Chapter 17
Chapter Seventeen
There was an irony to be found in the current circumstance, Thalia was certain.
And was it not for the fact that she did not want to push her luck, she might have raised it with Caspian.
Even one as typically devoid of humor as him could surely see the funny side of what was happening. Or rather, how it was happening.
I might have to write to Lord Donmere when I have the time and thank him, which will only have the effect of angering him further. Which might just work to help my own cause.
Thalia tittered to herself as she considered the circumstances, just as she tittered to picture Lord Donmere’s face should he ever learn how vital he had become in helping her marriage find sound footing.
Indeed, it was thanks to the hostile lord that the last few days had seen Thalia and Caspian find their way back to how things had been before they slept with one another, while in some ways they had managed to transcend even that short period.
Things were not perfect. There was still much tension between them. But they were getting better, and as things stood, that was the most that Thalia could hope for.
“Thank you for inviting me today.” Thalia was sitting across from Caspian in the carriage, and she fought the urge to sit beside him because she sensed now was not the time.
“It is quite fine,” Caspian said. “Ironvale insisted that you come.”
“Oh…”
“That is not to say I do not want you here,” Caspian made sure to add, no doubt noticing the way that Thalia reacted. “I am glad that you are here, is my point.”
Thalia smiled. “Noted.”
Caspian offered a half-smile in return, which was the most she could expect to get out of him. That he had noticed her reaction, and that he had sought to correct himself, was huge in her eyes.
Day by day… step by step… the path is the right one, and all we need to do is walk it.
“Lord Ironvale did not give you the specifics?” Thalia followed up, wishing to keep the conversation flowing.
“He did not,” Caspian sighed. He was looking out the window of the carriage, but he glanced at her across from him. “I think he wishes to see me in person, before he does.”
“For the best, I think,” Thalia agreed. “It will save you the possibility of miscommunication. And it will keep Lord Ironvale from exaggeration… as he is want to do,” she chuckled.
“Agreed,” Caspian said with a firm nod. “I do not doubt the severity of his claims, but I wish to hear them from him in person. Then, we can decide what to do about it.”
“We?”
“Yes, we,” Caspian said. “Our marriage is being attacked, Thalia. And if we are to beat this thing, we will need to do so together. It is the only way.”
He said the words with simplicity, as if his declaration was the most obvious thing in the world and there was no need to overthink why he had said it.
To Thalia, however, the declaration was huge.
He could have very well done this on his own, and they both knew it.
But he wanted her there, and there could only be one reason…
Despite her best efforts, Thalia found her gaze wandering across her husband’s frame. She lingered on his thighs, on his hands, and on his lips. She cast her mind back to the previous week, when they had first slept together, and her body grew flushed at the thought.
Since that night, Caspian had not once mentioned sleeping together again. That surprised her, as she knew that he meant to. She could only wonder why he had not done so yet. Was he nervous? Was he waiting for the perfect chance? Was she simply overthinking it? Thalia could not say.
What she could say was that she wanted it again. More than that, she sensed that her husband was of the same mind… he just needed a push.
“Here we are.” Caspian straightened as the carriage came to a stop. “I suspect this won’t take too long.”
“Oh, it’s no problem,” she said. “I have all day.”
Surprisingly, he laughed at the comment.
Not loudly, or with great conviction. But it was a soft chuckle, which Thalia had noticed he was doing more now.
It sounded a little forced to her ears, but that did not bother her.
That he thought to do it at all, likely to show her that he was listening, meant the world.
“Shall we…” Caspian shuffled forward as the carriage door was opened from the other side. He then held out his hand and she took it.
“We shall,” she said, making sure to smile as he helped her from the carriage and onto the footpath.
Their shared destination today was the London-based home of Lord Ironvale; a large townhouse in the city’s west. Lord Ironvale owned many homes throughout the country, but as Caspian had explained it, he spent most of his time in the city because he liked to be ‘close to where the action was.’ Those were Ironvale’s words.
The townhouse was a three-story affair, rather small when compared to Caspian’s manor, but still large in comparison to the homes that surrounded it. Thalia and Caspian held hands as they approached the front door, which swung open before they had a chance to knock and announce themselves.
