“Big day today, dearest brother of mine.” Jacob smiled as he greeted him at the breakfast table. “How does it feel to live your last few hours as a single man? Last night was great fun, but it is about to change now.”
“Exactly the same as it always has,” the Duke replied in a sarcastic manner as he took a bite out of his bread.
“Ever the composed man, aren’t you?” Jacob teased. “I am sure that you must feel differently on the inside, but you are not letting it show.”
“Pray tell, how am I supposed to be feeling? You are well aware that I do not waste my time with emotions that serve no use to me. I am marrying Sophia to fulfill my duty. It will not change anything,” the Duke was adamant.“I thought that I made that point clear, even last night.”
“Ah, I would wager that you should keep those thoughts to yourself. No woman wants to hear something as unromantic as the string of words that have just come out of your mouth,” Jacob remarked, taking a sip out of his tea.
“I am sure that Lady Sophia feels the same way. She has shown no indication that she desires any sort of romance from me,” Duncan shrugged. “It is you that believes that we are in the midst of a romance novel. Besides, I am certain that I can provide her with the love she requires if she asks for it. I would not have married her if I did not, on some level, deem her to be worthy of it.”
“Of course, she has given you no indication outwardly. She is likely too timid to do so as women often are. You must bring that side out of her yourself,” Jacob explained. “I suggest that you plan something romantic in the near future to win her heart.”
“Lady Sophia would not want that,” Duncan insisted. “This marriage is only so that society keeps their mouth shut and her reputation is cleared. There is no notion of love here.”
“Must you always be this stubborn?” Jacob said, irked. “It is not a bad thing to want love in your life. If anything, it makes the experience of living even better.”
“I did not take you to be such a romantic, brother.”
“Oh, I do not have to be a romantic to know how good a loving marriage can be,” Jacob replied. “I believe that strongly.”
Duncan considered his words for a moment and then nodded.
“I suppose we never saw it growing up. Our parents’ marriage was a mess. I never recall father doing anything romantic for mother. It is difficult to imagine, for me, what that must be like.” A hint of sadness colored the Duke’s tone.
“Indeed. We did not have the best examples. But that is exactly why I believe that the opposite is possible.”
“I cannot say that our marriage is going to be a romantic one, but I fully plan on providing for her. She will never have to worry about anything in her life again,” Duncan promised, a frown appearing on his lips.
“Oh, but women are complex creatures. They do not only want a roof over their heads and food at the table. They want to be romanced and cared for,” Jacob insisted. “Surely you want that at some level for yourself?”
“At some level, perhaps…” The Duke paused, thinking over what his brother had just said to him.
“Then what?”
“I cannot imagine myself suddenly transforming into a lover overnight,” Duncan laughed. “I am sure that even Lady Sophia would be quite taken aback by that.”
“You do not know that. As I said before, women never reveal what it is in their hearts immediately. You have to take your time to figure that out.”
Duncan waved away this brother’s observations. Everyone seemed to have all sorts of advice ready for him when it came to marriage or dealing with women, but the Duke did not see how useful it was. In the end, he chose to rely on his own intuition and rationality to guide his actions.
“I am serious, Duncan,” Jacob continued. “I believe that you must break the curse that our family has suffered from. Our parents’ marriage had no love within it. It is up to you to cultivate it in your own marriage.”
“I cannot manufacture anything that I do not feel…”
“Then you must wait till you do.” Jacob winked. “I see good things in your future, dear brother. This union will bring good tidings in your favour.”
“First, you assumed the role of a romance expert, and now, you are a teller of fortunes?” Duncan challenged.
“You may say that,” Jacob laughed. “Time will tell what unfolds.”
“Indeed, time will tell…”
Duncan decided to discard most of what his brother had said, but one thing stuck with him. The idea that women wanted to be courted and romanced was not new to him, but he had never thought it was his duty as a husband to provide that.
For the first time since their wedding had been decided, the Duke began to ponder over what his role as a husband should be. His sense of duty demanded him to be the very best in whatever role he took, but this was an unusual situation.
Would it be fair for Lady Sophia to be denied the traditional romance that usually accompanies a newly married life? He reminded himself that she was not too interested in marrying him in the first place, so it was not as though she was in love with him already.
