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She didn’t miss the hint of warning in his voice. ‘Because I had no idea if you intended to return to Severn. If they were important, then it was my duty to answer them.’

‘I was always going to return,’ he said. Although he spoke softly, there was an edge to his voice.

But Charlotte didn’t believe his words. A husband didn’t leave for nearly a month the morning after consummating their marriage unless it had truly been bad. Even she knew that. And it had hurt her feelings deeply.

‘Rule 4,’ he said softly. ‘You are to handle the household while I handle the estate. I take my responsibilities seriously.’

In response, she answered, ‘But you were gone. What else was I to do?’

‘You should have waited.’ He reached out to take her hand, but she snatched it away.

‘Wait for what? You left for weeks. It could have been months, for all I knew.’

‘I would never leave Severn for months.’ His expression was calm and fully irritated her.

Severn, he’d said. Nothing whatsoever about abandoning his wife. It only stoked her anger hotter.

‘Is that what I should expect in the future?’ she asked tightly. ‘That you will regularly leave for weeks at a time, with no letters at all? No word as to whether you are alive or dead?’

He came to stand in front of her, and he was so near, it utterly unravelled her emotions. ‘Did you miss me, Charlotte?’

She didn’t want to look at him right now, especially the way his eyes were staring into hers. ‘I…no,’ she lied. Then, ‘I don’t know.’

But he was studying her with interest, as if he wanted her. And his gaze seemed to slip beneath her skin, reminding her of what it was like to have his body atop hers. An ache began throbbing between her legs, and her breasts tightened against her gown. It was getting more difficult to separate herself from him—especially when she wanted him so badly.

‘I will always return home,’ Alaric said quietly. ‘And your concern is noted. I will send word to you in the future.’

Charlotte tightened her grip upon her emotions and continued, ‘Very well.’

It was an effort to push back the anger, so she concentrated on the business at hand. ‘I understand that your father made many mistakes with your family’s fortune. But do not ask me to stand aside while you are gone and let others take advantage of us. We don’t know if this Mr Virdon exists, if this loan was ever taken out, or whether it’s simply someone trying to steal from our family. I won’t let that happen.’

‘I agree.’ He took a step closer. ‘And I think we should continue this conversation upstairs, in private.’

Upstairs? Her heartbeat quickened as she wondered why he wanted that. Being alone with her husband in his bedchamber was the very last thing she wanted to do. He didn’t understand that being near him was only reminding her of her failure as a wife.

Instead, she handed him the stack of letters, pushing back the hurt gathering in her heart. ‘I don’t see what else there is to talk about.’

‘I haven’t seen you in weeks. I would like to hear about the household and what happened while I was away. Where no one can eavesdrop on us,’ he added.

Though, logically, she knew he was right, Charlotte couldn’t quite let go of her humiliation. ‘Very well.’ She followed him outside the drawing room and up the stairs. Alaric led her into his bedchamber and paused when he saw that the adjoining door was open.

His expression suddenly shifted at the new colours. ‘I thought we agreed that you would not redecorate without consulting me.’

‘You weren’t here,’ she said. ‘How could I have consulted with you?’

‘But it was one of our rules. And it could have waited until my return.’

The tone of his voice turned darker, and she didn’t fully understand why. But the last thing she wanted to discuss was rules they had agreed to weeks ago.

‘No, it could not have waited,’ she informed him sharply. ‘I suppose you didn’t notice when you gave me this room. The bed coverings were full of mould, as were the curtains,’ she said. ‘The water damage from the leaking roof, remember?’ She folded her arms across her chest. ‘I had them removed until the new ones arrived. I’ve been sleeping with woollen blankets since the first day.’ He hadn’t been in the room very often, so she imagined he had never noticed.

Alaric frowned as he took in the details of her redecorating. ‘This used to be my mother’s room.’

The note of sadness in his voice made her feel a twinge of sympathy. She could understand how his childhood memories were likely intertwined with the appearance of the room. ‘I wouldn’t have changed it, if it hadn’t been necessary.’

He was still staring at the room. ‘You’re right. I didn’t realise there was mould there. I’m sorry about that. But yellow? Why would you choose such a colour? It’s so…vivid.’

‘I like yellow. It’s cheerful, and it makes me smile.’