Lucy could not fathom why he did but, as soon as she mentioned the child, he withdrew and his confidence shattered in an instant. She saw him glance up the staircase, and she saw him swallow as if from fear.
In all the rush to marry, Lucy had not had time to ask the Duke the specifics of the child he had adopted. As he told her, he needed someone to be a mother to the infant, without going into where the child came from or what had happened to the mother.
In hindsight, Lucy would have done well to have asked such questions. But with all that had happened, she was far too focused on herself and her own trials. Now, she regretted it.
“Another time,” he said after a few moments. He looked up the staircase once more, considered, shook his head, and turned away. “Tomorrow will do. There is no rush.”
“No rush?” she frowned. “I thought –”
“Tomorrow,” he cut her off, his voice emitting a low growl of warning.
Lucy started, taken by surprise.
Whatever this child was to the Duke, it was not a standard affair. There was tension there, even fear, and Lucy had to stop herself from asking further questions.
“Well, if that is how it is to be…” She sighed. “Perhaps you might point me in the direction of my room. I assume my things have already arrived?”
“Ah yes, about that.” The Duke looked her over and his confidence returned in droves. “We have not had time to discuss such things, what with the rush of the wedding ceremony, but now seems as good a time as any.”
“Things? What things?”
He took a quick step toward her. And then another. Lucy’s first instinct was to retreat but she stayed that urge, refusing to be cowered or made to feel small. This was her home, he had promised her freedom, and she was determined to remind him of that.
Easier said than done…
He was tall… too tall. Like a mountain looming on the horizon, as he came near, he towered over her. And so broad werehis shoulders, so large was his presence, that the foyer shrunk around him so that he was all who she could see.
“We have so much we need to speak of…” He dropped his voice to a whisper. “What is expected of this marriage. Of us, for that matter.”
Lucy swallowed. “Us? I thought you said –”
“We are set to spend the rest of our lives together,” he spoke over her. His voice was low, but it was deep, like the rumbling of thunder over the ocean. “And while it might be easy to envision a world where we have little to do with one another, it is also not realistic.”
Lucy’s legs started to tremble. “What are you saying?”
“I think you know what I am saying,” he purred. “Why fight the inevitable? I may show you to your own room, if you like. Or…” Behind his eyes, she saw wickedness. “I can show you to my room instead. It is, after all, our wedding night…”
Lucy gasped as his meaning became clear.
I knew it! Everything he said… his claims of convenience… his feigning of chivalry. It was all a lie!
Suddenly, Lucy’s breathing turned heavy. Her legs trembled and her body shook. She tried to turn away, but the Duke’s darkeyes captured her, held her close, refused to even allow her the chance to say no to him.
She wanted to say no… or she thought that she did. She did not want this marriage. She did not want anything to do with the Duke. She wanted to be free, to live her life how she saw fit. And yet…
“Well?” Standing over her, the Duke slowly reached up a hand. Her breath caught as it came near, and she gasped when it flicked away a strand of hair that dangled across her face. His fingers lightly grazed her skin, and the effect left a burning sensation on her cheek.
“I… that is not… you promised me…” She stammered her response, wanting to say no, but unable to.
What is going on? Why can I not say no? He does make a good point… if this is to work in the long run, we cannot hate one another… and if that means that he and I…
That was when the Duke chuckled darkly.
“I am joking, Lucy.” He took a sudden step back.
“Wh —what?” she lurched.
“You will have your own room, as promised. And while we do need to discuss the path that this marriage must take, I cannothelp but feel that it can wait for the morrow.” He wore a cocky smirk, and there was humor in his eyes.
