Chapter 7
CHAPTER SEVEN
Amelia was glad for any excuse to escape Stapleton Manor and the glowering duke, who clearly disapproved of her marrying his heir.
She had expected the family to be prickly about their quick and private wedding ceremony, but not so incensed about the absence of love between them as to speak so bluntly about it.
So many women in their society made similar matches, often for money and power alone. Amelia did not believe her decision to wed, to have children was all that shocking, really.
But things were different here, it seemed, and Amelia was not sure what she could do about ever winning the duke’s approval.
Stapleton seemed intent on placing blame on her shoulders for the decision his son had made.
Chatham joined her, out of breath and his face red, but he threaded her arm through his own and smiled.
He dismissed the servants, silently urged her and the children away from the manor, and she was glad when he said nothing immediately.
She was at a loss for the right words, and she would prefer the children not know of their problems. They danced ahead of them, ignorant of the turmoil gripping her heart.
Finally, Chatham sent them off to look for the pond frogs, promising to catch up soon.
“Your father is vexed about us,” she whispered, as soon as they were out of earshot. “You should have warned me.”
“I’m sorry. I’d hoped he would have calmed down overnight.
Papa has always believed love should be the primary reason anyone chooses to wed.
He never once stood in the way of our choices, even when there was room for doubt with some of them.
Father married for love both times, you see.
I really thought the duchess’ acceptance would sway him toward a more open mind. ”
She looked at her husband, curious about his first marriage. “Did he approve of your choice? Your first wife.”
“Yes. Because he could see I adored her,” Milo admitted.
Amelia faced forward, considering the future. She could not and would not compete with a ghost for the duke’s favor, but nor could she step aside now. She really would be ruined this time if their marriage was annulled, as the duke had hinted it should be. “I must be a great disappointment to him.”
“There’s no reason for him to be difficult about you or about our marriage. We have been honest about our reasons for it, while my first wife entered the marriage with an ulterior motive.”
The last thing Amelia wanted was to hear about his first wife’s betrayal, but curiosity stirred. “It was a difficult time for you.”
“I loved her, but she…” He sighed. “All she wanted was to become a duchess. The jewels. The riches that came with a title. My father’s affection for her soured considerably once he discovered how badly she wanted him out of her way.”
Amelia gaped in shock at the news. “How did she give herself away?”
“Gossiping about Papa, at first, delaying going home so she could act as his hostess, arranging parties for her friends here without his permission. Bestowing false affection on him just to discover his secrets. She desperately wanted to live here, so much so that she was hardly ever in Devon. She even started to plan a grand redecoration of the manor and grounds behind my back, even consult an architect.”
Amelia glanced around them. “I would not change a thing here. At least the duke can rest easy on that score. I’ve no desire to stay at Stapleton Manor longer than necessary. I am glad that we will be on our way to Devon tomorrow.”
Chatham cleared his throat. “About that. We must extend our stay.”
She stopped abruptly, shocked by his decision. “Why would you want to stay? The duke can barely look at me without scowling.”
“I want to give him time to get to know you, and you him, and to change his mind about our marriage.”
“How much time?”
“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.”
“And this is Xavier Whitfield, my son.”
Amelia made enough of a fuss over meeting the newborn that his father was beaming with pride. “What a contented child.”
“Sleeps all day and all night, thank God.”
Amelia took a step back as Chatham spoke of his youngest brother troubling the duke and duchess with his need to be held.
“Jessica will be so excited to hear your news, Milo,” Whitfield said. “But a little warning that you were married might have been wise.”
“I tried that yesterday, and it did not help with the duke’s response,” Chatham answered out of the side of his mouth.
Whitfield pulled a face and glanced at Amelia again. “He’ll come around eventually. He did with me.”
Amelia was not reassured by Whitfield’s words, but she smiled at her new brother-in-law. Whitfield seemed a friendly sort of gent, and she hoped he remained that way.
“I’d better go see my sister.” Chatham strode ahead into the garden, taking the children with him.
“Might I escort you to meet my wife, Lady Chatham?”
Since her husband had rushed off without her, she could hardly refuse. “I should like that.”
They walked slowly, and eventually Whitfield turned to her. “You and my wife will get along well, I think.”
“I hope so.”
“She’s wonderful…kind, funny,” he gushed, then laughed. “I am the most fortunate of men.”
She glanced at him and realized the man was deeply smitten with his wife. “I am pleased to hear you say so.”
Whitfield held back the branches of a weeping willow, and Amelia’s breath caught at the spectacular view ahead.
She was surrounded by a garden unlike anything she’d ever seen before.
Unruly and abundant but planned, she suspected.
A fantastical world just coming to life after the winter cold eased. “My word!”
Whitfield smiled widely. “My wife and I spend a great deal of time tending to this garden together. Something for Xavier to inherit.”