They did not have the opportunity to talk, but Amelia was sure that he also felt this strong conviction. She accepted congratulations and felt a little bubble of giddiness at her new name. Lady Windon, Robert’s wife. For the first time she wondered about the new estate where they would live. Did it have a formal garden, or a nature park? Should she move the racing stable there, or perhaps hire a racing master to oversee the operations here? She looked around to quiz her husband about her new home just in time to see his grey morning coat leave the room. She hurried after him.
"Robert." The word stopped him, but he didn't turn around. “I wondered if you would tell me a bit more about the stables at Windon Park.” She slipped her hand into the crook of his elbow.
He let out a snort. “Of course. They are quite large, but rather antiquated. I have several mares I am quite proud of. You shall have a fine mount when you visit.”
“Visit?” Her step faltered, “What do you mean?”
He continued on, walking away from her. “You are welcome anytime, of course.”
“Are we not going together, today?”
“There is no need.”
Amelia worried her bottom lip. “But what about, the marriage night?”
“You made it clear that this was not that sort of marriage.” He tried to force the words out evenly. She looked untouchable and sweet in that confection of a dress, but he knew there was fire under the ice.
"I don’t understand.”
"Did you think I would break my word?" He turned on her with a roar. She shrank back, and he put his passions back on a much mended leash. "I wish you well, Amelia. This will be an easy marriage for you. Most brides have to leave home, but you can stay here."
"You are making me the chatelaine of Mossford?”
"I signed the estate and your dowry funds to you completely, just as I promised," he replied. He turned towards her before the full import of his words hit her. She did not respond to him, so he turned away from her and out the room.
"Robert." He paused at the door.
"It is done Amelia, it is done." His voice sounded tired even to his own ears. “The horses have been standing for too long. I must go."
"Robert." This time he did not stop.
"Send me word as soon as possible." It was foolish to desire correspondence. He desired to have her give him something, even if it was merely news of her estates and the occasional line about herself.
"Farewell." There was nothing left to do. Despite their recent bout of vitriol, he knew she sincerely wished him well.
"See me to my horses." She paused, looking at him. "It is a wifely duty." The words were said without an intention of maligning her, and she took it as such. She nodded once and fell into place beside him. They continued in silence until they reached the wide hall and then down through the doors to the stairs.
With a handshake given to Lord Rochester, who was vastly improved, he bid him farewell and entered into his vehicle. With a crack of the whip the horses moved, pulling the carriage down the driveway, away from her. He didn’t look back. There was nothing to look at. Only a woman who had persecuted him for loving her. He could finally admit to himself that he loved her now, when it didn’t matter. He had started when she had challenged him for blindly following Society and goaded him into rediscovering his sister’s affection. Then surviving her fiery temper as he attempted to deliver his convoluted compliment. That had been a lesson to him, hard learned but well learned. From that moment he had endeavoured to speak as frankly as possible. With his truest emotion.
That was one of the reasons he had fallen into temptation with her. When she had asked for his touch and had confessed a desire for him it had thrilled him, too much. He had completely forgotten the rules of Society while in her thrall. He was confident that desire had been genuine on her part. He knew he ached for her.
But in the morning—the morning she had turned away from him. He was to blame that even now she refused him. She was only resigned to being bound to him by marriage. It was enough to make a man fall to his knees and bemoan his fate. Amelia had flashing green eyes that shone with sincerity yet he couldn’t look at those eyes. The truth was hidden in them and he was not prepared for them yet, maybe never.