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Elias turned to look at her then, his expression unreadable. "Perhaps," he said after a long moment. "Time will tell."

They lapsed into silence once more, the only sound the rhythmic clop of horses' hooves and the occasional whine from Mug. Lydia's mind raced with all that had transpired, with all that lay ahead.

She thought of Peter, the boy she had yet to meet but who already held a place in her heart. Would he accept her? Could she be the mother he needed?

And then there was Elias himself. Her husband. The thought still seemed surreal. She snuck another glance at him, only to find him already watching her. Their eyes met, and Lydia felt a jolt of... something. Attraction? Curiosity? Fear? Perhaps all three.

"You're very quiet, eh… wife," Elias said, his deep voice breaking through her reverie. "Are you having second thoughts already?"

There was a hint of humor in his tone, but Lydia sensed a underlying tension as well. "No, Your Grace," she replied carefully. "I'm simply... contemplating the future."

"Elias," he said suddenly.

"I'm sorry?"

"When we're alone, you should call me Elias," he clarified. "We are married, after all."

Lydia nodded, a small smile tugging at her lips. "Very well... Elias."

The name felt foreign on her tongue, but not unpleasant. It was a small step, perhaps, but a significant one.

"Tell me, Lydia," Elias said after a moment, "what do you expect from this marriage?"

The question caught her off guard. She considered her answer carefully before speaking. "I expect to be a good wife to you, and a good mother to Peter. I expect to fulfill my duties as Duchess of Fyre to the best of my abilities. And I... I hope that in time, we might build a partnership based on mutual respect and understanding."

Elias nodded, seeming to mull over her words. "Those are admirable goals," he said at last. "I, in turn, will endeavor to be a good husband to you. I cannot promise you love, Lydia, but I can promise you honesty and respect."

"That's all I ask," Lydia replied softly.

As the carriage rolled on towards Fyre Manor, Lydia found herself filled with a quiet determination. This might not be the love match she had once dreamed of, but perhaps it could be something equally valuable. A partnership, a friendship even.

Elias turned to her then, his blue eyes intense as they met hers. "Are you ready?" he asked, his deep voice sending a shiver down her spine.

Lydia lifted her chin, meeting his gaze squarely. "Yes, Your Grace-- Elias," she corrected herself. "I'm ready for whatever comes next."

CHAPTER 8

Soon, the silence in the carriage grew thick and uncomfortable once more as they rolled through the countryside. Lydia found herself fidgeting with her gloves, desperately searching for something to say that wouldn't sound completely inane.

"The weather is... quite pleasant today," she ventured at last, immediately wanting to cringe at such a pedestrian observation.

"Indeed," Elias replied flatly, not looking up from the document he was perusing.

Another painful silence descended. Mug chose that moment to let out a rather undignified snore from his position at their feet.

"Your dog seems... comfortable," Elias remarked, his tone suggesting he found this less than ideal.

"Oh, yes, he's quite adaptable," Lydia said quickly, grateful for any topic of conversation. "Though he does tend to..." She was cut off by a particularly loud snort from Mug, followed by what could only be described as a canine whimper. "...dream rather actively," she finished, feeling her cheeks grow warm.

Elias's eyebrow rose slightly as he finally looked at her. "I see. And does he often make such... interesting noises?"

"Only when he's particularly content," Lydia assured him, then immediately wondered if that had been the right thing to say. "Not that he'll be sleeping in your... that is, I mean... he'll stay in my chambers, of course."

She could have sworn she saw the ghost of a smile flicker across Elias's face before he returned his attention to his papers. "One would hope so."

Desperate to change the subject, Lydia blurted out, "I look forward to meeting Peter. You seem to think highly of him.”

This got Elias's full attention. He set down his papers, fixing her with that intense blue gaze that never failed to make her pulse quicken. "I do . Though I must warn you, he can be... challenging at times."