Page 51 of A Necessary Wife

The day was beautiful and turning warm already, and all she wanted to do was get away from the fact that she was trapped here with strangers who did not like her. She rushed past hedges and took the first garden path she found that would take her far away from everyone at Stapleton, and Quigley Hill, too. As much as she liked Mrs. Whitfield, the woman believed in love and might caution patience with her brother.

But Amelia could not do that. She would not allow his suspicions to fester into further unfounded accusations of infidelity but was unsure how to prove herself. Amelia went toward the woods, as she thought that was the perfect place to hide from the family for a few hours to think—by then she hoped her husband would realize the fool he had made of himself last night and come looking for her to apologize. She was determined not to make it too easy for him.

She hurried along, chin down, only to come to an abrupt stop when someone called out to her by her title.

“You’ll risk getting lost if you go much farther in that direction.”

She froze at hearing her husband’s voice—but when she turned, it was his father with the duchess on his arm. She hadn’t realized until now how similar the duke and her husband could sound. It was a little unnerving to be honest.

“Your Graces,” she said, dropping them a curtsy out of politeness.

When she raised her face again, the duke squinted hard at her and then looked around. “What are you doing out here alone? Where are you going?”

She stiffened at the accusation that she must be up to no good, but the duchess clucked her tongue. “He means, what are you doing out here without a maid?”

The duke brow rose high.

He had not meant that at all.

She straightened her spine. “I’m content to be on my own, Your Grace,” she promised. “I rise early every day. I apologize if I disturbed your walk.”

The duchess sighed. “My dear, you don’t always have to be so alone. You have a family now.”

Amelia almost snorted, because clearly, she had no one, and her husband had no faith in her virtue. She pressed her lips together.

The duke’s eyes narrowed. “I hear you squabbled with my son last night.”

There was no point in denying that she’d been publicly accused of nonsense, because there were no secrets between anyone at a house party. She would not accept the blame, though.

“Yes. But he’s being ridiculous.”

The duke stroked his jaw. “My son often is. He is led by his emotions. Usually.”

She nodded. She’d suspected as much, even if he denied he had them. She’d seen caution in his words and eyes even before she had married him. It was what one did when others had hurt you badly.

“Nothing I do is right,” she said, weary of trying to prove her worth. The duke had already accused her of entrapment, and her husband expected infidelity at every turn.

Her Grace shook her head. “I’m sure if you’ve argued with my stepson, then it is not up to you to do anything about it. It’s up to him. It was remarked by all on how graceful you were, how charming.”

Amelia let out a sigh and curtsied again. She’d felt out of place all night. The woman was only being kind. “I should not keep you.”

The duchess whispered to the duke, and he bowed before striding off. The duchess remained with Amelia, her expression grave. “Would you care to join me on my daily amble? I’m a little earlier today than usual which is why I was surprised to see you outside already.”

Amelia considered refusing. If she spent time with Her Grace, would her husband believe she was attempting to curry favor?

But then she ground her teeth in frustration at her own thoughts. She’d never done anything like that in her life but always got the blame. She would not be made to feel guilt for something she had no intention of ever doing.

She lifted her chin. “Yes. Why not?”

Her Grace gestured her toward the path she’d been following, and they set off together, side by side.

She glanced around again, frowning that the gardeners were late starting their duties. “How is your son today?”

“Sleeping,” she promised. “He has settled down into a routine, which I’m told will make him more even tempered.”

“It helps to know what is expected, even at a young age.”

Amelia had not seen anyone else outside—but suddenly, a head popped out from behind a tree some distance ahead of them. A boy grinned, then disappeared again…only to reappear on the other side of the path they walked, two trees farther along.