“Not a duke, especially not one who takes a wife after a chance meeting and a split-second decision where his hand was forced.”
“It was not a chance meeting,” Cassian confessed.
Rowan blinked.
Cassian wondered how on earth he could possibly explain what he had been doing without sounding like a stalker.
“You see…” he began tentatively. “I saw her for the first time the day before. She was visiting Lady Winston, and I was passing by the house when she stepped outside. I was studying the ivy on the front wall, and then my eyes landed on her.”
“Chance would be a fine thing.”
“That is what happened!” he protested. “You know that I am passionate about such things. But when I saw her flushed and breathing deeply, she caught my attention. I thought she was pretty, and I wondered what she was doing, but then she noticed me, so I left quickly.”
“What a pity. You could have spoken to her and saved us all the trouble.”
“Do not be so certain of that. I saw Hargrave leave later that day, so had I approached her then, I likely would have lost my temper with him.”
Rowan laughed, pouring them both doubles. “I do not think it would be wise for you to tell her that you were watching her as she went about her day.”
“I was not watching her. I was… You know I have a strong intuition. I felt that something was wrong, and I wanted to make sure that nothing bad happened.”
“And I assume the same thing happened the second time?”
“Do not mock me.”
“Well?”
Cassian folded his arms, aware that he looked like a petulant child, but knowing that his friend would ridicule him even if it was all in jest.
“Yes, that is precisely what happened. I happened to be in the square, and I saw him following her. They walked together for a while, but I could see the discomfort in her eyes. She did not want to be there, and I wanted to make sure that nothing happened to her.”
“I see, and how has that been for you?”
Cassian could not help but laugh at his misfortune, as he did often. It was his curse, and it was his burden to bear, which was one of the reasons why he had not wanted to marry before.
He knew that eventually, he would succumb to pressure and force a lady to share his fate, but he had hoped to avoid it for longer. And now, he had days left before he cursed another.
“You need not fret,” Rowan said encouragingly. “The wedding will be dreadful, I will not lie to you. But after that, everything will be easier to handle. Lady Adelaide is not someone to fear, so all you need to do is be good to her in the way you know how.”
“Being good to her means keeping my distance, and I will gladly do that.”
Rowan rolled his eyes, sighing.
Cassian did not blame him; he knew that he was being difficult, and there was only so much kindness one could show him before they realized that there was no point in trying to change his mind.
“At least make the day enjoyable for her. Ladies dream of their wedding day, and if you care for her like you seem to, you will at least give her a beautiful ceremony as a gift.”
“I do not have the time for that. I have the license—I am still stunned I obtained it so quickly—and that leaves me with very little time to make arrangements. Is it not enough that I have not asked for a dowry?”
“She will not know that you have not asked in kindness. She will think that you did not see the point in inquiring about it. Lady Adelaide does not have a dowry, and she and her mother are not particularly wealthy.”
Cassian thought back to how Lady Adelaide had presented herself, poised and elegant. He did not understand how she hid her turmoil so well. He never would have guessed that her family was not well off, for she held herself with such grace and pride.
Which was perhaps why she did it.
“I should try to do something for her then.” He grimaced. “Perhaps I could send her money for the wedding gown.”
“That would be a start,” Rowan agreed. “You could also tell her that she may redecorate your house, for regardless of what she tells you, she will not like it.”
