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“What are we doing today?” Amelia asked excitedly. “I want to go to the pond again!”

Frederick looked pointedly at her. “You have lessons today, Amelia. Miss Temperton is expecting you.”

She scrunched up her face. “No fair!”

“Besides, I am busy…” His eyes flicked to Hannah, causing her to frown. “I will be out most of the day.”

“W-what? You are leaving?”

He had not told her that he would be out today, which suggested it was a sudden decision, which suggested that he had made said decision after their conversation.

“Nothing exciting,” he assured her. “Work, mostly. I don’t want to bore you with the details.” He paused for a moment. “You will be alright by yourself, I trust?”

“Oh.” She blinked “Yes, I am sure I can find something to do.”

“Good.” He took her hand and gave it a comforting squeeze, paired with a smile that reached his eyes.

It was all very confusing. On the one hand, Frederick seemed to be doing the little he could to remind Hannah that they were stillhusband and wife and that his ‘no touching’ rule was a thing of the past.

On the other hand, Hannah could sense a gap widening between them. A tension. An awkwardness that hadn’t been there before.

“Hannah,” Amelia began. “Not today, but one day soon, do you think…” She bit her lip, looked at her father as if concerned, but then nodded her head. “Might you teach me to swim? I so want to learn.”

Hannah chuckled. “You did rather well the last time.”

“That does not count.” Amelia scrunched up her nose. “The water was not deep, and I didn’t do anything!”

“Amelia,” Frederick warned her, “I have told you, you are not old enough.”

“I am! Please, Father. I wish to learn! Hannah!” Amelia looked pleadingly at Hannah. “Tell him!”

“I told you no,” Frederick insisted.

“Hannah!” Amelia continued to look pleadingly at her.

Hannah was about to laugh it off and tell Amelia that she would discuss it with her father first. Not wanting to overstep, aware ofthe precipice that her marriage stood on, she figured it might be best to play it safe.

Only before she got the chance, Frederick interrupted.

“Enough, Amelia,” he said warningly. “Hannah is not your mother.”

That statement, said so assuredly and simply, knocked the wind out of Hannah. Frederick did not raise his voice. He did not snap. But the words were enough to remind Hannah of the reality in which she lived.

He was right. Amelia, for how much Hannah loved her, was not her daughter and never would be. Not the girl’s fault, of course. Simply a fact.

Hannah tried her best not to look taken aback by the comment, even if it lit something inside of her that she had been trying to ignore since the previous night. Frederick could treat her like a wife. He could kiss her and make love to her and be the very best of husbands. But it was all surface level, a distraction because that was easier than dealing with the truth—that this marriage had come as far as he was willing to let it.

Anger rising, frustration surging, Hannah forced a smile and looked at Frederick, who frowned when he saw the look in her eyes.

“That reminds me,” she began, knowing already it was foolish but unable to stop because dammit, she needed to dosomething. “I wish to have my aunt and my cousin Selina over for dinner tomorrow night.”

Frederick balked. “Excuse me?”

“And my father and mother, too. And my sisters and their husbands. We have not hosted since our wedding, and I think it might be a good idea.”

She gave him an over-the-top smile that had his mouth twitching.

“That is… something we should discuss in private.”