Hidden Affections by Delia Parr

Author:Delia Parr
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Baker Publishing Group

Chapter Twenty

Annabelle survived the event at the museum unscathed, just as Harrison had promised she would. Over the course of the next two days, she even survived another evening affair without seeing Vienna or Eric. But her anticipation grew worse by the hour while she waited for Irene to confront her about the unusual sleeping arrangements she and Harrison shared.

Since the topic had not come up while she sat with Irene outside on the bench feeding the squirrel this morning, she returned to the cottage with the housekeeper ready to bring it up herself once they finished with today’s lesson. She sat down at the kitchen table and handed the slate and chalk to Irene. “Before we start on any new letters, you should practice what you’ve already learned,” she prompted.

Irene was forming letters less awkwardly than when she had first begun, but she set the chalk down now before she finished the first two letters. “I can’t do it.”

Annabelle smiled. “Of course you can. Try again.”

“No, I mean I can’t do it. I can’t hold my tongue a second longer.” She took Annabelle’s hand. “I don’t know why Harrison has left your bed, but bless your loving heart, you’ve been keeping your hurt all to yourself. Is there anything I can do to help?”

Now that the moment she had been dreading had arrived, Annabelle accepted the guilt she deserved for the partial lie she was about to tell. “He hasn’t left my bed. He’s just not sleeping with me all night.” She hoped the woman would assume the blush that warmed her cheeks was due to the suggestive nature of her words rather than the tale she was going to spin that had only a bit of truth to it.

Irene’s eyes opened wide. “Why not?”

“He’s afraid he’ll be embarrassed. Do you . . . do you remember when I first came here, and I had that fading bruise on my eye?”

“I remember. I heard that one of those robbers did that to you,” she replied and narrowed her gaze. “If Harrison took a hand to you—”

“He did, but perfectly by accident. He didn’t mean to hit me, but . . . but I suppose he’s been sleeping alone for so long, he’s not accustomed to sharing his bed,” she gushed. “He’s rather a restless sleeper and he struck me with his elbow. It wasn’t the first time he’d accidently jabbed me, but he’d never blackened my eye before. He’s determined to make it the last, which is why he sleeps in the library, although we’re both hoping that it won’t be for long.”

She paused for a moment and tightened her hold on Irene’s hand just a bit more. “I hope you understand why he didn’t mention it to you before now or why he didn’t explain himself when you confronted him about it. He’s quite embarrassed as it is, which is why I promised him that I’d explain everything to you so you wouldn’t ask him any more about it.

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