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Rule 10: We will be faithful to one another but live our lives separately.

Alaric had hardly slept at all. He couldn’t stop thinking of Charlotte’s request to transform their marriage into something real. He’d been cruel to her, shutting her out.

He’d thought it was the right thing to do, to reestablish their rules and boundaries. But seeing her devastated expression had been a knife in his own gut. He’d behaved no better than her parents, pushing her away. After what he’d said, he had hurt her deeply, and he despised himself for it.

His only distraction was resolving his father’s debts. And unfortunately, it seemed that the debt to Lord Selwyn was real.

Alaric had spent most of the day going through his father’s papers with Thompson, and the secretary had indeed found evidence that Nathaniel had borrowed money from another source to repay Selwyn last year.

At least he no longer owed money to the earl. But who had his father borrowed from to repay that debt? And what role had Mr Virdon played in it all? Alaric fully believed that the gentleman had lied and was pretending to be the source of the loan. But he didn’t like Virdon’s insinuation that Thornton had been involved. He’d sent a note to his brother, asking for an explanation.

His thoughts drifted back to Charlotte. Although he wasn’t certain there was a true threat to her from Mr Virdon, he didn’t want to take the risk. It had seemed safer to send her home, even if he didn’t want to.

After dismissing his father’s secretary, he decided to eat supper in the dining room to clear his head. But when he walked inside, he was startled to find his wife already there. Had she been here the entire time?

‘Charlotte?’ Alaric asked. ‘I thought you would be back at Severn by now.’

‘I am not going to Severn,’ she said, taking a bite of her glazed carrots. ‘At least, not yet.’

Alaric took his place at the head of the table, and a footman brought him cold sliced ham, carrots, fresh bread, and scalloped potatoes. Once the servant was gone, he eyed his wife. ‘I thought we agreed it was too dangerous for you to stay in London.’

‘No, you were the one who wanted to send me away.’ She dabbed her mouth with a linen napkin. ‘I would prefer to remain here for a little while longer.’

Although her behaviour was perfectly normal, he hadn’t missed the undertone of rebellion. At first, he pretended to ignore it. ‘Why? Your gardens are at Severn.’

‘They can wait,’ she said. ‘Not much is growing at the moment, anyway.’

She picked at her food, and Alaric noticed that she still wasn’t eating very much. ‘Are you feeling well?’

‘I’m frustrated with myself,’ she admitted. ‘And it’s my own mistake. You said from the very first moment that we would live our lives separately. I agreed to that, and I never should have let myself believe that our marriage would be anything but what it is.’

He couldn’t stop himself from asking, ‘And what is that?’

‘An arrangement. One you never truly wanted.’ Her voice held a slight tremble as she folded her napkin and set it on the table. Her face had gone pale, and God above, was she trying not to cry?

Before he could say anything, she stood up. ‘So it doesn’t truly matter where I go, does it?’

Regret and uneasiness caught his gut. He didn’t like seeing her so upset.

‘It does matter,’ he said softly. ‘And I don’t intend for you to remain here and be threatened because of my father’s poor decisions.’

She straightened and faced him. ‘I promise I won’t take any unnecessary risks. But I cannot live my life like a doll that you put away when you don’t want me any more.’

He was incredulous that she could even think such a thing. ‘Believe me, I am well aware you are not a doll. This is about keeping you safe, Charlotte.’

Charlotte held his gaze for a long moment. ‘I don’t think that’s what it’s about at all, Alaric. I think it’s about your desire for control.’ She squared her shoulders and started walking towards the doorway.

Alaric stood and intercepted her. ‘Charlotte, wait.’ He closed the door behind him.

She crossed her arms. ‘Rule 8. We will be faithful to one another but live our lives separately. That does not mean you may control every moment of my day.’

Her green eyes held anger, but he couldn’t deny that he found her defiance attractive. And he was entirely too distracted by her mouth and the delicious scent of her skin.

But then she continued, ‘I was invited to another ball this evening, and I plan to attend. Which reminds me, I should go and get dressed.’

‘No, you cannot leave the house. We don’t know if it’s safe.’ He had no intention of letting her endanger herself. But neither did he plan on escorting her to a ball.

She paused and met his gaze. ‘You despise balls, and you’re not attending, so why would you care whether I go or not?’