“Your Grace,” A butler stood on the other side of the door. “Welcome. Lord Ironvale is expecting you.” He then took a step back and ushered them inside.
“Thank you,” Caspian said as they entered the home.
“Oh, this is lovely…” Thalia took in the grand foyer, unsurprised to see how decadent and well-furnished it was. Far smaller than her own home, but still a room fit for a lord.
“Ironvale hates it,” Caspian said with some humor.
“He does? Why?”
Caspian shrugged. “Something to do with his father, how it reminds Ironvale too much of his childhood. I am not sure.”
“You never asked?”
“I did not think I needed to.”
She rolled her eyes but made sure to smile. “Of course, why would you think to ask such things about your friends. Far too personal that you might risk developing a companionable relationship with the man. The horror.”
He looked at her flatly. “I am already close enough with Ironvale as it is. If I learn too much more about the man, I might never get rid of him.”
“Did you…” She frowned purposefully. “Did you just make a joke?”
“Did you laugh?”
“I am thinking about it.”
He shrugged. “Then yes, it was a joke.”
Thalia laughed, but not at the joke. Rather, she laughed at her husband, how darn straight-faced and serious he was, even when trying to be funny.
As she had decided many weeks ago, any attempts to change him were never going to work.
What she needed to do instead was learn to love the man who he was, and hope that was enough.
And if this last week is anything to go by, it is more than enough…
“I quit!” a voice suddenly rang out from somewhere inside the house. “Do you hear me! I quit!”
“You can’t quit!” That was Ironvale, and his thundering tones shook the walls of the home. “I refuse to accept your resignation!”
“I do not care! I quit! I quit! I quit!”
The owner of the bereaved party appeared at the top of the staircase a second later, and she looked even more upset than she sounded.
It was a young woman of about the same age as Thalia, but she was dressed in plain greys which suggested that she was a member of the household staff.
Her face was blotched red, her hair was a mess, and her outfit was covered in yellow and green paint.
“Come back here!” Ironvale’s voice cried out.
“Find someone else!” the hysterical woman rushed down the staircase.
“Matilda!” Ironvale appeared at the top of the staircase suddenly, and he looked almost as disheveled as the maid who he chased. “Please, Matilda! Let us talk of this!”
“I am done with talking!” She swept into the foyer and made straight for the door, not so much as paying Thalia or Caspian and glance. “I am done! Find somebody else!”
“Who? How?”
“I don’t care!” Matilda threw the door open and stormed outside, making sure to slam the door closed behind her.
Ironvale was halfway down the staircase when the door slammed shut, and he winced and fell back as if the action was a slap across the face. He hung onto the banister, his body swaying, a look on his face like he might be ill.
“Is this a bad time?” Caspian asked simply.
Ironvale closed his eyes and rubbed them with the palms of both his hands, then let out a deep exhale before snapping his eyes back open.
“Ah, Caspian. Your Grace! You made it.” He wore an over-the-top smile and appeared intent on pretending that they had not just witnessed a most bizarre scene.
“Wonderful. Wonderful,” he added as he rushed down the staircase to greet them. “I was hoping you would –”
“What is going on?” Thalia spoke over him. “Who was that?”
Ironvale grimaced. “That was… a rather tragic set of circumstances.”
“That is not an answer,” Thalia said.
He sighed. “That was Matilda, my governess… ex-governess, as it is. She is the third one this month, if you believe it? I go through the damn things like most people do napkins.”
“What on earth happened?” Thalia looked toward the closed door as if expecting Matilda to sweep back inside and explain the situation herself.
“What do you think?” Ironvale said, only to look back up the staircase where just now the head of a young boy appeared over the edge of the top step.
The young boy couldn’t have been older than five. He was lying on his stomach as he peered down at them, and with those big eyes and that wide toothy smile, he looked positively wicked; the type who enjoyed causing mayhem as so many young children seemed to do.
When he saw that they all looked up to spot him, his eyes widened and his head vanished.
“I see you there!” Ironvale shouted. “Don’t think we will not speak of this later!”
“Your son,” Caspian. “I see things are going well.”