She imagined a massive room, and smack in the center, a bed big enough for two people. Her blood seemed to fizz in her veins. How would she ever sleep, lying next to James in her nightgown? What if she were to reach for him in her sleep, unable to stop herself? Would James be horrified? Would he push her away?

Or… what if he expected a real wedding night? Cordelia had heard things whispered among other girls, had pored over a much-thumbed copy of The Lustful Turk she had filched from her parents’ study, but she still had little idea what happened in the marriage bed. Lucie seemed to know no more than she did: when she reached the parts of The Beautiful Cordelia where such things might credibly happen, she inevitably invoked the weather—curtains billowing in strong winds, storms raging, lightning splitting the sky. Maybe Cordelia should hope for rain?

“Do you like it?” James had wandered over to a low table by the sofa where Effie had laid on the food: tea, butter, bread, and hot game pies. “The house, I mean.”

“So far it’s perfect,” she said. “Is there a horrible secret I don’t know about? A lunatic in the attic? Demons in the cellar?”

James chuckled. His cheeks were flushed, probably from the warmth of the room. The firelight brought out glints in his black hair, and sparked off his silver bracelet.

It was the first time that day she’d noticed he was still wearing it. She bit down on the pain. She had no right to demand he remove it. Few people knew it was a sign of the bond between himself and Grace. She had the right to demand not to be humiliated by an unfaithful husband, but no right to claims on his thoughts, or his heart. Still, the bracelet was a reminder of the way his emotions were parceled out on the scales of friendship and love and longing.

That’s right, she thought. Don’t let yourself forget. She cleared her throat. “We could play a game. Of chess.”

James looked intrigued. “The lady of the house requests a game?”

“She demands one.” Cordelia settled herself carefully on the sofa. Her dress really was vast.

“The first move goes to the lady of the house,” he said, sinking onto the sofa beside Cordelia.

You may regret giving me that advantage, she thought. They executed their first few moves in silence, but soon the game took on an easy rhythm and they were able to chat. James explained the situation with the house staff: Effie came from a long line of mundanes with the Sight, as did the two footmen and another maid who would come in on occasion to “do the rough.” Risa would remain at Curzon Street until Cordelia was settled before returning to Cornwall Gardens in time to help Sona with the new baby.