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This time, Charlotte couldn’t help but smile. “It’s quite all right. And truly, I don’t mind being married.” That was an understatement, but she didn’t feel the need to elaborate. “What I do mind, or what I worry about, is you. You need to come home, Beatrice.”

“But what about Father?”

“He’s going to find you, eventually. Best that you come home of your own accord. It will be better that way.”

Slowly, the cracks were beginning to form. Beatrice was stubborn, yes, but she wasn’t stupid. She knew that she couldn’t run forever as much as she knew that one day she would have to return. All she needed now was a final push.

“On the bright side, at least you won’t have to marry His Grace anymore.” Charlotte chuckled. “I have that covered for the both of us.”

Beatrice snorted and shook her head at Charlotte. Charlotte winked and poked her tongue out in the way she used to do when they were young girls. A shared bout of laughter between them, and it was then that Charlotte knew she had won.

“All right,” Beatrice said finally. “I will return—but not today. I need time to… to prepare.”

“How long?”

“A day.” She shrugged. “Maybe two.”

“I’ll make sure she does,” Harriet said, appearing in the doorway suddenly. “You have my word.”

“How gracious of you, Harriet,” Beatrice mumbled.

“What? Did you really think you were going to stay here forever?” Harriet chuckled. “And His Grace just told me about the mess you left behind. You need to go home, Beatrice. Even if I have to tie you to a horse myself.”

Beatrice sighed and slumped down in her chair, signaling her defeat. At the sight of it, Henry swept in and sat on the armrest beside Charlotte, one arm wrapped around her shoulder. Charlotte felt courage as that arm wrapped her, a sense of gratefulness knowing that he was there by her side.

“You two are happy?” Beatrice asked hopefully, as if she needed to hear it.

To this, Charlotte couldn’t help but smile. She looked up at Henry, met his eyes, and saw the answer in them. “Yes,” she said, knowing the words to be true for both of them. “I am.”

ChapterSixteen

“That went rather well,” Henry said cheerfully.

“Surprisingly well.”

“And here I was, expecting your sister to be another version of you.” He looked right at Charlotte, and she frowned as if she didn’t know what he meant. “Stubborn to a point of absurdity.”

She snorted. “Oh, she is. But like me, she is also extremely intelligent. She knows this is the right decision, so she made it.”

Henry shook his head but couldn’t hide his smile. “Right, just like you.”

They were on their way back from Harriet’s. A three-hour carriage ride, just the two of them alone. Through the closed curtains, Charlotte could just make out the dark amber hues of the setting sun, appearing to set the world on fire. It had the inside of the carriage sitting in a state of near darkness, reds and oranges seeping through those cracks in thin slithers but casting her and her husband in shadow.

He sat across from her this time. Looking tired, he was leaning back in his seat, his thick legs spread apart before her. She sat right in the middle, between those legs, so close that their knees were just about touching.

No longer shy or nervous around her husband, Charlotte didn’t hesitate to cast her gaze over his mountainous body. She had seen him without clothes a dozen times now, but for reasons she couldn’t explain, right now he looked as good as he ever did. It was his size that she lusted after the most, so big and strong, so powerful and protective. On the ride over, she had wanted him to take her but resisted because she didn’t need to distraction. Now, however, they had nothing but time…

“What?” Henry asked, eyeing the way his wife watched him.

“Nothing.” She smirked to herself, a playfulness in her tone.

He chuckled. “You’ve been rather well-behaved today. I’d almost assume that you were someone else. Where is my wife, and what have you done with her?”

She very nearly took the bait. That look appeared in his eyes, and she knew immediately what was hidden behind them. He licked his lips and spread his legs a little wider, baring his teeth for her like a bear waking up from its slumber. All she would have to do was rebuke him for the comment, maybe a sarcastic remark regarding the way he was sitting?

Rather than that, she reached over and took his hand. “Thank you for today,” she said, meeting his eyes. “You were… just wonderful.”

“Just wonderful?” He smirked, resting his other hand on top of hers.