Rose scoffed as she watched her father calculate the situation. He was never much of a businessman, and ironically, he could have used her advice in this.
If he had asked her, she would have told him to say yes. Putting aside her personal stake in this, the chance to marry her to a duke was one he should take.
Despite not believing this about herself, Rose was undoubtedly the troubled daughter, and her father had long since given up trying to find her a suitor. Even if he somehow managed to, he knew that Rose would never accept it, and that he did not have the power to bully her into saying yes.
All that was to say that this was too good an opportunity to miss.
It took longer than it should have, but Rose’s father slowly came to the same realization. And, when he did, that look of hunger passed behind his eyes as it so often did.
“Well, if you wish for it,” He tried to appear humbled, as if he did not want this but had no choice. “I do not see how I can possibly deny you.”
“You cannot,” the Duke said coolly.
Marianne could not have looked more thrilled, and she was quick to hurry to Rose’s side and take her hand and squeeze it lovingly. Rose’s father was nodding to himself, no doubt confirming that this was good for him. While the Duke appeared disinterested, almost bored, he did not once look at Rose.
Rose was caught in two worlds. One was gratitude, because the smile on her sister’s face made this worth it. The other was one that she could not explain.
Fear of the unknown. Confusion, unlike anything she had ever felt. Sadness, even self-pity, which she hated feeling most of all. And there was something else. Something she could not explain. Something that felt suspiciously like excitement.
No, that is impossible. Why would I feel excited for what is effectively the end of my life as I know it?
When it was all done with and decided upon, the Duke asked Rose if she might walk him to the front door.
“Of course, of course,” Rose’s father said for her as he hurried to be by her side; he put his hand on her back and widened his eyes at her in warning. “She would love to. Is that not right, Rosalind?”
Rose wanted nothing to do with the Duke. To never see him again would be best. Of course, that was never going to happen.From this point onwards, her life belonged to him, and it was best that she got used to it.
She did ask for this, after all.
“I would be honored,” Rose managed, even producing a smile.
The Duke did not smile back. He walked toward her, her breath caught in her throat, and then he walked right on past. When he reached the doorway, he turned back, raising a single eyebrow as if in command.
Rose’s first instinct was to glare, but she fought against such things. Still holding her forced smile, she glided across the room to meet him.
He did not wait, walking from the room and forcing her to follow. She followed him through the manor in silence, and it wasn’t until they reached the front door that he finally spoke.
“I trust that you are satisfied,” the Duke said as he came to a sudden stop.
“Excuse me?”
“The marriage. This is what you wanted.”
“What I wanted?” Rose began sharply before she could stop herself. “What I wanted was for none of this to have happened in the first place.”
She expected anger from the Duke, but what she got instead was a flash of guilt behind his eyes, as if he felt pity for her, but he was quick to smother it, and his expression turned frustrated.
“I will remind you that it was your father who brought the contract forward in the first place.”
“Oh,” Rose winced. “Yes, I know that.”
“Just as I will remind you that you were not my first choice of bride.” He looked down at her, and Rose winced again at how harsh his words were. “So, please, if you would refrain from pretending that you are the only person who has been caught in frustrating circumstances, I would appreciate it.”
“I’m sorry,” Rose sighed, feeling suddenly guilty, which was absurd! “I did not think of it like that.”
“It is fine.” As quickly as the annoyance came, it was gone, and the Duke straightened and went back to his usual dispassionate self. “I think it is important that we discuss what is expected of this union.”
“Expected?” Rose’s heart leapt through her throat. “Wh—what do you mean, expected?”
