The Baron's Rose by Mindy Burbidge Strunk

Author:Mindy Burbidge Strunk
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Published: 2019-08-14T21:00:00+00:00

ROSE PULLED a shawl across her shoulders and Oliver noticed the delicate curve of her neck. While she had agreed to go out tonight with Hannah and him, her excitement had not been piqued.

She had been in high dudgeons on and off for several days, but since his slight with the flowers that morning, she had seemed even more so. Why had he been so determined to show her he was displeased with her? Had it helped matters any? Quite the contrary.

They settled in the carriage and set off.

"Rose, are you not excited? Thank you for agreeing to let me come, Ollie. I know I was not a part of your original plans."

Oliver smiled at his sister, but it did not escape his notice that Rose did not answer the question. "Have you ever been to a circus, Rose?"

She glanced up and shook her head slightly. "Is that where we are to spend the evening?"

Oliver grinned. "Astley's Amphitheater is quite famous."

Rose barely turned toward him, but when she offered no conversation, Hannah took it up instead. "Oh, they have a ring in which horses run at high speeds while people do amazing tricks atop them. But there is also a stage where they will do a play for the second half. It is as if we are going to the theater and the menagerie at the same time!"

At least someone was excited. Rose neither smiled nor frowned. It was as if there was no emotion left in her. She just nodded her head. "It sounds delightful."

From her response, one might guess they were going to watch a field being plowed rather than such a spectacle as Astley's.

Oliver ran a hand down his face. This woman was as vexing as anything he had ever encountered. But his mother's words rang through his mind and he sighed. For better or worse, she was his wife and they were shackled together until death took one of them. But he could not have this be the rest of his life. They had to find some sort of pleasant, if not truly happy, middle ground. Oliver thought on the wager he had placed and silently cursed himself.

The carriage finally pulled to a complete stop, allowing them to exit after some time waiting in the line of carriages.

Once everyone was handed out, Oliver extended both of his arms out, one to his wife and one to Hannah. Hannah excitedly took it, but Rose was more tentative. He could barely feel the weight of her hand on his arm, so lightly she set it there. It was as if she only wanted the illusion of contact, but did not desire to actually touch him.

He walked them in, much happier with their seats here than he had been at Sadler's Wells. They were on the second tier in a box almost directly across from the stage. It had taken some work and some words from the Duke of Shearsby to secure the seats, but Oliver hoped it would be worth it.

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