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“Indeed,” he said calmly.

“Well, I was going for a stroll through the secret gardens.” She smiled excitedly. “I heard it’s most magical this time of day.”

“Indeed?” Edward asked. “And where did you obtain such information?”

“Oh, I mentioned it to Peter, and he offered to show me the way.”

“Did he?” he asked slowly, glaring harder at the footman. “That’s very kind of him.”

“It seems you were on your way there, too. Would you?—”

“May I have a word with you, wife?” Edward bit out, not caring that her smile turned into a dark frown. “Alone.”

“Peter, leave us,” Arabella told the footman, who looked hesitant to leave.

Edward’s anger flared even harder when she nodded, as if reassuring the footman that she was fine.

Edward wasn’t sure how, but he was surprised by how much he was able to refrain from strangling him, even more by how he waited till he was out of earshot to finally speak his mind.

“Do you know the level of impropriety you just attained by walking unchaperoned with a man towards a secluded part of the castle?” he growled. “If it had been anyone else, do you know what they would have said? Arabella, you should have known better.”

“I don’t understand you, Edward.” She frowned. “He was just showing me to the gardens. I’m still unfamiliar with?—”

“That’s not what it looked like from where I was standing. To anyone else, it almost looked like you two were heading for a tryst in the?—”

“Don’t insult me, Edward.” Arabella’s eyes flashed.

“I’m not.”

“You are, by suggesting that I would… This isn’t… I would never,” she protested. “Just because I made that mistake with you doesn’t mean I’m used to doing it. Is that what you think of me?”

“Arabella—”

“No. It makes sense you would.” Her lips quivered, and tears welled up in her eyes, making his heart clench. She let out a mocking laugh. “Of course, you would. I behaved like a?—”

“Don’t say it,” he warned, sighing. “I won’t deny that I was worried, but… why were you standing so close to him? He’s a footman. Even if you weren’t doing anything inappropriate, he could have hurt you.”

He knew from observing her in her family home that she bonded with servants, but he couldn’t help but warn her of how dangerous it could be.

Her eyes widened, and she looked away, unable to meet his eyes, telling him she was trying to hide something.

“He… he was just telling me the story of the garden.” Her eyes were still downcast, and she wrung her hands. “We should get going now,” she whispered. “I want to see the roses.”

He wrapped a hand around her arm when she turned to leave. “Arabella.” His tone brooked no argument. “What are you hiding?”

“I’m not hiding anything?” she answered, even though it sounded more like a question. “Why would you think I’m hiding something?”

He sighed, pulling her close to him. “Ara mine, you’re not a very good liar.”

She scrunched up her nose and folded her hands. “I know it’s not a skill to brag about, but what makes you say so?”

“Your eyes didn’t meet mine, you were sweating and flushed, you were wringing your hands, and you’re asking me this question.”

Arabella looked like she wanted to argue but thought it over, uncrossing and crossing her arms.

“Arabella, help me to trust you,” he coaxed. It was obvious she was having trouble keeping up her lie, as he could basically see the wheels turning in her head. “It’s strange when I see my wife standing so close to another man, and now she’s refusing to tell me what they were discussing.”

She turned away, groaning, then straightened, as if bracing for a fight.