“There should not be a ‘but’ if you do understand. If you understand, you will tell me that you do and that you will proceed to live properly here. That is all I expect of you. Care for my son and live properly,” Thomas instructed.
Jane’s mouth snapped shut and she marvelled in wonder, unable to understand why he would care so much about this.
“All right,” she conceded. “As you wish, Your Grace.”
A muscle in his jaw twitched and somehow, Jane knew she had made another mistake.
“I thought we had agreed to speak informally,” he recalled curtly.
Jane’s cheeks felt heavy with heat as she nodded. “W-We did, but I did not think –”
“You do not want to?” Thomas murmured, stepping towards her.
Jane took a step in the opposite direction, away from hum and found out very quickly that she had nowhere else to go as her back met the door. With no other option, she looked up at him, willing her voice to remain strong as she replied,
“I-I do not mind. I really don’t.”
Thomas regarded her for a moment, his eyes dropping down to her lips with a look that made her shiver, and when they met her own gaze, she felt as though the air between them had grown heavier.
“Good night, Jane,” he said, without moving.
Jane swallowed hard. “Good night... Thomas.”
The corner of his lip quirked and he stepped away, not looking back at her as he walked off.
CHAPTER TEN
“Did you just say ‘redecorations’?”
Mr Johnson nodded as the duke continued to look at the carefully crafted list that had been made by the duchess.
“During her tour of the estate yesterday, it seems Her Grace felt... inspired to make a few changes to the house. Mrs Greene oversaw the process that met some queries and it seems as though she fully agrees with the duchess. She added her own notes and specifics of the items and resources needed in the page just after the one the duchess provided,” the butler replied.
Thomas could not take his eyes off the page containing the information Jane had written out. Her handwriting was the most beautiful he had ever seen, the scrawls across the lines neat and elegant, much like her. Somehow, it reminded him of how she had looked on the day of their wedding, when he had first laid his eyes on her.
Even with the rain that had drenched her from head to toe, she still looked regal enough to be mistaken as a princess of a kingdom that treasured her greatly. He could hardly believe that she was not a princess even as she had regarded him with suspicion, her chest heaving as she blinked in spite of the wetness pelting against her face lightly.
Thomas had not thought he would find his bride there when he had decided to ride off into the forest when it seemed as though she had decided to flee from the ceremony. But the daffodil in her hair had been a sign he could not ignore and something had stuck his chest at the sight of her.
He did need a wife to care for his son. It was the only option he had left and he was determined to do whatever he could to help Reuben live a normal life. But looking at Jane... he had known a woman like her had no desire to be confined. Such a lovely bird did not deserve to be put in a cage.
But still... he needed her. He had not intended to persistently convince her, but that was what he ended up doing.
Thomas had expected that because she had not wished for or wanted any of what she had been given – a marriage to a man disliked and feared by many, a title and a child to care for and heal somehow – she would have to be cajoled or pestered into doing any of it.
It had been quite surprising that what followed had not been the case. She had seemed eager to meet Reuben, had entertained hisrequest to paint her and now, he was being told that she sought to act as the duchess.
Who was this woman truly?
Thomas rubbed a hand over his face, feeling somewhat frustrated because he still had been unable to forget their kiss. Even after two days, he still had many regrets – most of them were because he had not taken the chance to taste her properly.
Last night, he had been so drunk on the soft, sweet scent that clung to her skin and he nearly leaned in again to steal another kiss –
No, he groaned internally.I gave my word that nothing of the sort would happen between us. I must control myself.
He looked down at the paper and sighed. He had no problem with her doing what she wanted, but he did hope she would not feel as though she was being made to give more than had been asked of her.
At least this would keep her occupied for a while and out of his way. The less their paths crossed, the better. With her attention on Reuben and now the redecoration of the estate, she would not have the time to spare him any thought.
