“Really? You don’t ever tire of her requests? She’s always had opinions, after all. It used to aggravate our father endlessly when she insisted talking to us during every meal.”
If he drank, he would surely do something foolish. Only Sebastian didn’t think he would be doing anything foolish. It would be Isabel thinking he was foolish, and he didn’t wish for that.
I only wish to plant a facer. Just one. Just something to knock him right out the blasted door.
“I like to hear her talk.” He looked up with a flat expression to Thomas. “If you don’t like your sister, you don’t need to be here.”
“What? No, I didn’t mean that,” the man said hastily. “I wouldn’t… That is, she’s a dear. I only thought you might have tired of her. She is full of spirit. Mother and Father worried that wouldn’t bode well for her as a wife.”
Sebastian couldn’t imagine what use Thomas had to speak negatively of her, and he didn’t like it. But he couldn’t tell Isabel what Thomas said. The thought of upsetting her didn’t sit well with him. “She makes a very fine wife as well as a duchess.”
Realizing his grip was growing too tight on his glass, he moved to set it down until Thomas’s words made him pause.
“Certainly, yes… Especially in her refurbishment efforts here. I cannot imagine the expenses she has put you through. New dresses, too, must have come from you. I don’t suppose my parents could have afforded anything for her trousseau. It really is a miracle you would take her. Stubborn girl without a proper dowry.”
That brought Sebastian slamming his glass down. Brandy splashed over his wrist and the tablecloth. Rising to his feet, he stared down at Thomas.
“What?” the man squawked in protest.
“One word,” Sebastian warned him. “Isabel gives me one word, and I will remove you from the premises. That is all I am waiting for now.”
To his everlasting distaste, Thomas chuckled. “Then you’ll be waiting a very long time because that would never happen.”
CHAPTER 25
Isabel resisted the urge to roll her eyes when she walked into the library to find her cat exactly where she expected. Pearl had curled up into the fluffiest little ball in the lap of her husband.
“Would you believe me if I said I didn’t even pick her up?” Sebastian gave her a reluctant smile when he looked up.
Seated at the edge of the sofa, he had one leg up on the small table. Beside him was a closed book and then another table, also small but tall to allow for a chess set. He was fiddling with it with one hand as the other was buried in the cat’s fur.
“Yes, I believe I would. She likes you.”
“As she likes you,” he reassured her. “I just have a large lap.”
Her lips twitched into a smile as well. “One that is surely comfortable and warm as well.” Cheeks heating up, Isabelglanced away and cleared her throat. “You can always set her down.”
“I do that a lot and feel bad. But it’s late.” He grew serious and nodded. “I know you like to take her to bed. Here, allow me.”
“No, wait.” Isabel’s heart softened. As her husband was only trying to be nice to her pet, she could understand that, and one look told her how comfortable Pearl was now. Her purring could be heard across the room. Still Isabel crept closer, moving quietly as to not disturb the creature. Pearl was such a precious little thing. Her only fault was preferring early mornings and Sebastian’s lap over her own. “I can sleep without her for a night. She’s too sweet to disturb.”
A short chuckle escaped Sebastian. “I’m not staying here all night.”
“But you can’t wake her up!” Isabel hissed quietly with a pout. “Just look at her. She’s so content.”
“She is,” he conceded. Sebastian glanced at her and then away for a moment before suggesting, “Perhaps then you can keep me company until she awakens?”
Isabel was tired after a long day and long supper with Thomas. It would be nice to curl up in her bed early. Except… Her gaze shifted away from Pearl up to Sebastian and then to the side table. Nodding to herself, she pulled over a chair to be closer.
“A game of chess,” she decided brightly. “Black or white?”
A mark of hesitation washed over him before he admitted, “I’m not particularly good at this game.”
“Then it’s a perfect opportunity to learn, don’t you think?” Isabel said while setting up the board. A few pieces had been arranged incorrectly, so she took care of fixing that before offering him white.
And then she hesitated, uncertain of what might happen next.
What am I doing? It isn’t as though playing a game of chess will endear me to Sebastian. How our marriage works, I can hardly comprehend. And yet… I don’t want to leave. It doesn’t make sense why I want to be in his company when our relationship is unclear, but… we are friends, are we not? It’s just a game between friends.
