Mary had come in to gather up the tea things. “Let’s not talk here,” I said.
We went silently up the stairs to my room where Henry closed the door behind us. I immediately walked over to the chair and plunked down, not caring a bit how unladylike I surely looked. The only other chair was at the dressing table, so Henry carried it over and placed it directly in front of me, close enough that our knees touched when he sat. “How was it for you?” he asked. “Did you learn anything new?”
My anxiety bubbled to the surface. “Anne knows that Nathan is going to name me on Wednesday. He also told her that our marriage was illegal since I most likely forced you into it and because it has yet to be consummated. He claimed to be taking steps to have it annulled.”
“Does Anne know what he meant by this?”
“Not exactly, and when she pressed him, he wouldn’t tell her anything more.”
Henry leaned forward, resting his hands on his knees. He was frowning and a small muscle twitched in his jaw. “It appears the main purpose of her visit was to warn you. And by doing so, she has shown her intention to take your side. Did she say anything else?”
“She gave me some advice,” I started meekly, letting my eyes fall to my lap. “Once Nathan makes the announcement, Anne believes our continued celibacy could be misunderstood as your refusal to have me, effectively strengthening Nathan’s case that I’m a witch. To avoid this, she suggested we start living as husband and wife this very night.”
“Ah,” Henry said. “And what do you think of her advice?”
“I think we can’t.” I looked back up at him. “That it would be improper.”
He stared at me, his expression unreadable. “Anne’s right, though. We need to start living as married folks are meant to.”
“But we’re not really married,” I protested.
“I didn’t say we would lie together. I just said we would begin sharing a room. That should be enough to settle any questions about our marital relations.”
The idea of sleeping in the same quarters was truly shocking, practically on par to committing fornication, except without the fornication part. I glanced around the room as if seeing it for the first time. “There’s only one bed,” I said, sounding somewhat astonished by my discovery. It was a large bed, though, perfectly capable of holding us both.
“I’ll sleep on the floor,” he offered without hesitation. “Once you’re settled, I’ll come in for the night.”
I felt a rush of gratitude. Henry was doing everything possible to make our situation more tolerable. I couldn’t have asked to be falsely married to a better man.
“And how did your talk go with Edgar and Gideon?” I asked. “Did they say anything about Nathan?”
“No, we talked of botany and joinery instead.”
This was about the last thing I had expected him to say. “What do you mean?”
“Well, when we got to the barn, Edgar started to discuss apple trees. He spoke at length about the flowers coming out in the springtime and how only after the bees had visited do they turn into fat apples.” All the seriousness had passed and he was smiling again. “I believe he was trying to tell me how to make you into a fat apple.”
“Oh bother,” I said, rolling my eyes. “Are men really so incapable of having a personal conversation?”
“I found it to be a most touching discussion of cross-pollination. And when Edgar was done talking about apples, Gideon launched into a lecture on furniture building, and what it takes to properly fit dowel pins.”
I was at a loss for Gideon’s subtlety. “What does furniture have to do with it?”
“I’m not really sure,” Henry said, shaking his head. “But if you’d like we can try to make a chair later tonight.”
I burst out laughing. “With such advice, it’s a wonder our species has survived at all. If left to Edgar and Gideon, men would be off studying fruit trees and furniture rather than...” I caught myself just in time.
Henry waited a moment for me to continue. “Rather than what?” he prodded.
“Rather than what they were supposed to be doing.”
“Then it’s fortunate I already know,” he said. “And from what I felt last night, so do you.”
A blush warmed my cheeks. Clearly, Henry wasn’t going to let the particulars of our embrace drop without some sort of compromise. “Henry, what if I promise to tell you once this mess is all settled with Nathan? Then would you agree to put it aside for the time being?”
He stayed quiet a moment to consider my deal. “Will you tell me everything?”
“Absolutely everything,” I promised.
“All right,” he agreed, though a little grudgingly in my opinion. “Then I’ll let it be for now.”
Chapter Fourteen