Page 23 of A Necessary Wife

“For the duration of the party, and perhaps longer. I cannot allow his guests to leave and gossip about trouble in our marriage. Should the guests depart knowing of father’s disapproval, we will never outlive the gossip.”

Amelia crossed her arms over her chest. “I’ve felt the cut of unfair gossip before and survived.”

“Yes, exactly, and I am determined that it never happens to you ever again. We will stay and make Father understand that a happy marriage does not require obsessive love.”

Disappointment crushed her. She had been promised respect, a home of her own to manage. A chance to order her own household as a wife and mother.

She was eager for that, after so many years spent pushed to the background and getting none of the praise or credit. Never allowed to make any important decisions. It was a small thing to her husband, but it had been the driving incentive to marry a near stranger at her age.

She walked on in silence a few steps, gathering her thoughts. The children ran ahead, and she did nothing to stop them.

“Amelia?”

They had been honest about their needs from the start. She would not begin pretending with Chatham now, just to smooth things over. She turned to him. “I admit to severe disappointment at the news you intend to stay. I was expecting to see my new home by Friday at the latest.”

“This will become your home, too, one day. Papa has pestered me to return to live here for years and mentioned it again last night.”

She stiffened at the idea of remaining here instead of going to the promised home in Devon. This was a place where she could do nothing but study the walls like any other visitor, and make herself invisible to avoid further dispute with the duke. “Was his request made before or after you mentioned our marriage?”

“Before, but I am certain he has not changed his mind,” Chatham said quickly. “He’s also getting older. The young one has worn him out more than expected already, so I suspect he might need my help here. We could stay for the season and return to Devon near the end of summer.”

End of summer was months away.

Amelia shook her head. “I am sorry, but this is not what we agreed upon.”

“Circumstances have a way of changing one’s decisions. Three months ago, I was still determined to remain a widower.”

“And I expected to remain a virgin for all my years,” she reminded him. “Marrying you was meant to improve things for me. We agreed. My dowry and company for a place to call home and children of my own one day. You promised me, or are you as disingenuous as every other man I’ve ever met?”

He looked at her in shock. “Amelia!”

She glared at him, jaw clenched, but she would not take back her words. “Well, are your promises to me so easy to forget in the face of ducal disapproval?”

“No.” He grasped her hands. “I meant every word. I know your family have treated you poorly but I have always been close to mine. My father will come around. It will get easier here with time, I swear.”

She raised a brow. “And if it doesn’t?”

He brought her hands to his lips and kissed the back of them. “You are my wife. I chose you. My loyalty is now and will aways be to you.”

Amelia closed her eyes, soothed by his response.

“Ah, looks like the children found Whitfield for us,” Chatham said, dropping her hands. “I’m sure my sister will not be too far behind him. We will talk about this later. Come with me now.”

Chatham put a hand behind her back and pushed.

She opened her eyes to see a tall man approaching, a babe slung across his chest in a sling. Adam and Lucy jumped up and down around him, trying to see the babe he carried.

“Children, be careful of the baby,” Amelia warned.

Adam stopped jumping and looked at her, but not Lucy. It took a sharp rebuke from Chatham to bring the girl to order.

Whitfield stretched out his hand to Chatham and they shook. “I heard you were back.”

“Yes, yesterday,” Chatham answered. “Whitfield, this is Amelia. My new wife.”

Whitfield blinked rapidly but quickly recovered from his shock. “Welcome to Quigley Hill, Lady Chatham.”

Amelia had not realized they’d passed into a different estate until now. There hadn’t been a wall or fence to navigate between the two properties. “Thank you.”