Rhys knew immediately that he had said the wrong thing, but it was hard to regret as much when Catherine’s eyes blazed with fury. She straightened, a spot of color lighting in each cheek, and took a breath before berating him.
She was superb.
“A wife, sir, should not be merely useful,” she said with a heat that curled his toes. “Though I am certain it is agreeable to save the funds that might be expended upon an estate manager or an accountant, there should be more to marriage that a monthly meeting about the finances. Doubtless you do not understand how convivial a union can be, given the early loss of your mother, but I was raised in a household filled with affection. My mother and father were partners in every way until her demise, and my father misses her greatly. They conferred over
