“It’s difficult to navigate social obligations without my duchess.” His voice came out of the shadows, dragging her back to reality.

Anger slowly seeped through Veronica’s body, quickly replacing all the delicious pings from moments before. Social obligations? Ah, yes. How could she forget? That’s what he cared about? Not her. Just ‘his duchess.’ The woman he’d installed in that role just happened to be her. Veronica pushed herself up against the pillows, pulling the covers over her body. “How unfortunate that it’s difficult for you to live with the consequences of your actions,” she said, pressing her lips together tightly.

“The consequences of my actions?” Frowning, he pulled himself up to sit against the pillows on his side of the bed. “Damn it, Veronica, I told you I did not bed Melissa that night. I—”

“You’ve never understood.” Veronica’s voice shook with anger. Her dark hair fell over her shoulders. “Even if I believed you, which I don’t. You lied to me. You broke your word. Trust is important in a relationship. You heard my grandparents say so tonight. How could I ever trust you again?”

Sebastian cursed under his breath. His gaze caught hers and held for a few silent moments. Finally, he tossed back the covers, stood, and grabbed his sapphire robe from the back of a nearby chair. Pulling on the garment and belting it, he stalked from the room.

Veronica sat in silence, staring at the door that had just closed behind him. Why was everything between them so complicated? Why couldn’t he understand that trust was the foundation of a good marriage and he’d broken that foundation…taken an ax to it? The worst part was, she should have known better. She’d been told plainly enough. She had only herself to blame for not listening.

She closed her eyes and leaned back against the headboard. The memory of the morning after her wedding overtook her. She’d been filled with joy that morning. She’d climbed out of bed, where she and Sebastian had made love all night, and hurried downstairs to see the sunrise over the gardens at Whitmore Manor.

It was her favorite spot and her favorite time of day. Only that morning…she hadn’t been alone. Her mother-in-law, the dowager Duchess of Edgefield, had materialized beside her in the early morning light.

She’d only met the woman the night before and had spent little time with her. Veronica got the impression from Sebastian that he didn’t particularly want her to spend much time with his mother. Anything he said about the woman was short and emotionless. In all the years she’d known him, Sebastian had never said much about either of his parents, actually. And he changed the subject whenever she’d asked about either of them. She’d got the impression from Justin that Sebastian’s father had been a harsh, exacting man. But she heard practically nothing about his mother. She’d told herself if there was something important to know, Sebastian would have told her. But it hadn’t stopped Veronica from being exceedingly curious about his mother. Which is why Veronica had been filled with nerves that morning, wanting so badly to make a good impression on Sebastian’s only remaining family member.