“I do not want any,” he said, making sure to look right at her. “Nor do I expect us to try for any. If you catch my meaning.”
She frowned to herself, not understanding at first… “Oh!” Her eyes widened, and suddenly, the inside of the carriage became very hot. “No – I mean, yes. Yes, I agree. I do not wish for any children either.”
“Wonderful,” he said. “Now, is there anything else?” He raised his eyebrow at Rose, she shook her head, and he went back to looking out the window.
It should have been music to Rose’s ears.
Everything that the Duke— Christopher had said was exactly what she wanted to hear. A marriage of convenience and nothing more. A life of her own to live any way that she wished.
And yet, there was a niggling feeling deep within Rose’s subconscious. A sense that she was missing out on something. Obviously, as things stood, she had no desire for a family or any of that nonsense. She was never the type. But what if that changed? What if one day she woke up and realized that this was a mistake?
It was a silly thought, and Rose could not believe she was having it. Not now, when she had never once considered such things before. But as the carriage ride stretched on, and as she studied her silent husband, that niggling feeling remained.
Worse than that, it grew inside of her.
This marriage is exactly what I want, but what if what I want changes? Or what if what my husband wants changes? Then what?
By the time they reached Thornwell Estate, Rose felt a desperate need to free herself from the carriage so that she might be alone to set her mind right and do away with these pesky feelings.
“Here we are,” Christopher sighed with relief as the carriage came to a stop. “Home.”
“Home?”
“Your home,” he said with a faint smile. “If you can bring yourself to think of it as such.”
Her smile was sarcastic. “It is not as if I have a choice.”
“No,” he said. “You don’t.”
The Duke climbed from the carriage, at which point he looked as if he was going to walk ahead without her, only to pause, consider, and then come to a decision. With what appeared to be great effort on his part, he turned back and offered her his hand to help her from the carriage. Then, when she did not take it immediately, he cocked an eyebrow as if frustrated that she would dare deny him.
She was in two minds about his gesture. While it was nice that he made the effort to help, she might have also liked it if he had not acted as if he were doing her some sort of favor. He should have wanted to help her! She was his wife, after all.
In an act of vain protest, Rose decided to climb out of the carriage without his help. In response, the Duke rolled his eyes.
The manor itself was typically opulent and expansive. The drive was half a mile long, the garden that skirted both sides was verdant and colorful, while the building itself was built of grey stone but strangled with so much greenery that it looked as if it had sprung from the dirt.
“Will you please slow down?” she called after her husband.
He was halfway toward the front door when he turned around to see her coming. A smile touched his lips again, and she thought he was going to laugh. “Oh, I am sorry.”
“Are you?”
“I just assumed you would not want my help,” he said with a feigned shrug. “The way you keep scowling at me, I figured the less you saw of me, the better.”
“I am not scowling at you,” she said, as she scowled.
“My mistake,” he said. “Now, shall we?” He cocked his arm for her to take, but the offer felt sarcastic and laced with mockery.
“I am quite fine on my own, thank you.” She lifted her skirt and started toward the manor.
It was such a silly thing, she knew. Even if the Duke was making fun, Rose would be better off not antagonizing him. She was set to live with the man for the rest of her life, and it would be a far more comfortable life if they got along.
But so far, his behavior was frustrating, and she still could not say exactly what he wanted. Oh sure, he told her what he did, but she sensed there was more to it than that. He was hiding something, and she wasn’t about to be taken advantage of.
Unfortunately, that one act of defiance set a precedent for her first day and evening in her new home.
They walked into the manor to find the household staff lined up and waiting to greet them. The Duke introduced them all to Rose, ensuring that should she need anything at all, they would not hesitate to help her.
