‘Rosalind.’ He said it softly, and she waited for what might come next.
When nothing did, she said, ‘Go back to the ballroom, Tremaine. And leave me in peace. Just as I wish you had done five years ago.’
There was another pause, before she heard the sound of his footsteps retreating down the corridor to the ballroom. She crept further into the room and went to sit on the sofa, where she had so often found Tremaine. She laid her hand upon the cushion, imagining that there was still some warmth there. Why did everything have to be so complicated, so unfair? She was quite sure that of the four of them she was the least to blame for the mess they were in. Why was
The door of the library opened and Elise stalked into the room, showing no respect for her privacy. She dropped down on the couch beside Rosalind and stared into the fire. ‘I do not understand your brother in the slightest.’
Rosalind glared at her, wishing with all her heart that she would go away and take her close friend with her. ‘Then you are truly suited. For neither does he understand you.’
‘Harry claims to want me back. But now that I am here we do nothing but argue.’
‘You were doing that before, were you not?’
‘I was arguing. But he did not respond. And now?’ She shrugged. ‘It seems I can do nothing to please him. He misunderstands me at every turn, and I cannot convince him that I do not prefer the company of Nicholas.’
‘Perhaps because he finds you in Tremaine’s arms in a public hallway begging you to give in to his desires?’
Elise stared at her in confusion, and then said, ‘Today? That is not at all what was going on.’
Rosalind cast a jaundiced eye upon her. ‘And did you tell Harry that?’
‘I told him that things were not as they appeared.’
‘Small comfort. You will not unbend sufficiently to put his mind at rest, but you still think all your problems are caused by what he does or does not say?’
‘You do not understand,’ Elise argued. ‘He becomes even angrier when I speak the truth.’
‘Well, let me be forthcoming, since you set such a high price on honesty,’ Rosalind snapped. ‘You were unhappy before you left because you did not know his mind, but now that you know it you are still not satisfied. Perhaps you are the one who cannot be pleased, Elise.’
Elise shook her head. ‘That is because he is not being logical. One moment he wants me, the next he tells me he would marry again. He tortures Nicholas, but tells me to go back to him. He wants our life to be just the way it was before I left. But if I must lie to him, and tell him all is well, then what good will it be to either of us?’
‘Before he was trying to hide the truth, to keep the peace. But now that he must face facts, he is as angry and stubborn as you are.’
‘Me?’
‘Yes. You. You refuse to admit that you were happy, just as much as he refuses to admit his unhappiness. And if neither of you can manage a happy medium?’ Rosalind sighed. ‘Then I expect you will continue to make those around you even more miserable than you make yourselves.’
‘We are making other people miserable?’ Elise gave her a blank look. ‘I fail to see how. Everyone here seems to be having a delightful time.’
Rosalind stood up and threw her hands in the air. ‘I stand corrected. All is well, and everyone who matters is perfectly happy. And, since that is the case, I need not concern myself with the situation. I am going to my room.’ She stalked to the door of the library. ‘And it will serve you all right if I do not come out until Easter.’ With that she stamped out of the room, allowing herself the luxury of both a muttered curse and a slam of the door.
Elise waited until she was sure that her sister-in-law had gone well away, and then followed slowly up the stairs to her own room. Was it only a few hours ago that she had been convinced her problems were almost over? And now Harry was angry with her and Rosalind even angrier. Only Nicholas was still her friend. But it was most unwise to rely on him any longer if he wished to be free. Rosalind was right: she was making everyone around her miserable.
Elise sighed in defeat. The sooner she learned to hold her temper and her tongue, the better it would be for all concerned. She would go to her husband, take all the blame onto herself, and beg him to take her back. Perhaps she would never have the sort of marriage she wanted, but anything would be better than the chaos around her now, and the aching loneliness she had felt when Harry had left her on the dance floor.
She sent her maid away and undressed hurriedly, leaving the clothes in a pile on the floor. She rummaged in the wardrobe for the dressing gown she had worn on her first night with Harry. Would he remember it after all this time? Perhaps not. But if Nicholas was right it would not matter overmuch. Once she had come back to his bed Harry would cease to be angry with her. And if she could lie in his arms each night, the days would not be so bad.
She wrapped her bare body in the silk and went to the connecting door. For a moment she was afraid to touch the knob. What would she do if he had locked it against her? But it turned as easily as it always had, and she opened the door and entered her husband’s room.
To find it dark and empty. The candles had not been lit. The fire was banked low in the grate. And the bed was cold and still neatly made.
She hesitated again, and then went to it, climbing in and crawling beneath the covers to wait for Harry. The night wore on, and the linen was cold against her skin. So she pulled her wrapper tight around her, curled into a ball and slept, shivering through fitful dreams.
She awoke at dawn, still alone.
Chapter Fifteen
The next day, Rosalind felt even worse than she had after storming off to her room. She’d spent the night staring up at the ceiling, thinking of all the things that had gone wrong and all the ways the people in her life had failed her. And after a few fitful hours of sleep she had woken to find that her problems were not just a bad dream. The house was just as she’d remembered it: full of people she did not want to see ever again, and manned by servants who were just as slow and disobedient as ever. But, since it was Boxing Day, she was obliged to thank them for the fact, and respond to the lack of service with light duties and generosity.
After a cold breakfast she went down to the library, to take it all out on Tremaine. He was lounging in his usual place by the fire, eyes closed and feet up, as though the struggle of tying his own cravat had caused him to collapse in exhaustion.
She pushed his boots from their place of elevated comfort. When they hit the carpet she glared down and kicked them for good measure. ‘Get up this instant. You are required in the drawing room.’
He sighed. ‘For what possible reason could you need me? Are there not enough drunken fools available to bend to your will? I swear, I still have the blue devils from last night.’
So the tenderness while they had danced was to be explained by an excess of champagne? She said, in a voice that she hoped was painfully loud, ‘Then it is about time you learned moderation. A headache is no more than you deserve. Now, get up.’
He draped an elegant hand over his brow. ‘Do you show such cruelty to all your guests, Miss Morley? Or do you reserve it especially for me? If I were in my right mind I’d return to London immediately.’
‘Do not think you can fool me with idle threats. The roads have been clear for several days, but you are still lying about on this couch, insisting that you will leave at any moment. If you mean to go, then stand up and do it.’
‘Very well, then. I admit it. I intend to stay for the duration of this farce, until I can see Elise safely back into the arms of her loving husband.’
She glared down at him. ‘As always, I cannot fault you for your devotion to Elise. Let us hope, once she is settled and you are long gone from this place, that you can find some other woman who is worthy of such unwavering affection. But for now you will have to content yourself with my company, and I need your help.’
