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.Her parents, of course, would pay a call, she being their only child and all.Her life with Phillip had settled into a predictable rhythm.One night they wouldmake love, then for the next three or four, Phillip was either distant or absent.Whenalone in his bedchamber, they were wonderful together, but in the presence of others,their relationship appeared merely polite.No secret looks, no unspoken sharedknowledge, nothing.They were just a man and a woman living under the same roofwith nothing but the occasional lovemaking to show for their marriage.Phillip was never disrespectful to her, but he wasn't "husbandly" either.She'dbecome afraid to approach him for anything, never knowing the reaction she mightevoke and dreading the day when he would look at her blankly and wonder fromwhere on earth she'd come.A dilemma she wished to solve before her feelingscompletely disengaged, something she feared but prayed would never happen.Quite early the next day, Emily had come to Felicity's room, opened the heavydraperies, and rousted her from her slumber."Your mother is here, Your Grace.Sheinsists you attend her at once."Still in a sleepy haze, Felicity removed the bedcovers and was assaulted by thecool air rushing to chill her bed-warmed body.Emily got her dressed and groomed,making her mother's wait just under an hour.Not until Felicity entered the drawingroom downstairs and was greeted with a hug and kiss from her gregarious mama, didshe remember this day commemorated the twentieth anniversary of her birth."Oh, what a glorious day this is my darling daughter, twenty years old and aduchess, who would have ever believed it?""Yes, I suppose," she said with not a little attitude in her voice."What is it, my peach? Are you unhappy? Thornhill hasn't hurt you, has he?""Of course not, Mama! It's just that you woke me so early and made me thinksomething was amiss.You could have called at a decent hour, really.""I came to take you shopping for your birthday, dear.I wish to buy yousomething sinfully expensive to mark this momentous occasion."Shopping had, at one time, been one of her most joy-filled preoccupations.Herfather had always been extraordinarily generous, willing to spend a small fortune on allthe fripperies that make women happy."Fine then, please excuse me, I'll be but a moment."Felicity left her mother and went to the entrance hall.Densham was at his postand she asked for her cloak, her bonnet, and her husband."Oh, I am sorry, Your Grace,His Grace left for Lords some time ago."She nodded and set about tying the ribbon on her bonnet.With thataccomplished, she went to fetch her mother.At least she'd have a day away from thehouse that was all too quickly closing in on her.* * * * *Phillip had taken care of the needed business and was presently sitting inBoodles, nursing a glass of very fine whiskey and reading the newspaper.Not often didhe retreat to this all-male bastion, a fine English tradition dating back to 1762.Heperiodically deigned to spend an hour or two within the smoky environs so he mightenjoy the society of gentlemen whom he knew from Parliament.Today, there wassparse company to be had, but the atmosphere was pleasant enough.His thoughts inevitably settled upon his young wife, about whom he had onlythe most pleasant of thoughts.They'd fallen into a nice pattern, leaving him to feelbetter about the entire matrimonial box in which he'd been placed.He spent hisrequisite three nights at the Sapphire Club and made sure to spend a night or two aweek in Felicity's bed.She seemed satisfied.As always, she remained pleasant, her smiling face greeting him across thedinner table or in the drawing room on the evenings he was at home.She seemed tounderstand his evenings out, making his mind clearer to enjoy the sport at the club.Hedidn't deprive her of the bed play in which she had come to blossom, but neither did heallow his wants to go unattended.Tonight would be spent at the club, after a dinner with Felicity.Last night hadbeen particularly satisfying in her bed, though he had not spent the entire night withher.He'd ended the practice shortly after they married, feeling much more comfortablealone as he slept.Having a wife was a tremendous emotional responsibility, one with which hehad not achieved complete comfort.He'd decided early on to gauge her disposition byher demeanor.He must be doing everything right, because she always seemed happy.Swallowing the last of his whiskey, he made the decision to go home.He'd haveto fill several hours yet before he would take his leave and go to the club.He could,therefore, get some work done in his library before dinner.As he boarded his carriage, he smiled, thinking how well things wereprogressing.Having a wife isn't as I thought at all.His return to Grosvenor Square was unceremoniously received.Upon inquiry,he found his wife away from home, having left no word as to her expected time ofreturn.All the better, as it allowed him to delve through the mound of correspondencethat plagued a corner of his desk.The afternoon passed into the dinner hour and still Felicity hadn't returned.Hedidn't worry, as Densham had informed him she had gone out with her mother."Betterher than I," he muttered as he went about consuming a lone supper.Not seeing any reason to forestall his departure for the club, he gathered hisgreatcoat and made his way to the carriage.Haynes would be expecting him, and heintended to arrange for them to spend the entire evening together.* * * * *Felicity had spent the day and evening in her mother's company, which wastaxing to say the least.When she returned to her bedchamber at just past nine, shecould think of nothing but seeing her husband.She primped in the mirror before goingto the connecting door, which stood ajar.Upon entry, Glennon turned in his haughty way and informed her that hismaster was not at home.No, he didn't know when he would return.Yes, he believedhe'd gone to the club.A bit of loneliness, tinged with envy, irritated with a thorn of jealousy promptedFelicity to call for Emily.She changed into a beautiful black silk gown, which made herlook much older than her newly-minted twenty years.Emily redressed her hair, makingher look sophisticated, and completed the ensemble with a simple diamond necklaceand earrings
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