a proposal, of sorts. ✔️

four

Weeks pass uneventfully. Trystan moved in the day after our marriage, selecting the guest room facing the south (and also the one conveniently farthest from my own). We continue as we had prior to our arrangement, apart from attending a couple of engagements to solidify the verity of our relationship. The news caught the city by surprise and unsurprisingly spread quickly and fallaciously. The story of Trystan and I read like a novel: our arguments were artifice, put in place to conceal our passionate love, and ended the only appropriate way — through elopement. I didn't enjoy my name being passed around in hushed whispers, but it was better than the truth of our situation. A truth that could enable annulment.

"Ma'am?" Henry asks softly, snapping me back to conscious thought. He stood by the door — I must not have heard him come in. "Trystan has requested the carriage for the night."

"That's quite all right, Henry. I have no intention of leaving any time soon," I respond, placing my book to the side. I push myself off of the hideous purple couch (Trystan had managed to bribe enough people to smuggle it in) and face Henry once more after standing. "I'll hire another driver soon. I don't want to overwhelm you."

"It's no matter." Henry keeps his head bowed, but I can sense a tension settle in the room.

"Is there an issue? I won't be cutting your pay once I hire another driver."

A sharp shake of his head, more violent due to the reflection of his horns. "No ma'am, that's not what I'm concerned about."

"Then what, Henry?" I don't mean to make him uncomfortable, but if there's an issue, I'd rather address it now.

"The location Master Trystan requested the carriage to take him to... was questionable." He lifts his head slightly at this, making tentative eye contact with me.

"Where was it, Henry?" I press.

"The Thorpe residence, ma'am." No doubt visiting Mrs. Thorpe, then.

"Ah. I see. Henry, I would appreciate it if you kept this between the two of us. I'd like to handle this myself."

"Of course, ma'am."

"Thank you, Henry." I try to push kindness into my tone as an attempt to assuage his guilt.

"Of course, ma'am." Henry bows his head once more and quickly shuffles away. I breathe a heavy sigh after I'm certain of Henry's departure.