‘Would you be content to have me here, watching your artistry as you work? Or do you prefer solitude for full focus?’ Emmeline asked hopefully.
‘It would be a joy to have you here with me!’ Hannah accepted. ‘In fact, my good friend Sophia would often sit and watch me paint. I find it a comfort.’
‘Wonderful!’ Emmeline pulled up a chair and perched beside Hannah with a companionable smile.
As Hannah returned her attention to the seascape, she thought, with gratitude, how Emmeline’s amiability made the Montwood home more comfortable than she had felt thus far. Perhaps, she considered, there was hope for her in this new home.
***
The Duke shifted his horse into a temperate canter and sat ramrod straight as Albert drew up beside him.
‘You’re sprightly this morning!’ Albert laughed, falling into step.
The sun was low on Rotten Row; the sandy track running the border of lusciously green Hyde Park. The beautiful morning had attracted many early risers. The invigorating scent in the air was a combination of grass and horses. Caleb deeply breathed it in, inviting his refreshed senses to soothe his troubled mind.
As riders passed the Duke and Lord Dutton on their respective horses, they tipped their hats in greeting. Albert responded by tipping his hat in recognition, as Caleb would usually also do. This morning though, Caleb’s eyes focused dead ahead on the horizon and he seemed not even to notice the other people in the park. Albert found himself throwing more vigour into his greetings, to compensate for the lack of effort emanating from his comrade.
‘Is something the matter?’ Albert ventured.
No,’ Caleb’s reply was curt and he accelerated further.
Albert coaxed his horse to gain more speed and drew level with Caleb again.
Caleb noticed the flawless blue sky and it reminded him of the pretty dress Hannah had worn yesterday. He shook his head to rid himself of these fanciful thoughts. He forced himself to concentrate on the topic of the lecture he was due to attend later in the week – he wished to pose some serious questions and filtered through the options in his mind. A woman walked past on an adjacent path and for a moment, he thought it was Hannah – she looked very alike. As she turned to nod at him, he saw that she had a beautiful face but did not smile; Caleb concluded that if it had been Hannah, she would certainly have smiled, as she exuded goodwill toward everyone. Once again, his mind had been distracted and he cursed under his breath.
‘Good man, whatever is bothering you on this fine morning?’ Albert frowned.
‘I told you friend, it is nothing.’
Caleb pulled on his horses’ reins to slow his pace as the track looked busier up ahead. Albert matched his pace again, falling back and looking across at Caleb’s face which was knotted in consternation.
‘I don’t know…’ Albert observed causally, his gaze sharp upon Caleb, ‘the week a man takes a wife, he cannot talk on a leisurely ride because his mind is too distracted… I’d wager something is afoot.’
Caleb’s hands instinctively tightened on the reins, causing his horse to toss his mane in agitation. Albert noticed this and raised an eyebrow in response.
Caleb released a sigh of frustration and slowed his horse to drop more amiably alongside Albert’s horse.
‘It is Hannah…’ Caleb confided in a low voice.
‘As I suspected,’ Albert nodded, indicating Caleb should go on.
‘She complicates my thoughts,’ Caleb frowned, unsure how to articulate his feelings.
‘How so?’
‘I married her purely by arrangement and made it quite clear to her that we should live quite independent lives.’
Albert looked dubious at this admission ‘When did you tell her so?’
‘After the wedding meal, as we travelled in the carriage to Montwood,’ Caleb explained, looking to Albert for clarity on why the timing should be relevant.
Albert sighed and lowered his eyes, shaking his head. ‘Oh, goodness…’
‘What is it?’
‘You could not have waited for the lady to settle upon her cloud before dictating the regulations?’
‘Too soon, you suppose?’ Caleb queried.
