Olivia bunched her face into a tight ball. “Ummmmm…”
“That you were to behave.” She had her daughter in her arms now, gently bobbing her up and down. Even though she was trying to scold the little girl, she could not help but smile because, gosh, she was just that cute. “Remember?”
“I forgot,” Olivia pouted.
Thalia shook her head. “Yes, I can see that.”
“But you said… you said…” She squirmed in Thalia’s arms to try and look back at the duke. “He is my new papa. You said… you said…”
“Not now, Olivia.” She widened her eyes at her daughter in warning and then looked at the duke who was still scowling at the situation. “I am so sorry. She is just a little excited.”
“Clearly.”
“And I will better explain the situation to her later, I promise.”
The duke considered. “I would hope so. Despite everything, I am not her father. Nor will I be.”
Thalia winced at the harshness of the words. How coldly they were spoken. The entire church was watching and listening to them, and a few gasps rang out in shock and judgement. It had since become known that Thalia had a daughter, so her presence here wasn’t as concerning as it might have been. But the blunt rejection of the little girl still stung, while giving a pretty good indication of what was to come.
All but Olivia seemed to understand this. Despite what the duke said, she continued to squirm until she was facing the duke.
Her blue eyes were wide and eager. Her smile split her face in two. And when she stuck out a little hand for the duke to take… Thalia almost burst into tears because it was so darn cute.
“I am Olivia,” she said, that smile somehow growing. “Nice to meet you.”
Silence fell again. Thalia held her breath, waiting for the rejection, heart already breaking because she was sure the duke was about to hurt her daughter because that appeared to be who he was. But then…
“It is nice to meet you,” he growled, even taking her hand in his and giving it a tiny shake. “I am Ronan.”
“Ronan…” Olivia said the word thickly, pronouncing each letter. “That’s a funny name.”
From somewhere in the crowd, a person started to laugh. The effect was immediate and soon every single guest was joining in. Isadora too, covering her mouth to try and keep the laughter from spilling out. Olivia, not understanding, joined in because that’s the type of person that she was. And even Thalia, relieved at the way the tension had broken, tittered softly. If there was one person able to take a situation like this and turn it toward the lighthearted, it was Olivia.
As for the duke? His brow tightened and he glared across the guests as if in warning. But despite the apparent annoyance, Thalia could have sworn she saw a fraction of a smile touch the side of his lips.
“Isadora…” Thalia gestured for her aunt to take Olivia.
“Oh! Yes, sorry.” Isadora was quick to scoop Olivia from her arms and place her on the ground. She held her hand tight and then waved for her friend Sally Walters to come and get her.
“I need to change,” the duke growled and shook his wet legs. He turned and stormed off from the altar.
And Olivia, beyond excited by it all, tore free from Isadora’s hand and chased after him. “Wait!” she cried.
“Olivia!”
“Where are you going?” Olivia fell in beside the duke and clutched at his pants.
Thalia held her breath once more, certain that this time the duke was going to say something mean. Only… she could not hear what was being said. She saw the duke’s lips moving and Olivia’s eyes widening and her smile growing. And stranger still, he did not try and shake her away.
It was the smallest of things.
Were this an ordinary marriage and an ordinary husband, Thalia might not have thought so much of it. After all, it should not have been such a big deal for her husband not to be reviled by her three-year-old daughter, and to treat her with the respect and dignity that she deserved. But this was not a normal marriage and certainly not an ordinary husband.
The marriage was less than five minutes old, and for the first time, Thalia felt something other than dread in the pit of her stomach. It was hope that maybe, beneath the hard shell and prickly exterior, there was more to the duke than she or anybody else knew.
For now, hope is all I have. For now, it will have to do…
Eight
