[i]“You did well, Claire,”[/i] her husband complimented, but Claire could take no joy in it. She [i]had[/i] done well, but not for the reasons he thought. She had lied without anyone suspecting a thing.

[i]“Now, I would like us to enjoy the lovely weather,” Nick said to her after speaking with his father, “I have asked the kitchen to prepare something for us, but if you don’t want to go, we can spend the rest of the afternoon in the bedroom.”[/i]

“No, no. I see no reason for the two of us to spend time in the bedroom any longer than necessary. Let's enjoy the sunshine,” she said, attempting to remind him that all his flirting was just that, flirting, and the bedroom was nothing more to them than another room in the large estate. Yes, she was still flustered with his confusing attitude toward their marriage. “A picnic is just what we need. It will give me plenty of time to count my blessings that [i]you[/i] are not caught up in this mess like Matthew, and apparently I am as well,” she told him with a smile, though it quickly faded. “Or- he [i]was[/i] caught up in it," she corrected, squeezing his hand.

[i]That[/i] was why she was working to end this. If England hadn’t gotten involved, if they had simply and quietly stayed out of the damned war then Lucy would still have a husband and she wouldn’t have had to commit such a terrible act. Sacrifices had to be made…yes, that was it. But still, something tugged at her heart. Who could she discuss such matters with that would listen without being suspicious?

Perhaps her husband [i]was[/i] the person to talk to. A business man like him could care less about her opinion on such things, and would never think her questions would have a deeper meaning. Claire waited for the carriage to be readied along with their food, not saying much as they stepped in. She voiced her opinion on their destination, a public area that was just perfect for a picnic beside the river, but didn’t say much on the way there either. When they arrived she was happy to find a spot beneath an oak tree, giving shade so she didn’t need to worry about an umbrella.

“It’s the perfect weather for you to finally be walking,” Claire said as she stepped out, adjusting her hat before shifting the basket on her arm. “Oh, Nick did you grab a blanket to sit on? I can’t believe I forgot one, I don’t know where my mind is,” she muttered, looking out toward the water with a deep, quiet sigh. She knew exactly where her thoughts were, and it wasn’t the food or a [i]blanket[/i]. Hopefully he was thinking ahead more than she.

When they were settled and unpacking the snacks brought she finally spoke, wording each thought carefully as to not seem [i]too[/i] interested. “Nicholas, may I ask you something?” she started. “This whole ordeal with Matthew and Lucy, it’s got me thinking. What if he [i]was[/i] a spy? I know it’s silly to think about,” she added quickly, “but- but if he was, he did it for a reason, didn’t he? He must have believed he was doing right.” Claire pressed her lips together, not sure where this conversation would go, or if he would just dismiss it as quickly as she’d brought it up. “So does that make him a bad person, just because he did what he thought was right and it made certain people angry? Hypothetically speaking,” she added, patiently waiting for his answer with a look of anticipation that she failed to keep off her face.