The woman he had left this morning was not the same one who sat across from him now at dinner, and he fervently wished to be back at the mine rather than here. Down in the mine. Working and toiling with his bare hands alongside other men. Sweating and growing caked in dirt and dust, in relative danger he could see at every moment.

He was in danger here as well, though it was less evident, and he had no idea what he could have done to irk the woman when he had been away all day. She had said nothing when he’d met her, nothing as they’d gone in, nothing as they’d sat, which he had been overly polite and solicitous about, given her condition, and nothing as the meal had proceeded. But she glared at him. Fiercely and darkly at sporadic intervals.

It was almost enough to turn his mutton sour, but he was not about to be deprived of a good meal by her moods. Particularly when they were so changeable.

He would never eat if he did.

The only question he really had was how far he dared push her in such an irritated state. It was clear they were not about to get any rational conversing done, so what exactly her views on motherhood and child-rearing were would remain a mystery for now. And possibly for quite some time. However long it took until she was recovered enough to enlighten him without throwing something.

He already knew her aim was quite good at close range, and he’d rather not test the distances of her skills as yet.

Her silverware clattered to her plate with an accompanying huff blended with a screech in the key of F, or some such. “For pity’s sake, Basset.”

Harrison looked up in mild surprise. “What?”

Adelaide gave him a blatant expression of disgust. “Aren’t you going to ask what is wrong?”

“No,” he replied slowly, chewing his food. “Should I?”

“A gentleman would ask after his wife if he saw she was upset,” Adelaide retorted, snatching her glass from the table and taking an irritated sip.

Harrison made a sound of consideration. “I didn’t know that. I’ve never spoken with a gentleman about how he responds to his wife being upset. I defer to your understanding.” He returned his attention to his food.

The only sounds were that of his cutlery clicking against the plate as he continued his meal.

“Basset!”

“My lady?” He glanced up again, forcing his expression to one of polite expectation while he cut his meat.

Her glower was dark and deep. “I am greatly peeved.”

“I’m sorry to hear it.” He stabbed a piece of mutton and brought it to his mouth.

Adelaide’s jaw shifted as though she ground her teeth from side to side.