The Duke Takes a Bride (The Rocking Royal Trilogy Book 2)

by Ginger Voight

  God, he was dastardly. I practically wanted to hold my legs together for another two weeks. Well, two could play his game. I had an idea how to fuck with him in return. If he thought he would send me running, he had another thing coming.

  I was a princess now, for fuck’s sake. And a variety of other impressive titles.

  The next day certainly tested my mettle. We were up before dawn as contractors and crews arrived to finish the stages for our performers. We also had a “haunted” maze constructed in the north pasture, right under the shadow of Grandpa Charlie, who rose from the north shore like a beast from the depths.

  The catering crews and food service arrived by mid-morning. In honor of my American/Texan heritage, they were preparing barbecue on the south lawn near the walled garden. There would be brisket, of course, and chicken and venison, with scallops and octopus from Port Charles. We decided to share Dad’s recipe for his jalapeno corn, and Aldayne put a special touch on the potato salad, made with Midnight Potatoes from the Midnight Coast. They were deep purple in color and added a sweetness to the salad.

  Inside were all the fancier dishes that would allow the guests to be more mobile and mingle about. There were kabobs and dips and interesting little bites including charred octopus. There were all manner of olives, cheeses and nuts, shrimp cocktail also from Port Charles, and scallop kabobs with a spicy orange sauce.

  The drinks were an auberry champagne cocktail called The Duchess and a peach whiskey sour called the Soggy Auggie.

  This time I got my red velvet cake. Well, cakes. In addition to the four-tier red velvet cake in the castle, guests outside would be treated to thousands of red velvet cupcakes. Inside those cupcakes contained a surprise. All of them would contain confetti, 106 incredibly special cupcakes would contain a little something extra.

  I hadn’t been let in on what that something extra was, and it was driving me crazy. It was a gift from Auggie to me, a tradition passed through the generations when Quinn men married their brides.

  We met with Louis Baskin that morning as he dropped off one of those special gifts. Auggie greeted the tall, husky man by shaking off the customary bow for an affectionate hug. “Uncle Louis!”

  “Auggie, my boy,” Louis grinned as he clapped him on the back as they hugged. “So good to see you again.”

  “Likewise,” Auggie grinned. He turned to me, holding out a hand. “May I present my lovely wife, Peaches.”

  Louis bowed slightly. “Your Grace.”

  I bowed and let him bring my hand to his lips for a kiss.

  We all sat around the table where Louis set a metal briefcase. “I know you’ve been waiting for this.”

  “I have,” Auggie said, tossing a self-satisfied grin my way.

  “What is it?” I asked.

  He leaned forward. “When Old Father married the Queen, he wanted to immortalize her beauty and share it far and vast across the land. So, he did what any good king would do. He had her face put on money.” He nodded to Louis, who handed me an ornate white colored bill that looked like it had been made of lace, but that was merely the intricacy of the design. In the center was a noticeably young portrait of the Queen. “It’s called the Maiden.”

  I used care when I took the bill into my hands, though it was kept preserved in a glass case.

  Auggie continued. “After they got married, she had a reception to introduce her to the people of Aldayne, as was custom. At the party, one hundred of these were given to random people. Twelve got one made of this special Unity parchment, which increased the value of the bill ten-fold.”

  “How much is this bill?” I asked. I was still learning all the money. There was a Seamus for what equaled a $1 bill from the States, but they called them Seamies. The Frey, named after his Queen Freya, was about equal to our $5 bill. There was the Abyleen, or Leenie, for their $25 bill. The Sorcha was the $50 and the Ivor was the $100. They called them Sorchies and Ivories.

  But even so, it wasn’t as white as this special bill I head in my hand.

  “One thousand dollars,” Auggie answered with a grin.

  I sucked in a breath. The bill I had in my hand was worth $10,000. I almost couldn’t breathe.

  “So, I wanted to honor my new bride in the same way.” He nodded to Louis, who produced a silver coin a little bigger than a fifty-cent piece. “May I present the Duchess.”

  I reached for the coin almost in slow motion. The face on the coin was perfectly mine, the image immortalized from my wedding day. I wore the cape and the crown, just like a princess would. My chin was uplifted and my face set in willful determination.

  “Auggie,” I breathed. “Where did you get this?”

  “It was one of my favorite photos from the ceremony. The first time our eyes met when you were walking down the aisle.” His voice softened. “This is how I see you.”

  “Auggie,” I started, but no words would follow.

  “This coin is worth $250,” he stated simply.

  “Or thereabouts,” Louis corrected. Aldaynean money was currently worth more than the American dollar. He withdrew a black velvet case and handed it to Auggie.

  “But this one is worth $2500.”

  My eyes widened as I reached for the box. I opened it to find a gold coin, slightly bigger than the other one, although the image was the same. Aside from it being a little bigger and a different metal, I saw little to differentiate it.

