Page 68 of The Duke’s Rejected Mate

My heart is light as I leave Lambeth Palace, license secured against my chest. Cynthia is now mine indeed, but there is still so much to prepare if I want her to have a wedding fit for a duchess. How surprised she’ll be when she enters the church on Saturday.

The rector, of course, seems quite put out at the announcement. Though all he’s had to do, really, is to announce the banns. It’s not as if anything else has been accomplished.

He goes through the list of everything that’s already been planned, and I reject it all. Henhaven, though of considerable means, seemed more than willing to have a wedding below his station. Did he not care? Did he worry he’d embarrass Cynthia by demanding something more grand?

He could have paid for it more than enough times over. The fact that everything is plain tells me he truly knew nothing of her. She was a body to marry. Nothing more.

“And what would you like to keep, and what do you want to change?”

A large smile crosses my lips as I lean over, palming a bag of coin. “Nothing of his. I plan to change everything.”

Chapter 35

Cynthia

Friday

I lie in the bed, unable to sleep. Based on the darkness outside the window, it must still be too early to stir. An odd heaviness weighs on my chest as I listen to the soft patter of rain as it strikes the town house.

Father wrote to me. Mother added on. Both are furious. Both plan to see me this afternoon.

This should be a happy occasion. I should be thrilled. Why then do I lie here feeling nauseous?

I turn to my side after fluffing the pillow, hoping to allow a bit of coolness to touch my skin, but it doesn’t work. Even when I toss off the blankets, I feel feverish and warm. Not sick. I don’t have any of the hallmarks of one who is ill.

It must be nerves. I’ve never been married before, so I don’t quite know what to expect. Groaning, I pull myself out of the bed and dip a rag in the basin. The cool water is a boon to my fractured nerves, calming me enough that I can lie back down and go to sleep.

This time, when I wake up, the sun streams through open curtains. I blink at the bright light and squeeze my eyes shut, causing the maid to chuckle.

“Come now. It’s well past time for you to be awake. Her Grace is most anxious to see you at breakfast.”

I rise and look about, thankful that the nausea is waning, but something still feels a bit off. Though I can’t quite put my finger on it, I prepare for my day. No doubt I would just rather not see my parents.

My head throbs as I come down for breakfast. Teresa and Joseph sit there, speaking to each other in low tones. Do they know yet? He was there that night, but not so much as a word has been spoken to me since. I have spent most of my time in my room, feigning illness, but that has never stopped Teresa either. So there’s a chance I may come out of this unscathed. At least until my parents arrive.

“Well, good morning, Cynthia,” Teresa cries out. “Come, gather your breakfast. We have much to talk about.”

Joseph chuckles and shakes his head before hiding his face behind the paper. My fingers tremble as I put some meats, cheeses, and bread on my plate and sit down.

“Well?” Teresa asks, her eyes sparkling.

“Well, what?”

“Is there something you’d like to tell me?”

“I- I guess that depends,” I stammer. “Is there anything you’d like to know?”

“Oh, stop stalling,” she cries out. “Norhaven? Henhaven? It all happened so quickly. Come, you must tell me everything! Of course, we miss all the fun.”

Drat. I should have known Joseph would tell her. “I’m not sure fun is quite the word for it, and you were ill yesterday, as was I. I felt it would be better to take to my room to process everything.”

“And,” she chuckles, squirming in her seat. “Now that you have your thoughts together?”

Taking a deep breath, I give her a shortened version, just highlighting the important bits. She sits there in rapt attention, just smiling as if I’m telling her the best news in the world.

“You get to marry him!” she shrieks, earning a wince from Joseph. “Oh, this is incredible news! And when is the wedding?”

“I have been told it is tomorrow. Though I cannot say to the location. Only a carriage is going to take me there. More than likely it will be in one of the Barrington parlors. I can’t see there being any time to coordinate a lavish wedding. At least not with the hint of scandal about it.”