“You know what you did!”
He touched his chest as if hurt. “You asked me a question, and I answered it. I thought you would have been pleased.”
She glared daggers at him. “You… you… You were toying with me!”
“Was I?” he frowned. “I did not know you would be so easy to toy with. Why…” He pretended to gasp. “Your Grace, are you saying that you wanted me to –”
“No!” she cried over him. “Do not be absurd! I do not – I have no desire to –” She caught her breath, forcing down the explosion set to erupt from her lips. “I was merely caught off guard. You are the one who…” She narrowed her eyes. “I am glad that we have come to a mutual understanding. Thrilled by it.”
“Which is?”
“Our marriage of convenience. Although if you think we are to be friends…” She laughed without humor. “I would not hold my breath.”
“Huh…” He tilted his head and studied her, his eyes still dancing with humor. “If that is the way it is to be.” And then, without another word, he turned and walked inside.
Margot stayed where she was, gaping at him stupidly.What was that!Oh, she knew what it was. She just wasn’t certain how it had happened. For all her talk of wanting this to be a marriage of convenience, at the first instance that it might devolve into something else, she had lost control and very nearly given in.
She was embarrassed. She was confused. And most of all, she was furious.
“Where are you going!” she stormed into the manor after him.
The duke was halfway across the foyer, but he turned to hear her coming. “What? Did you expect me to stand around so that you could insult me? This will be quite the hostile marriage if you insist on treating me like a whipping boy.”
“I am doing no such thing!”
“Shall I show you my hide…” He indicated to his rear. “For it is red and raw from the lashing you just gave it. Strange…” He winked. “Usually, I am the one who deals out that sort of punishment.”
Her cheeks flushed at the comment. “I… I did not mean to…” She clenched her jaw, unable to believe that he had turnedthe conversation such that she was being forced to apologize.Unbelievable!“I am sorry. I should not have accused you of…”
“Of what?”
She sneered at him. “Nothing worth repeating.”
Again, the duke looked beyond delighted. His smile was large, his eyes twinkled with amusement, and he practically danced across the foyer as he made for her. No swagger. No sense this time that he was going to try to seduce her again. He was having too much fun for that.God, he is impossible!
Margot decided in that moment that she did indeed hate this man who was now her husband. Where she found him attractive for reasons she could not explain, she chose to focus on the apathy, figuring that was safer.
“If that is the case, would you like a tour?” the duke offered her, stopping short of where she stood. “The staff…” He looked about. “They should be here to greet us. I suppose they are busy. I run them ragged, truth be told.”
“Do not worry yourself,” she snapped, then sucked through her teeth to calm herself. “If it is fine with you, I would like to be shown to my room – not for that!” she then hurried, seeing the duke’s eyes dance. “I am tired, and I think it would be best for both of us if I were to turn in for the evening.”
“A good idea,” he said. “I will have the staff collect your things from the carriage, and first thing tomorrow, they will unpack for you and make the room to your liking. How does that sound?”
“Wonderful,” she said coldly.
“Shall we…” The duke offered her his arm, but she scoffed at the gesture. The duke shrugged. “Have it your way.” With that, he turned and started up the winding staircase, forcing her to hurry after him.
The manor was even larger than Margot had realized. Three stories tall, it was a mass of twisting hallways and… and closed doors.That’s strange. She eyed the closed doorways as she followed the duke, realizing suddenly how empty the manor felt.
“Why are all these doors closed?” she asked the duke as she walked behind him.
“What?” he asked her without turning back.
“It is just so… empty feeling,” she offered, hurrying to keep his pace. “What’s behind these doors?”
“Oh…” He hesitated, and she sensed a change take him. “No reason. I live alone… have for some time now. It just feels easier that way.” His tone was melancholic, perhaps even sad. She eyed the back of him, noting the way his confident stride faltered in the moment.
Finally, they reached what she presumed to be her room. The door was open upon arrival, and the duke stepped back, bidding her to enter. Again, the smile had returned, as had the humor.
