Lydia paused for a moment. She hadn’t had a chance to think about that herself.
“I’m afraid we haven’t quite decided on one yet,” Lydia replied. She did not want to get into the details of the truth with this wet nurse. For all intents and purposes, the childwashers for the time being, at least until his true mother could be found.
“It can take some time to find the perfect name although in my experience, babies tend to grow into a name. They need a good, strong name though.”
“I shall think on the matter,” Lydia said. “Shall I take him?”
“Oh, I’m quite all right. Pray do get yourself some breakfast, at least if it pleases you, Your Grace,” Georgia suggested, catching herself because for a moment it sounded as though she wasgiving Lydia an order. Lydia suppressed a giggle, appreciating Georgia’s plain manner of speaking.
“Very well. Please get the child dressed, and I will return once I have eaten,” Lydia said. She smiled at the baby and then went downstairs, expecting to find Victor waiting for her at the breakfast table. This was the first day of their marriage, and it was important for them to begin it on the right foot. Lydia wanted to make her intentions clear, for she was not content to simply wait for matters to resolve themselves. She wanted to know the exact measures the Duke was taking to find the baby’s mother.
However, when she arrived at the breakfast table, she found herself alone. A servant arrived, asking her what she would like for breakfast.
“Where is my husband?” Lydia asked instead, and it did indeed sound strange to say those words. She shuddered inside, thinking about how wrong it was that they should not bring a sense of pride or excitement. In the books she read the women always felt as though they were floating when they spoke about the men they loved. It was as though they had grown wings and become angels.
“I’m afraid His Grace is not present. He departed early this morning on business. He shall return in three days.”
“Three days?” Lydia repeated, anger rising inside. Her hands became tight balls, and she clenched her jaw. Heat rose to hercheeks. She was not prone to violence, but there was a part of her that wanted to throttle him. “Is there any way to contact him?”
“I’m afraid His Grace did not leave that information,” the servant said and then asked again what she wanted for breakfast. She waved her hand dismissively and asked him to bring anything he thought was appropriate. Lydia did not have the energy to think about that right now.
She sank into a chair and leaned forward, placing her head in her hands. The Duke could not even stay for one day, not even for the sake of appearance! She wondered how she was ever going to last in this interminable state. He returned to his duties without a second thought. Well, perhaps life could go on normally for him, and he could pretend that nothing had happened, but she could not do the same.
There was a child that depended on her even though she had not given birth to him, but otherwise, her marriage was empty. Lydia was quite sure that she had never felt so alone as in this strange place with no friends around. She could not trust the Duke with anything. She was going to have to rely on herself.
It was at times like these when she dearly missed her parents.
Chapter Twelve
Victor usually felt at peace when he returned to Nightford. The world could be unnerving and unpredictable, but his home was a haven to him. Everything was exactly as he liked it, and he never had to worry about anything threatening his tranquility.
However, now, there were daggers in his stomach and an uneasy feeling that he could not shake. The apprehension only increased as the carriage drew closer to the gates of his estate. He had spent as long as he could away, but there was no way to extend the trip. His home was no longer a safe refuge. There was a baby and an unwanted wife and all the complications that came with them.
A bitter feeling rested at the back of his throat, and he wrung his hands together. He alighted from the carriage, marched into the house, and was immediately struck by the carpet that stretched before him.
It was different to what he had been used to. Previously, there had been a dark blue carpet running along the hall. That had been replaced with one that was beige and had intricate, flowery patterns stitched into it.
“Who ordered this change?” Victor asked, snapping his fingers to beckon a servant. One came rushing over and clasped his hands behind his back.
“Her Grace did, Your Grace,” the servant said.
Victor pressed his lips together, taking a deep, dark breath. He glowered at the carpet. The runner had been altered, introducing a lively, colorful pattern.
How dare she come into his home and change it at her whim. She had ideas above her station, and it made him fear that she was thinking about the future. Even though she claimed to want freedom from this marriage, she might have changed her mind.
Perhaps the reality of being married to a Duke was appealing to her now, and she did not want to lose the status it had brought.
“And what other changes has she made?” he asked in a biting tone.
“There is a crib in the library. Apparently, the young master likes it there. Other carpets and rugs have been changed, and there is also a new schedule with notes on the baby. I believe that a copy has been left on your desk, Your Grace.”
“I see. Thank you. I suppose I should go and peruse this new schedule,” he said. The servant bowed as Victor turned away.
Victor’s cheeks colored at the sheer gall of the woman. He had been gone for three days, just three days! It might as well have been three years given how so much had changed. How dare she make such changes without his consent? This was his home, and the last time he checked he was still the Duke.
These thoughts formed a storm in his mind, a storm that only became more intense with every step he took. By the time he reached his study, he was about ready to erupt in anger. Lightning crackled in his mind, and thunder made his skin bristle. His heart thumped in his chest, and he was of a mind to tear everything down and start again.
Then he saw a woman in his study, rifling through his drawers.
