Page 97 of A Deal for the Duke’s Virgin

“No, it was not. You cannot carry the blame for everything that happens in this life, Christian. You know you can’t.”

“Mother…”

“No.” Celestia rose to her feet, fixing him with a long, stern look. “It’s decided. We’re hosting a ball. You’ll be there, and so will Thalia. I expect you to be on your best behavior.”

He lifted an eyebrow. “Best behavior? I’m not a child anymore.”

Celestia broke into a dimpled smile. “Perhaps not, but I’ll always be your mother.”

She darted forward before he could respond and pressed a kiss to the top of his head. Laura hurried into the room too and bent down to wrap her arms tightly around him. She avoided his gaze when he glanced up at her.

“I’ve missed you, Christian,” she said tightly. “And I’m not only talking about the past few days.”

A lump formed in his throat. He swallowed hard, managing a tight nod.

“Now, I shall let you wallow in this disgrace of a room today,” Celestia continued, quickly dashing a tear from her cheek, “but tomorrow, the maids are coming in. You’ll have a bath. You’ll put on fresh clothes. And before you say that Hooves won’t disobey your orders, I might as well remind you that he worked for me first. And, for what it is worth, he has your best interests at heart, too.”

Christian sighed. “Is this a mutiny?”

“I suppose it is,” Celestia mused, with a wry smile. “Now, the ball will take place tomorrow night. The sooner the better. I expect you to be in your best attire. Oh, and for heaven’s sake, shave. No woman wants to be kissed with such a shaggy beard. I can tell you that for nothing.”

“Is there any point in resisting?” he groaned.

She winked at him. “No point at all.”

CHAPTER 27

Thalia let a knotted piece of wool dance over the floorboards, and Orange danced merrily after it, claws scratching the wood. She’d taken to bringing him to the orphanage more often than not. Today, rain pelted the windowpanes, forcing all the children inside.

The large, much-used playroom was full of children, all chattering and laughing. Sophia and Nicholas were engaged in a game of marbles, while Alex sat nearby, engrossed in a book.

She watched blankly as Orange caught the string, rolling onto his back and kicking at it as if trying to kill something. A smile tugged at her lips, and she was conscious of a tug of happiness for the first time in a while.

Maybe she would get used to this. Being married but not married at the same time.

Part of her had hoped that Christian would come after her. That he would apologize. That he would tell her she could come back.

Would I do it if he told me he wanted me?

No, she decided. She wouldn’t. It would be better to stay apart. Maybe it was what they all needed—distance. Then life could go back to normal.

He’d give her an allowance, no doubt. It wouldn’t look good for a duke to keep his duchess in rags. Whatever she was given, she would use as much of it as she could to help St. Sarah’s.

There had been no talk of the money she was supposed to inherit. Her twenty-third birthday had come and gone. What should she do to get it? And even if she did request the money, it wouldn’t be hers. It would go directly to her husband, who was already a very rich man.

I’ll likely never see a shilling of it. Why would I? My brother won’t offer it. A court of law would likely just let him keep it. After all, why not? I’ve just married a duke. I have no need of the money. They’ll simply decide that Jonathan could keep it. I’m no better off than I was.

A fat tear rolled down her cheek, just one. She hastily wiped it away, just as the door creaked open. She glanced up in time to see Jonathan step into the doorway, murmuring to Sister Abigail. They gestured towards her before he walked over.

“If you’ve come to tell me it’s time to come home, Brother, I might as well tell you that you have no authority over me anymore,” she murmured listlessly.

Orange, getting tired of the game, scampered away to chase Nicholas and Sophia’s marbles.

Jonathan drew closer, and to her surprise, he lowered himself gingerly to sit on the floor.

“I’m not here to tell you to come home,” he murmured. “Nothing like that.”

Thalia eyed him for a long moment. “I’m glad.”