Now she was realizing why it had been so easy to keep her heart out of her affairs: Alex had still held the battered shards.
Chapter 3
The house that Eleanor and Edwin had rented out was beautifully furnished, but quite cozy, Irene was relieved to find. They'd asked her and Hugh to stay with them for the duration of their visit to Bath, since they would only be in town long enough to attend Wesley's wedding, and then Hugh wanted to move on to the estates. Edwin would be taking Eleanor to his own estates at the same time, although they were near enough for visiting, thankfully.
Irene was both looking forward to and dreading seeing her sister-in-law again. She hoped that Eleanor would be able to forgive Irene for her part in Edwin's discovery of Eleanor's plans. Although Eleanor had been gracious enough in the letter that she'd written to Irene, accepting her heartfelt apology, she wouldn't blame Eleanor for holding a grudge. Especially if she and Edwin were still unhappy.
But Eleanor was nothing but smiles and embraces when she greeted Hugh and Irene. Edwin, as darkly imposing as ever, kept her close by his side, but Eleanor seemed content to be there. Her face was paler and more wane than it had been in London, but Irene hoped it wasn't because she was unhappy here with Edwin.
"We've been invited by the Countess of Spencer to dinner tonight, if you feel well enough for it," Eleanor said cheerfully. "If not, we can make your excuses."
"I'd like to go and meet the future Countess," said Hugh, grinning cheerfully at his sister. The look of eager anticipation that passed between them was so filled with sibling understanding that Irene felt envious for a moment. Not that she doubted Hugh's love for her, but since she'd never had a sibling, she felt envious over the closeness that Eleanor had with her brother and his friends. Her husband glanced down at her, his blue eyes sweeping over her as if checking to ensure she was well enough to go along with his plans. "As long as Irene's amenable. We can wait till tomorrow, if you'd prefer to rest, sweetheart."
"No, I'd like to go," Irene said, although she did give Eleanor a plaintive look. "Do I have time for a bath, beforehand?"
"Of course, I've already had one drawn up for you," Eleanor said, detaching herself from Edwin's side and taking Irene's arm. She gave her brother a look. "For you too, and I recommend you use it before you and Edwin disappear into the study for scotch. Come, Irene, we can have a nice coze while you bath."
Irene giggled as Eleanor drew her away, ignoring Hugh sputtering behind her.
******
Letting Irene soak in her bath first, Eleanor directed the maids in unpacking the trunks her brother and sister-in-law had brought. She was relieved to have them in the house, as a bit of a buffer between herself and Edwin, as she still hadn't told her husband about her condition. Placing her hand over her stomach, she worried at her lower lip, knowing that she wouldn't be able to hide it for much longer. Already her body was changing, not just her level of energy, but she'd noticed that her stomach and breasts were becoming rounder. Her recent cravings for sweets could only explain so much of that.
Hugh had insisted that he and Irene share a room, which hadn't surprised Eleanor, although she'd told him that he'd have to bathe where she'd had the tub set up for him. She wanted a chance to be alone with Irene and find out what had happened in London while she was away. More importantly, she wanted to know what had happened between Irene and Hugh, since the letters they'd exchanged hadn't been especially detailed.
At first Irene seemed almost reluctant to confide in Eleanor, but once she began to tell her tale, Eleanor understood why. She gasped at hearing that Hugh had punished Irene in front of someone - Lord Brooke of all people! Yet, she understood why as well. If she'd known why Irene had wanted to leave the capital, she would have never invited her sister-in-law to escape to Bath with her.
Of course, then
Edwin wouldn't have overheard Irene talking and then come to Eleanor the way he had, and maybe they wouldn't be quite so happy now. Well, as happy as she could be when she was still worried about whether he had feelings for her. Although he behaved as a doting husband, she'd seen other marriages where the man behaved that way and the lady had no idea he had a mistress on the side. Most of the time she felt completely secure in his affections, but she still had those niggling doubts that wouldn't let her go.
If only the blasted man would tell her how he felt about her.
"Have you received any word from Lady Brooke?" Irene asked as she dressed, the maid helping to cinch her into an evening gown appropriate for dinner at the Countess'.
"No, should I have?" Eleanor asked, startled out of her reverie. She knew there was quite a bit of animosity between her sister-in-law and her best friend, so she was surprised to hear a complete lack of it in Irene's voice.
The pretty redhead worried her lower lip, sighing slightly. "Alex told Hugh and me that he wants to reconcile with her."
Eleanor burst out laughing, although there was no true humor in the situation. "That will never happen," she said, with conviction. "Grace would run to America first. In fact, I'm not sure she hasn't thought of it already."
"What happened between them?" Irene asked, settling herself down on the chair next to Eleanor's now that she was dressed. The dark green silk that she'd put on brought out the emerald of her eyes and made her red hair look gloriously rich. The pale cream of her skin glowed in the firelight. "Do you know?"
"I do, but I can't betray Grace's confidence, I'm sorry."
Irene waved her hand. "No, no, of course you shouldn't. I just wish that there was something I could do for them... she seems so unhappy and I know Alex has been miserable since she left him."
That made Eleanor raise her eyebrows. After all, for him to be miserable over his wife's separation from him, wouldn't he have to care about Grace? Yet, from what Grace had told her, Alex had never been particularly invested in her personally. Of course, Irene could have a different perspective.
She sighed. Marriage, as she'd learned, could be very complicated. "Perhaps when she comes to visit me this summer I'll be able to ask her."
"You don't think she'll come for the wedding?"
"No. She and Wesley know each other but they aren't close, whereas Lord Brooke is a particular friend of his." Although Eleanor rather wished Grace was coming. She would love the opportunity to observe Grace and Lord Brooke in the same locale again; there was something between the two of them that just didn't make sense.
******
Meeting Wesley's other friend, Viscount Petersham and his wife, was not an occasion for misbehavior, Cynthia reminded herself. Even if she wasn't feeling particularly pleased with her future husband. Two days after he'd tied her to her own bedpost and done unspeakable - and incredibly pleasurable - things to her body, she still didn't know how she felt about him.