The ride to Trevadden was a short one, what with the vision of his wife to attend him, and it was easy enough to slip in through the eastern wing, which should avoid any interactions with his wife, as she would surely be preparing the ballroom. He did not need questions or prying, and he did not need to know if she was entirely unconcerned about his well-being. He simply wanted to clean up and look over numbers for one of his investments that had not tried to kill him today.

“You are filthy.”

Harrison paused a step, cursing to himself. “I’ve been at Wheal Drennick,” he answered without looking, suspecting his wife had just stepped out of the library, which made no sense whatsoever.

“Inside it?”

“Yes. And now I wish to have a bath and get changed. It was hard work.” He forced a laugh he did not feel. “And I am out of practice.”

“You are also cut, Basset. On your arm.”

He looked, having missed the slit in his sleeve that exposed a shallow cut that no longer bled. “Ah, yes. Some rock showered down while we were working. It is nothing.”

“I did not know you worked in the mines on occasion,” Adelaide said, her tone not at all disapproving and far more fascinated. Curious, even. Intrigued.

Which, of course, piqued his interest as well.

He turned slightly, facing her just a little, allowing himself to smile. “On occasion, yes. I enjoy the labor, given I am not expected to do anything of the sort by those of my own station. I find satisfaction in it, and I think it is important to truly understand the conditions and tasks of the miners if I am to care for the mine.”

“You do care a great deal, Harrison, about everything, it seems.”

She had never used his given name without expressing his surname as well, and there was nothing to do but face her completely, shock and awe rising along the course of his body from his toes up. He could not ask a question, had no words for one, and only tilted his head in inquiry.

Adelaide wrung her fingers together, her rather simple gown no less lovely for its lack of adornment. She bit her lip, a distracting motion he rather liked, her brow creasing.

He was happy to wait so long as he could look at her.

“I think…” she began, her voice smaller than he would have expected, “I think my ignorance about the nature of relations between husband and wife has also prevented me from understanding how it might have been. And how differently you go about it compared to… others.”

Harrison’s amusement faded into solemnity. “Ah.”

“Not that it is different,” she went on hastily. “I simply mean you take greater care. For me. And I do not…”

“Do not what?” he asked in a quiet tone when she did not continue.