AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Do you mind if I join you?”
Annalise raised a brow. “You want to join four ladies on an outing to a modiste?”
Four?Blake feigned nonchalance. “Why not?”
Annalise’s eyes twinkled. “Listening to our chatter about fabrics, waiting for hours while we try things on?”
“I would enjoy just being around you,” he said, and Annalise’s eyes softened.
“Then perhaps we can schedule another outing to a modiste just the two of us.”
Blake blinked. He was certain she didn’t mean it as innuendo, but visions of Annalise in revealing sensual undergarments paraded in front of his eyes. “I would love that very much.”
Annalise smiled. “I don’t want to make my unmarried friends uncomfortable by having you with us.”
Blake nodded. “It’s a ladies’ outing, I understand.”
“Oh, before I forget, I promised to chaperone Lavinia to Caroline’s ball. She has no one to go with.”
This news didn’t sit well with Blake, but he nodded. As much as he disliked the idea of sharing his carriage with another woman when he could’ve been alone with his wife, he imagined refusing would be even worse.
“Are you going to order a gown for yourself too?”
“I don’t need one; I have plenty.” She waved the matter away.
“Do you? It wouldn’t hurt to have another. I can’t imagine you’ve procured a new wardrobe since my disappearance.”
“Oh, I’ve had dozens of new gowns made recently for my—” She stopped abruptly and looked away. Blake looked at her in curiosity. “For my trousseau,” she finished lamely, and suddenly he wished he hadn’t asked.
The pain of being replaced so quickly and so easily settled deep in his chest. He made an effort to nudge it aside.
“Are you looking forward to the ball then?” he asked, to change the subject.
“Not really. Half of London’s high societywill be in attendance, and everybody is going to be watching us and trying to interpret our every glance, every gesture.” She heaved a sigh. “I don’t enjoy being on display, but it is necessary to get through it sooner rather than later. After that, it will be easier.”
“Will it?” The words escaped his mouth before he had time to think about them. He wasn’t sure what he meant by the question, but he wasn’t talking about appearing in front of the aristocrats.
Annalise swallowed. “We shall have to behave like a happy, reunited couple.”
Blake stopped and turned to look at her. “And we aren’t?”
“Blake…” She looked away for a moment, biting her lip.
He took her hands in his and ran his thumbs over her palms. She still didn’t look at him.
“Annalise, are you truly that unhappy I am back?”
She looked at him then, her eyes large and vulnerable. “Of course, I am happy. Blake, when you disappeared I… I regretted a lot of the things we said, and I wished a million times that everything was different—”
“It could be—”
“—but it isn’t,” they said at the same time. “You’ve changed. A lot. And I can see that.” She chewed on her lips nervously before continuing. “But not where it matters.”
Blake stood stricken. He didn’t know what to say to that. His mind went blank, and it felt as if a dagger was struck through his heart. He cleared his throat and turned back to the path. “I shall change your mind,” he finally said.
