residence and he couldn’t have been prouder to have Addie on his arm for all to see as they joined the receiving line.

“Oh!” Tessa exclaimed. “Is that a new necklace? And bracelet? I did not notice since inside the carriage was dark.”

“Yes. They are a wedding gift from His Grace,” Addie told her cousin.

“The blue absolutely brings out the color of your eyes, Adalyn,” Tessa said. She looked to Everett and asked, “Is that the reason you gave Adalyn sapphires?”

He nodded. “I thought they would suit her.”

Eventually, they reached their hosts and Lord and Lady Martindale, whom he had never met, fawned over him excessively. He hated being a duke for that very reason. Finally extracting them from their hosts, they left the receiving line and entered the ballroom, where a footman handed Addie a programme.

It surprised Everett when she waved the servant away and did not accept it.

“Why did you not take a dance card?” Then he gave her a shy smile and said, “I hope it is because you will reserve all your dances for me.”

“No, I will not be dancing this evening,” she informed him.

“But you love to dance,” he protested.

“I am a married lady now, Your Grace. I will sit with the matrons. Besides, it is rare when a husband and wife dance together.”

He wanted to question her about that practice because he had seen Spence and Tessa dance. He knew so few others in Polite Society, however, that Addie might be telling him the truth and this was another of those bizarre, unwritten rules of theton.

“You can dance with Everett once or twice,” Tessa urged. “How about the supper dance? You can join us after it.”

“I feel I owe it to Mama and Papa to dine with them,” Addie said. “They still do not know that I am back in town. When they see me here tonight, Mama will want to catch up and hear about Cliffside.”

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