Page 47 of The Duke and His Jilted Bride

“The home is lovely as ever,” Lady Seraphina said to Aurelia, not to Evander.

Aurelia nodded. “Yes, thank you.”

“These flowers,” Lady Seraphina gestured toward the vases on the mantle, “was that you? I don’t remember them being here when I visited before. Lovely. You shall have to show everything to me tomorrow… Your Grace.”

The title obviously came as an afterthought. Aurelia didn’t long for the moment she would be left alone with Lady Seraphina, but she knew it would need to happen eventually. More than anything she wanted to retire with Evander and ask him how he was feeling about everything.

“Tell me…” Aurelia asked, leaning forward. “How should we address you now?”

The question carried more weight than anyone wanted to admit. A look passed between Frederick and Seraphina. She said, “Lady Canterbury, I suppose. But that sounds too official for us. We could use our Christian names, if you like.” She smiled prettily. “Though I will continue to call you Sandacre, if you don’t mind, Your Grace. You will always be Sandacre to me.”

Evander was unmoved.

Frederick had been watching this exchange quietly. He looked at Evander, then at Aurelia, then at Evander again.

“The two of you seem…” He stopped himself, gesturing shyly between them. “I must say – well yes, it must be said – it had never crossed my mind that you would find a match together. But it makes sense.”

“Hm. What do we seem to you? You didn’t finish the thought, little brother,” Evander said.

“Little brother? Ha.” He cocked his head to the side, thinking, then shook it and resumed. “Well, I don't know… you seem different than before.” He looked between them again. “I expected it to be practical. You are both practical people. I expected you to have sorted it… the way you sort things.” A pause. “But I didn't expect it to be like this.”

“What does that mean?” Aurelia asked.

He met her eyes. It was the first time since they'd sat down that he'd held her gaze. “Like I walked into someone else's house,” he said. “Your house, Miss Knowles – Your Grace. You must feel settled here.”

She didn't answer. She didn't have one to give him.

Without comment, Evander reached across and moved the cream to her side of the table. It was a small thing. Seraphina's eyes tracked it. Frederick's didn't. She hadn’t even realised she had been sitting there with only black tea, and she moved to serve herself cream and sugar that would keep her awake all night. As though she wouldn’t be awake all night anyway, she thought miserably.

Nike extracted herself from under the table then, clipping a cup as she went. Mrs. Foulger, who had reappeared with milk and apparently also opinions about Nike's behaviour, looked at the dog sharply. Nike ignored this and went to lean against Aurelia's legs. Aurelia put her hand on her head, thankful for her presence.

“She likes you,” Frederick said.

“Do you think?” Aurelia replied, smiling genuinely. Nike’s head was warm and silky under her hand. “Yes, I think she does.”

“She only ever liked my brother.”

“Sometimes not even then,” Evander said.

Half an hour passed where they shared pleasantries – more like banalities. Nobody said what needed saying, the words elopement and exchange never came up, because it was late, Aurelia assumed. Come morning… Well, who knew what would happen in the morning?

“Perhaps it’s time you get some rest,” Evander said to Aurelia halfway through a conversation about the Scottish coast. “We all should sleep.”

It was a carefully veiled order. Seraphina rose first in a graceful and deliberate way, not exactly what Aurelia would have done in her position. Frederick stood more slowly, observing his brother with a complicated look.

“Brother–”

“Goodnight, Frederick,” Evander cut him off.

There was a pause while Frederick looked at Aurelia. “Goodnight,” he said.

She didn't know what to do with that, so she just waited for him to leave. They went upstairs. Mrs. Foulger saw them up. Their footsteps crossed the landing and faded. The sitting room went quiet with the exception of Nike’s snoring.

“Where did Titan go again?” Aurelia asked, moving to start arranging cups.

“Who knows?” Evander sighed. “What does it matter? How do you feel?”

“I’m not sure.” Aurelia paused, looking at the table. “Are you all right?”