“The same as always, I suspect,” Sebastian drawled. “Squander it on women and liquor and gambling until you are left a husk of a man, bitter and alone and not nearly so handsome as you once were.”
“Scathing.” Lord Ashford wiggled his eyebrows. “And a cut that runs a little too deep. Careful, Sebastian. I might have to start telling your wife some of your secrets. I so hate to see you happy like this.”
“If you must,” Sebastian said. “I think you will find that there are no secrets between Helena and me.”
“Is that so?”
“Nothing you say will change how we feel.” He squeezed her hand, and for a moment, it looked as if he might bring it to his lips. But he refrained from the action, opting for a smile instead.
“Do not speak too quickly,” Helena cut in. “While you have fallen head over heels in love with me, I have yet to decide exactly how I feel about you.”
“Ha!” Lord Ashford laughed loudly. “Oh, she is a sharp one. I like her, Sebastian. Far too good for you.”
“Which is what I keep telling him,” Helena agreed.
“Yes, yes…” Sebastian pretended to pout. “Gang up on me. Very fun.”
Helena was seeing a different side of her husband. He was still arrogant and cocky. Still confident and self-assured. Still, the type to use humor and charm to disarm and get his way. All of that had not changed.
But there was an earnestness about him now that she had not noticed before. He was no longer so desperate to maintain the unbothered, superior façade, as he had done since they first met.
He was real in a way Helena did not know was possible, and despite that pesky voice that wondered if this was all part of a trap or trick, she was slowly becoming more certain that this right here was the real Duke.
He was slowly transforming into a real person before her eyes. One whom she could stand to be around. One with whom she could be herself and not care what he thought. One whom…
Dare I say, it might not be as awful to live with for these next few months as I once feared.
“So, come on then,” Lord Ashford pressed again. “What is wrong with you?”
Helena scoffed. “Care to elaborate on your meaning?”
“My meaning is, for one as beautiful as you are, to find yourself married to a boar like him…” He gestured to Sebastian with a derisive jerk of his head. “Something must be wrong.”
“Giles…” She felt Sebastian tense.
“No, no, it is a fair question,” Helena said politely. “And truly, Lord Ashford, it is a good one. I, too, was wondering what I was doing with Sebastian, but I wish to thank you.”
“Thank me?” Lord Ashford echoed, confused.
“Oh yes,” she said with her own wicked smirk. “Now that I have met you, seeing what else is out there, I cannot help but breathe a sigh of relief. After all, it has been made so clear to me that things could be infinitely worse.”
Sebastian roared with laughter, and even Lord Ashford chuckled at the joke.
Helena beamed at herself, delighted by their reactions. It had been a risky thing to say, something that her father and mother would have gasped at. But her husband, for all his faults, was not nearly so prim and proper as what she was used to.
“Yes, yes,” Lord Ashford scoffed. “Very clever of you.”
“Watch out.” Sebastian grinned. “You have hurt his feelings.”
“My feelings are fine,” Lord Ashford assured him. “And now that I know how wicked your wife is, I will be on my guard.” He laughed again as he took another sip of his tea.
Sebastian caught Helena’s eye, sharing a wink that she returned.
“So, Sebastian, let us turn to business. If it is fine with you.”
“And what business is that?”
Lord Ashford frowned. “The project you have been hounding me about for months now. The orphanage in London and?—”
