Her Gilded Prison by Beverley Oakley

Author:Beverley Oakley
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Published: 2015-03-12T22:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 8

Humphrey looked up over the newspaper, across the breakfast table, a strange gleam in his eye.

When he said nothing, Sybil shifted in her seat, telling herself yet again that he’d not suspect and even if he did, she had nothing to be ashamed of. Not with regard to Humphrey, nor Stephen nor even herself. No, she would not draw him out. Always she had played the dutiful wife, asking him if everything was to his liking. Now he could just read his newspaper or get up and leave without a word if he chose—for he often did that, so consumed was he with thoughts of his absent true love, no doubt.

Perversely, Humphrey didn’t seem to like Sybil’s silence. He dropped his paper and peered closely over it until she asked, almost crossly, looking up from her smoked haddock, “Well, Humphrey, have I a fishbone sticking out of my nostril?”

She was irritated with him for disturbing her delicious reminiscing of last night. No, she didn’t feel guilty. She would not.

“My dear, you look…” He struggled to articulate the sentiment. “You look different, somehow.”

“Really.” She would not blush and she’d pretend disinterest. Strange how that seemed to inspire him to speak words she’d never expected to hear.

“You have a glow about you. Really, you look quite lovely this morning.”

She dropped her knife and fork abruptly. “Why, Humphrey, I don’t think you’ve ever said anything so nice to me in your whole life.”

Emotions roiled in her stomach. Somehow it seemed wrong to be confronted with the first suggestion of admiration from her husband after her night spent with another man.

Immediately he raised his newspaper so she couldn’t see him, muttering something incomprehensible about how she must be losing her memory for that could not possibly be true.

After a moment of contemplative silence, he sighed, put down the news sheet and faced her one more across the table. “Edgar came to see me last night.”

“Oh, Humphrey.” The sigh took all her energy with her. She hadn’t expected this so soon.

He nodded, corroborating though she’d said nothing to indicate her feelings on the matter. They were both very much in accord with regard to an alliance between Edgar and Araminta, she was glad to note by the gloominess of his expression.

“I tried to put the boy off. After all, that’s all he is. A boy. What’s more, I’ve heard a few disturbing whispers about his conduct on and off the battlefield.” He cleared his throat, hesitated, then said in a rush, “More than whispers, in fact. Sybil, I’m ashamed to call him my nephew. He was not distinguished by bravery. He disappeared, seemingly having died a hero, but he did not. No, Sybil, he did not.”

Sybil’s mouth dropped open. Humphrey’s eyes bored into hers. He waited for the maid to refresh the tea and leave the room then said in a low voice, “Apparently the matter has been hushed up—seemingly for my benefit, or so it’s been suggested.”

When he seemed unable to go on,

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.