CHAPTER 8
“Here we are.” It was the first sentence spoken in nearly thirty minutes.
Lucy started when she heard her husband speak. She had been so determined to ignore him that she had nearly forgotten that he was sitting right across from her.
Also, her focus was saved for the sudden appearance of the Duke’s home. While she knew that he owned a vast estate in the countryside, he had explained to her earlier that for the remainder of the Season, they would be living in his townhouse on London.
Lucy could not say what she had expected from his residence. She had little to do with dukes, so she supposed she had envisioned his home to be more… grand. That wasn’t to say that it wasn’t an opulent home, clearly quite large and rich and wanting for nothing. But it wasn’t too different to that which she had grown up in.
Not that any of this mattered. When the townhouse appeared at the end of the empty London street, her chest tightened. If there had been any doubts about the seriousness of her new world, those were dashed and done away with.
She was here now, it was happening, and there would be no escape.
It will not be so bad, Lucy. This is a marriage of convenience only. Did he not promise you freedom? Why would he lie about such a thing?
“Lucy…” The Duke spoke softly from her right.
She started and looked across, surprised to find that he had climbed from the carriage already and was offering her his hand to help her down.
In many ways, Lucy knew that she had no right to treat the Duke as coldly as she had been doing. This was not his fault. He had not conspired against her in any way. They were both victims of circumstance, and both were just trying to make the best of an awful situation.
Indeed, as he held his hand out for her, he smiled warmly. There was a kindness in his eyes, and she remembered what they had spoken about at the patronage. He too was disgusted with the event, which told her that he was not like other lords... or so he had claimed.
“Shall we?” He indicated his outstretched hand.
She very nearly took it, only to remember suddenly what had happened on the road just now. When she had fallen into him, Lucy’s world had turned upside down. For all her efforts to dismiss the Duke outright, to pretend that she felt nothing for him, those few seconds were enough to remind her that things were not nearly so simple.
Lucy could still feel his hands around her waist. She could still feel his fingers gripping her. Just as she could remember how safe she felt in those few moments, a sensation she did not expect and could not imagine what it meant.
For that reason, and because she was so stubborn, she thought it best not to encourage him. This marriage was to be one of convenience, so it was best to start right away.
“I am perfectly capable, thank you.” She ignored his offered hand and climbed from the carriage herself.
Out of the corner of her eye, she caught the Duke frown at her rudeness. This made her smirk; glad that for once he was on the back foot.
“As you say,” he said coldly. Then he strode past her quickly and made for the front door.
Stupid, Lucy. Stop antagonizing the man. We are set to spend the rest of our lives together. Would it not be better if we at least got along?
She sighed deeply, shook her head, and followed her husband inside.
The inside of the townhouse was larger than it looked from the outside. The foyer especially; it opened wide and stretched back far, twice the size of the foyer in her own home. And growing from the center was a spiraling staircase, winding up to the second and third floor. Lucy’s chest tightened further she took it all in, again reminded that this was very real… her new home, her new life, her new world.
“Would you like a tour?” the Duke asked as he strode across the foyer. “Perhaps an introduction to the staff? They will be who you deal with mostly.” He reached the base of the steps and turned.
“A tour?” She looked about the foyer. “Is there anything particularly different about this home that I need to know of?”
“I doubt it.”
“Then I think I will pass on the tour,” she said. “I am happy to show myself around. It is not as if I will not have time to do so.”
He studied her with curiosity. Lucy was not usually this rude and blunt, but she was on the defensive and felt a need to assert herdominance. If the Duke was being truthful about her so-called freedom, it was best to start now.
He sighed. “Is there anything that you do need?”
“Yes, actually…” A thought came to mind, and Lucy could not believe it had taken her this long. “Seeing as you married me for this reason, might I see the child?”
Finally, it was the Duke’s turn to look uncomfortable.
