“I don’t think you’ll find anything I have to say too onerous,” he said. “I expect you to eat dinner with me every night. Can you manage that?”
“Yes, I think I can,” she said dryly.
“I also expect you to perform the duties of a wife.”
Dread came over her.
The wedding night.
Despite the fact that Prudence had said she’d had no fear of it, Caroline found it hard to believe that that wasn’t a factor in her sister’s decision to run away. She’d been rushed so quickly into this marriage that she had forgotten to consider that she was facing the prospect of that event now herself. And she had no hesitation at all in admitting thatshewas frightened by the idea—it wasn’t something she had ever planned on undertaking, and now it was happening.
And yet, what could she say? He had described it as a duty, and she knew perfectly well that he had been correct. A duty was exactly what it was.
She turned the subject. “I suppose you plan to stop behaving like a rake, then, now that we’re married.”
He raised his eyebrows. “A rake? Is that what you think I am?”
“It’s what I know you are. Don’t forget the way we met.”
“I haven’t forgotten. And if I’m not mistaken, it’s you who was outside the bounds of what society expects of you on that occasion. I didn’t want to say anything to your parents, but to be spied on is more than I can tolerate.”
“And whatIsaid is also true. Not everything is about you, Your Grace. I didn’t go to that tavern with the intention of spying on you. How could I have? You and I never met before that day. I didn’t know who you were when I saw you, so how could I have spied effectively?”
He was quiet for a moment.
“Levi,” he said.
She was startled. For a moment, she couldn’t process that as a logical response to anything she had said. “What?”
“My name is Levi,” he said. “You wanted to know what I expect of my wife—one thing is to be called by my name. Levi.”
She nodded. “All right.” Would he call her Caroline? She had to suppose that he would—but if he meant to, he clearly didn’t intend to start now. He said nothing.
She cleared her throat. “Am I allowed to ask for something too?”
“Ask for something?”
“From our marriage. From my husband.”
He looked at her. “Go on.”
“I want…” She hesitated. “I want to feel as if I’m a part of things. A part of society. I have enough trouble blending in. Now that I’m a duchess, I want to belong. I want to attend parties, and as my husband, I want you to attend them with me.
She held her breath, sure that he was going to refuse.
But he regarded her for a moment and then nodded. “A fair request,” he said. “Very well. You keep to your duties, and I shall keep to mine.”
He didn’t speak another word for the rest of the carriage ride, leaving Caroline with nothing to do but ponder the duties of a wife—and when and how she might be called upon to keep them.
CHAPTER 4
“Is this it?” Caroline asked as the carriage pulled up in front of a well-appointed manor house. Larger by half than her family’s home, it was fronted by several columns and appeared from the outside to be at least three stories high. She could see a river running behind the house—that would be pleasant to explore—and the grounds were well-tended.
Levi raised an eyebrow at her. “Is the house insufficient for your needs?”
“No. That isn’t what I meant.” She flushed, embarrassed. Did he always have to be so difficult? She had only intended to ask him whether they had arrived—a foolish question, maybe, for it was obvious that they had, but at least she was making an effort to carry on a conversation, which was more than she could say for him. Did he have to be so standoffish? This wasn’t a marriage of love by any stretch of the imagination, but it didn’t need to be one of hate.
Or maybe it did. Maybe that was what Levi wanted. He got out of the carriage without bothering to address Caroline, without even turning to help her down. Caroline was so irritated that she ignored the footman offering her assistance, jumped down on her own, and stomped after Levi.
