“Nowhere, I suppose. Come, see him in the library. I have created a nook for him,” she said and made an about turn, expecting him to follow promptly. She moved too fast for him to call her back, and he had to take quick strides to reach her.
“You also should have consulted with me about the changes you made to the décor of the house.”
“It was just a few trivial changes.” Lydia waved her hand airily. “I didn’t think you would mind. That dark carpet was not inviting at all. I thought we should add a little color to the house. It makes everything warmer.”
“That was by design,” he said.
“And now the design has changed. I know that this estate is called Nightford, but we do not have to make it live up to its name. Sometimes even at night there are vivid colors. Did you get a chance to look at the schedule I left on your desk?”
“No, I was too busy dealing with that woman,” he said, annoyed again that she moved on from the subject of the carpets as though the matter was settled. He hadn’t expected her to be so forthright and stringent.
“She was there at my request. Please do not be angry with her.”
“She shouldn’t have been there at all. Do you have no sense of privacy?”
“The door was unlocked. Is there something in that study that you do not wish for me to see?” she asked. The question left him confused. It wasn’t that he had anything to hide exactly; it was just that he did not want people to go rummaging through his private affairs.
“I would simply appreciate some discretion. I have always been accustomed to my affairs being my own.”
“That is no longer the case. We are married, so they areouraffairs,” Lydia said, emphasizing the words.
“I’m not entirely sure that’s how marriage works.”
“It’s how our marriage is going to work for as long as it lasts, anyway. Victor, you have left me to do a lot of thinking over the past three days. I am not going to sit by and do as you ask. I have my own thoughts, and I shall express them.”
“I have no doubt of that,” Victor muttered.
“And you mustn’t leave with without telling me again. It was unkind of you, especially when we are trying to salvage our reputation. Neither of us wanted this situation, but we both find ourselves embroiled in it. It is only fair that we both take equal share of the responsibility. Please peruse the schedule. There are duties that you must perform.”
“Duties? What sort of duties?” Victor asked, a horrified look appearing on his face. The question faded in the air however asLydia did not seek to give him an answer. Instead, they arrived at the library, and she led him through the door, putting a finger to her lips, gesturing for him to be quiet.
It felt as though he had been usurped in his own home. Suddenly, she was giving orders and writing schedules and demanding things from him. The sooner this marriage was over, the better.
Lydia led him to the reading area of the library. There was a hearth in front of which two chairs had been standing, but those had been moved to make way for the crib. The shelves had been pushed back as well, creating more space for the child. Above the crib, bedsheets of assorted colors had been stretched and fastened to the tops of the bookshelves, creating a colorful canopy. A gentle fire crackled. The air smelled of lavender and milk.
“What have you done? This is where I like to read,” Victor said in disbelief. He had spent many hours sitting in front of the fire, turning crisp pages, losing himself in books.
“And now, it’s where John likes to relax. You might even continue reading. I’m sure John would find it soothing. My parents used to read to me all the time.”
“I shall do no such thing,” Victor replied, recoiling at the thought. The baby stirred. Lydia tilted her head and gave Victor a look of dismay. She turned to the crib and made a cooing sound as she reached in and picked the baby—John—up. She held himin her arms as though it was the most natural thing in the world, and John was quickly soothed.
Lydia rocked back and forth on her heels while rubbing her hand in a circular motion around John’s back.
“He’s easily startled,” she said.
Victor blinked slowly as he tried to comprehend all of these changes. There was an aspect about this sight that he could not ignore. Lydia seemed so natural in this role as caregiver, as though she belonged with John, and he was perhaps a little envious that such a thing could come to her so naturally.
“Victor, we must talk about John. It is a conversation I believe we should have had three days ago.”
“I believe we have discussed everything that is pertinent. I have already sent out missives in the hope of finding the mother. We merely need to keep him alive until we find her, and you seem quite adept at that.”
Lydia gave him a waspish look.
“John needs more than life. Babies need love and care. How can you be so heartless? This baby needs you.”
“But I do not need him. I never asked for this.”
Lydia raised her hand, as if to shield John from Victor’s words.
