Today's Embrace by Linda Lee Chaikin Page A

smothered her, but she held back out of respect for his family.
    She was Rogan’s wife, yes, but exactly where did she fit into this old, established household? Anything she may wish to accomplish at Rookswood must first pass muster with Lady Elosia. And Evy was sure that whatever it was, even if perfectly fine, would be deemed inadequate by his aunt.
    Sir Lyle was another matter. He treated her kindly, and while he, too, had wanted, or at least expected, his younger son to marry into the Bancrofts, Lyle did not lament or fuss over it. He was much too indifferent for that sort of behavior. Sir Lyle was indeed the very opposite of his sister Elosia. As Rogan told her when they first came home to Rookswood after their honeymoon, “Don’t expect much from my father. He doesn’t take much concern over what goes on as long as he can work with his myriad books and musty histories in the library.”
    Evy knew that and respected his individuality, but she did wonder, as she had for years, how he could have produced Rogan. Sir Lyle’s indifference had been clearly shown a day earlier when Rogan had gone to the library to urge him to act on Arcilla’s letter.
    â€œI don’t think Aunt Elosia has forgiven me for what she believes was my coming between you and Patricia. She liked Patricia and wanted you to marry her.”
    He smiled. “You
did
come between Patricia and me. You quite overshadowed her. But I think you’re too sensitive when you say Elosia doesn’t like you. She thinks highly of you.”
    Sensitive or not, it was not her imagination. Rogan just didn’t see the change in Lady Elosia when he was not around.
    â€œElosia wasn’t against our marriage, if you remember,” he went on. “Nor was my father, so forget your fears, Evy. Fact is, every one of us must do some adjusting. You, too, my sweet. I cannot very well order Elosia back to London—or is that what you want me to do?”
    â€œOh no, that’s not what I meant,” she hastened, feeling suddenlybeastly because it had entered her mind to wish she might go of her own will. After all, she had come years ago to nurse Arcilla out of her grief, and those days had passed. But Evy could see that Rogan was not ready to hear that.
    â€œI suppose it would be very audacious of me to expect such a thing,” she said.
    He looked at her a long moment. “Not audacious, exactly. You are to be mistress of Rookswood when I inherit the lands and title after Father dies. But perhaps it would be unbecoming of you should you insist. Odd, I never thought of any of this before we married. It’s not pleasant to think about now.” He scowled to himself.
    â€œThat’s just it,” she said suddenly. “I need you to think about it. Not just Elosia, but other things as well. What is my place? What is expected of me?”
    His lines of impatience showed. She could see that he’d had more than enough of all the new things he needed to consider.
    â€œYou should know your place. By my side. Do you want me to bore you with details?”
    â€œYes,” she challenged.
    â€œWhat I’m thinking!” The spark of temper suddenly showed in his eyes.
    â€œYes. About you and me, marriage … Rookswood, having a baby …” She glanced at him. “Would you be very disappointed if we did have a child?”
    He turned in the saddle to look at her long and hard, until she felt the warmth in her face.
    His inky lashes narrowed. His jaw set. “Are you trying to tell me something, Evy?”
    â€œWell … yes.” She did not know why, but she blushed, which seemed silly, but she could not control her reaction. “What if, after all the nasty gossip on our honeymoon, I—we were going to have a baby much sooner than we anticipated?”
    He looked at her in stern silence.
    â€œPeople would talk,” she said in a choked whisper. “They’d