Still, Rose could not escape the notion that he was doing it for his own reasons, possibly keeping an eye on her so that she would not go off on her own and change things that he did not want changed. But when he invited her to sup with him, insisting that she say yes, she was forced to concede that maybe, however unlikely, he had changed.
At the very least, he was trying to change.
“I thought I might ask a favor of you.” As the Duke spoke, he shifted his knife and fork so that they sat evenly beside his plate.
“Is that right?” Rose braced herself, figuring that this was the reason he wanted to sup with her.Of course, there was a reason. What else could I have expected?
“I mentioned already that I took a look at the changes you made to my taxation ledgers.” He took a sip of water and then set the cup down, carefully moving it to the exact center of the plate. “And I was impressed at how thorough they were.”
“Yes, well.” Rose licked her lips, studying the Duke as she tried to see ahead to where this was going. “My father is the reason.”
“Oh?”
“I have been helping him with his businesses since I was a little girl.” She laughed to herself. “He never was much for numbers, or business for that matter.”
“He seemed rather adept from my point of view,” the Duke said with a sourness.
“The marriage contract between you and him was as much of a surprise to me as it was to anyone else. And he still won’t tell me how it occurred…” She trailed off, hoping he would elaborate.
Indeed, she saw him scowl, his expression darken, and his posture turn rigid. She had noticed several weeks ago how upset the contract had made the Duke, and how gleeful her father had been about the fact.
How did my father arrange such a thing? And how did a man like my husband allow himself to be baited into such a trap?
“What I was going to say was, how would you feel about taking a look at some further contracts I am working on?” The Duke shifted his cutlery again, relaxing a little, and clearly eager to move the conversation away from the contract.
Rose blinked. “I do not understand.”
“You clearly have a mind for such things,” he said simply. “And I would be a fool not to take advantage. I did marry you for that reason, after all.”
Rose found herself staring at the Duke.
He was so different from what she had first thought. Not as mean. Not as cold. Certainly not disinterested and cruel. Rather, it looked to her eyes as if he wastryinghis best to appease her. That his words were an olive branch, of sorts, the need felt to bridge the gap between them.
Why did he want such a thing? She could not say just as she could not say how she felt about it…or rather, if I want the same.
“You want my help?” she asked finally.
“If you will give it.”
Her frown deepened, and she fixed it on him. He raised an eyebrow innocently, not backing down or giving anything away.
“Why?” she asked.
“Excuse me?”
“Why?” she said again. “And not the ledgers. I mean, why now? Why are you suddenly— why the change? I thought we had agreed that this marriage would be one of circumstance and yet…”
“It still is, Rose. But I am not perfect, despite the rumors I propagate about myself.” He laughed at his own joke. “And it was just a few days ago that I came to realize something.” A beat as he looked at her.
“What did you realize?”
“That I have been entirely too focused on myself. As hard as all of this has been for me, I have not once considered how hard it must be for you. I am not trying to change the arrangement we had. I am not trying to trick you or whatever you think it is that I am doing. All this is,” He sighed, and his body slumped. “It is an effort to ensure that this marriage isn’t going to kill us both.We have the rest of our lives to get through, so why waste them hating one another as if we are enemies?”
“I never hated you,” She shied away.
“You did,” he said. “And I can’t help but feel slightly responsible for it.”
“Only slightly?” she snorted.
