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“I do not need to go international to find willing paramours, darling wife,” he said so low only she could hear, “I was doing what I always do when I am abroad. Finding new business, making new connections. Discovering more powerful information.”

“That’s all you have been doing since you have returned as well,” she replied. “Do you not do anything else?”

The dance was ending soon, and though she’d hated that he’d pulled her to be center of attention, she was realizing that she didn’t want it to end yet.

“I prefer to dedicate my time to meaningful transactions,” he replied, taking her for a final spin.

“That is not all there is to life,” she replied.

“That is allmineis,” he replied as the song ended.

They came to stop, and Dominic lowered his head to kiss her hand.

“Even our marriage,” she murmured, watching him carefully.

He smirked, but did not reply.

“Go back to the party,” he commanded instead, his tone soft but firm. “Our work is almost finished.”

Amelia felt her anxiety rise again as she walked once more back into the fray. But this time, instead of hearing whispers of deceit, she heard nothing but praises.

Did they not look beautiful?

How refreshing to witness a couple in love.

I daresay those rumors about her former fiance seem quite unfounded.

Amelia looked at them oddly, wondering what it was that had changed. Then looked back at her husband. She’d seen him flittering about early. Leaning close to the women who had just been besmirching her name.

Had he said something to them? Done something?She wondered.

“That was alovelydance, Amelia,” Seraphina praised as she returned to her friends.

“And you look much better,” Theo sighed, giving her a kind look.

“We were growing worried about you,” Rose remarked.

“I’m fine,” Amelia assured them with a smile.

“Good,” Seraphina sighed, “If you are feeling better I would like to introduce you to my married ladies’ group. We don’t meet often, but we…”

As Amelia half listened and agreed to meeting Seraphina’s new group, her attention turned back to Dominic. She hated him. For making her do this. For abandoning her. For the state he’d left her in the other night. And yet…through it all, she began to feel a glimmer of gratitude toward him.

CHAPTERTEN

“Good morning, Your Grace,” Andrew, the London house butler greeted her the next morning.

“Good morning, Andrew,” Amelia replied, offering a small smile as her breakfast plate was placed before her.

“If I may say so, Your Grace, you look much recovered from last night.”

Amelia’s smile froze, but she nodded. She’d made it through the party without hearing any more rumors. By the end of it though she’d felt more than exhausted, and had gone to bed without even attempting to look for Dominic. Space, she decided, was what she needed from him. And luckily for her, there were a few days before she would be forced into appearing as the wife while socializing with thetonagain. Today she would focus on happier matters.

“Have the reports from Ellsworth arrived yet?” She asked, picking up her fork.

“Indeed they have, Your Grace. I have them right here for you. His Grace has already looked them over.”

Andrew laid the portfolio by her plate, and as she began to eat her breakfast, she perused through the information. She paid her usual attention to the farming and staffing issues, skimming over them with bare interest, then began to flip through the portfolio for the section of the house updates.