“I see clearly now why you have been avoiding me, why you won’t come near me. Why you are wearing that!” He pointed to her nightgown and she clutched it to her chest.

“What are you talking about? I’m not avoiding you!” she exclaimed. Her hand rubbed her temple and her eyes closed against the pain in her head.

“Are you not? Then why have you become a different person on this journey? The first day you were my Elizabeth. Then yesterday you were tired and silent. I thought it was just fatigue, but today you hardly spoke three words. You were happy to let me do all the talking while I prattled on, ignorant of your growing disdain.” His voice grew with each accusation and before he knew what he was about, he had worked himself up into a frenzy.

She gasped at his outburst and stood to face him. “If I was avoiding you, would I have asked to cuddle with you in the carriage? If I was avoiding you, would I have eaten with you and specifically asked for your company on a walk? If I was avoiding you, sir, would I have come out this evening to sit with you despite the pain in my head and the ache in my back? You spoiled, hateful man!”

Elizabeth clamped a hand over her mouth, shocked by her own words, and ran from the room, shutting her door with a thud, the lock making a clear snick as it latched into place. He could hear her sobbing from the sitting room and wondered what he had done. He stood there, wondering when he had become intemperate and volatile. Just a few hours ago he had held her while she slept in the carriage. He had led her peacefully through the garden. They had eaten a pleasant meal together and he had so looked forward to spending the evening with her in his arms. Is that what this was about? Had he become a spoiled child who threw a tantrum when denied a treat? Was he hateful as she had said?

He paced and ran his hands through his hair, all the while hearing Elizabeth’s muffled sobs through the door. It sounded like she had buried her head in a pillow but he had always had keen hearing. After several minutes the sobs subsided and there was a knock at the door. He answered to find a maid there with hot chocolate for his wife and port for himself.

The young woman bobbed and said, “The missus says to tell the lady that she’ll have what she requested shortly and one of the maids will bring it up. Sir.” She bobbed again and was away before he could question her further.

Taking a sip of the port to fortify his nerves, he took up the chocolate and rapped on the door.