Page 55 of The Duke and His Jilted Bride

“You and I have very different perceptions of the word.”

“Consommate or–”

“Fuss,” Aurelia cried, hiding her face with her hands.

“I am simply asking a question.” Violet picked up another gown. “You have been here a month. You are newlyweds. You have separate rooms… which I understand is the done thing, though we never bothered, but still. I would like to know whether we will be welcoming any small Sandacres, that’s all.”

“Do aunts usually ask this sort of thing from their nieces?”

“Usually it’s the mothers. Needs must.”

Again Aurelia’s mouth fell open in shock. Her aunt was becoming increasingly bold with age. She wasn’t even sure what consummated meant in all its details. Only that it involved being alone with one’s husband for a long time at night, alone and…

She was blushing again and returned to folding chemises. Violet sighed loudly and said nothing for a moment.

“If we hadn’t, are you going to tell me that's a problem?” Aurelia asked.

“If that was the case… Then no, but I was going to tell you that it is relevant.” Violet set down the gown and looked at her niece directly. “Not because of propriety… I am long past worrying about your propriety. But because of children, partly, and because the longer two people share a house and separate rooms, the more entrenched that separation becomes. And I would not like to see you end up in a marriage that is fruitless and lonely.”

“That is a very blunt way of putting it.”

“Why mince words at a time like this? I’m leaving soon.” She returned to her packing. “He is not indifferent to you. I have eyes, and they still work despite my age. At least I know he has not forced himself on you.”

“He wouldn’t dream of it.”

“You’re willing then to have his children. So what then is the impediment?”

Aurelia held a breath and glanced at her reflection in the nearby looking glass. Somewhere far away she could hear the carriage being brought around and people talking.

“I wouldn’t know where to start.”

“With the consommation?”

“No, with the conversation. And it’s not… Things are not quite so simple as that. Our marriage is far from conventional.”

“They never are. We just pretend they are so our children continue our lines. They come in all shapes and sizes – the marriages.” Violet cleared her throat and reached out to take the chemise from Aurelia. “Is there anything in particular that makes your marriage in particular feel decidedly unconventional?”

Aurelia rolled her eyes. “You’ve been here the last four days, haven’t you? What do you think?” She folded her hands in her lap. “Seraphina said something.”

“She is always talking. What was different about this time?”

“It was about Evander… About him being the sort of man who gives every woman the same consideration, one who never be loyal to anyone over himself, Carrstone.” Aurelia turned another chemise in her hands. “She implied that I might be mistaking his intentions.”

“He married you, not her. Why would you believe a word she has to say?”

“I don't know what I believe. That's the problem. What does she stand to gain from saying something like that if not just to protect me from further harm? They both seem genuinely remorseful for the elopement.”

Violet shook her head. “Seraphina is a clever woman who made choices she cannot entirely justify to herself. And she has likely found that your husband looks at you in a way he never looked at her. Not every woman could accept that, not even if she married his brother. “She folded a petticoat with more force than necessary. “I would not take advice about your marriage from a woman in that position, would you?”

“You’re just trying to make me feel better.”

“Partly. But I also believe what I’m telling you.” Eventually, Violet closed the lid of the trunk and sat beside her niece on the end of the bed. She placed a soft hand on hers and squeezed it.

“If I leave you with anything let it be this. Watch the jealousy of brothers,” Violet said. “Not Lord Canterbury. That man only follows his heart and it’s been established that you’re not in it. I mean the other one.”

Aurelia looked at her aunt. “What does he have to be jealous about?”

“That much, I don’t know yet. Which is why you will write to me often with updates so I can continue providing you with my sage advice.” She stood, stroked Aurelia’s hair and held her close, then whispered, “Now help me with my books before the maids have to help us and have the chance to rob me.”