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“How would you feel if a man referred to your sisters as investments?” Catherine asked.

“I should call him an enterprising businessman,” William replied. “You must do your job well, so they may be acquired by an adept businessman, a clever man who can ensure that their every need is met, rather than some penniless charlatan.”

“What a romantic view you have of the world,” she murmured.

“I never claimed to have a romantic view. You cannot be disappointed in that, can you?” William asked. “You claim that I am always seeking fault in you, but I would argue that treatment is well-deserved. It does seem as if you are always seeking fault with me, after all.”

“I do not have to seek for anything,” she replied. “Your nature is readily apparent to even the most casual observer.”

“Is that so?” he asked.

“As far as I can discern.”

“That only makes me wonder if you are a discerning woman,” William said. “Maybe I have hidden depths, and you have simply not cared to look for them.”

Catherine watched him for a long moment, contemplating that answer. She felt a little as though she ought to take offense, but the thought that William might have depths she had not previously discovered was an intriguing notion. What might they hold?

“With time, I suppose I may discover something of interest,” she said.

His eyes were bright with merriment. “Perhaps, you shall.”

CHAPTER19

Catherine was frustrated with him. He might have temporarily achieved some measure of peace with her during the boat ride, but the moment that she was not forced into close quarters with him, his wife sought to avoid him.

When he found her in rooms or in corridors, she scowled and promptly fled. William had discovered that she could only be coaxed into good behavior if Hester and Hannah were about, for it seemed as though she did not wish to upset the girls.

It was vexing that she wished to avoid him, but at least, she liked the girls. Given the circumstances, that was more than he had dared hope for. William arrived at breakfast and eyed his sisters seated at the table. He saw how their faces brightened when they saw him.

“Good morning!” he greeted.

William’s eyes lighted next on Catherine’s scowling face, and his grin widened.

“My lovely wife,” William said. “You are looking especially luminous this morning.”

He thought that a rather clever turn of phrase, for Catherine’s face strongly resembled a storm cloud.

“My husband,” she said.

No compliment followed.

Predictable. William refused to let the lack of praise diminish his good mood. “I thought that I would join everyone for breakfast,” he said, “rather than hiding away in my study, as I often do.”

He took his place at the head of the table and smiled at Catherine as he took a piece of toast with orange marmalade. William savored the sweetness of the spread and grinned at his wife. Her face reddened. Catherine shoved a spoonful of eggs into her mouth; he might have described the motion asvindictive.

“What are you going to do for the rest of the morning?” Hannah asked.

“Her Grace said that we might visit the village soon,” Hester said. “Would you like to join us?”

“That sounds like a delightful pastime. I would be delighted to join you,” William said. “My beloved wife need only tell me the day and time that you are going.”

Catherine shoved more eggs into her mouth, followed quickly by a bite of toast. Next, she drank a generous portion of coffee. And another.

William wondered if she intended to spend the entire breakfast in icy silence. “I have not yet decided how I will spend the day,” he said, spearing a piece of roasted potato with his fork. “Perhaps, I might join you, my sisters.”

“I would like to spend some time reading,” Hannah said. “Maybe you would be willing to join us. You could read to us.”

He had not read to them in years. There was always too much for him to accomplish. The papers were endless, and some distant corner of the dukedom always seemed in danger of some new peril. “I would like that,” William said. “I do have some papers that I need to tend to this morning, but I am certain that I could make some time to read to you.”