  “Turn it over,” he instructed softly.

  I turned it over to see that inset in the back of the coin was a cabochon aldrite, just like the one in my wedding tiara. The stone wasn’t excessively big, but it was big enough to increase the value exponentially. The small-set diamonds all around the perfectly round stone didn’t hurt, either. Around the edges it read, “Aldayne, to her be true.”

  “It’s the Gold Duchess,” he said. “Worth $2500.”

  “Or thereabouts,” I sputtered as I examined the coin. Who would have thought?

  “Just as there were seven aldrites in your tiara, there were seven Gold Duchesses made. Six, we give away tonight. One, you keep. So, you’ll always know how I value you.”

  I caressed his face. “Auggie.”

  He reached for a kiss. I happily complied. I giggled as he pulled away. “So, you’re telling me that 100 of these,” I picked up the regular Duchess, “are baked into those cupcakes?”

  “Along with two Gold Duchesses,” he corrected with a nod. “The other four will be hidden somewhere in the castle for the scavenger hunt.”

  “Is it really so smart to put it in food?” I asked. “What if people choke?”

  He laughed. “That’s why one of your first royal decrees will be to let them know when to cut into their cakes. I think it’s going to be a beautiful moment.” He took my hand in his. “It’s going to be your moment.”

  I was blown away, as usual, by this weird and wonderful romance. It was so much more than I had ever anticipated it would be. I reached for another kiss. “What can I ever give to you in return for all the amazing things you’ve given to me?”

  He spread his large hand over my full belly. “You already did.”

  Louis made himself scarce as we shared a brief but loving moment.

  It almost made me forget about the night before. Well, that and I had about a million things to do before I could even get ready for the ball.

  Fortunately, Kelly was right there at my side, quiet and efficient as always. She helped me hide the four Gold Duchesses around the castle for the scavenger hunt. We laughed between each other as we hid one in what was affectionately dubbed “the dungeon,” a stone room on the second floor just under the main drawing room. It was medieval and creepy, with suits of armor keeping guard of the dark and dreary place, that had mounted skeletal heads on the wall and all sorts of little cubbies where people could sit together and look out gated windows like soldiers who used to protect the castle did centuries before.

  There was also a cell to keep any prisoners. It was empty now, of course, e
xcept for a stuffed bear that some 14th century king had brought back from a hunting trip as a trophy. Its face was frozen forever in a fierce snarl. We put the Gold Duchess right in its angry mouth.

  “Only one so brave and true can retrieve it,” Kelly grinned, as it was her idea to place it right in the back between those frightening jaws. “Let he who be worthy own a piece of the future queen.”

  I laughed. She was so colorful. Aldaynean through and through. Dash, who insisted on helping us with the task, giggled with delight. They had become fast friends since August.

  “The only one worthy is Auggie,” he insisted.

  Neither one of us could argue that. “He gets the real thing,” Kelly told him. “Come on. Let’s get out of here. This place gives me the creeps.”

  “Oliver says it’s haunted,” he said as we turned to leave. “He says there’s a secret room just beyond the jail cell where they keep the bones of all the prisoners.”

  She nodded. “That’s what I’ve heard, too. At night, you can even hear them yell, like the shrill cry of a banshee.”

  His brow knit in confusion. “A banshee? What’s that?”

  “A female spirit who wails for the dead.”

  His eyes widened. As if my imaginative six-year-old brother needed another bogeyman to fear. I gave a small shake of my head to avert the conversation.

  “But it’s just a folktale,” she shrugged off. “They all live in Ireland, from what I hear.”

  Dash was instantly pacified, but he walked away from the dungeon a little quicker than normal.

  Frankly, so did I.

  By the time we were done, George Strong IV had arrived with alcohol he was providing for the occasion. This included several bottles of Yaars wine and bubbly, along with a new peach bourbon he presented as a surprise to both Auggie and me.

  “When did you start making this?” I asked, confused that he had produced a libation so quickly.

  “Four months ago,” he grinned. “Right around the time you announced the new heir. I knew then you were a keeper,” he winked at me. He poured a small glass for Auggie, who gave it a taste test.

  “Smooth and full of sweet flavor, but with the right amount of kick,” my husband said, turning to face me. “Like my Peaches.”

  George laughed. “It’s Duchess Peach Bourbon for now. In three years, I will introduce Queen Peach Whiskey once it ages properly.”

  It was all a bit much, really. The year began with an Instagram bearing my name that got minimal traction and engagement. Now my face was on money and I had inspired an actual liquor. I didn’t know what to say.

  Instead, I reached across and kissed George on his smooth, chiseled cheek. “It’s an honor. Thank you.”

  He bowed respectfully. “The honor is mine, Your Grace.”

  Afterwards, we went to change with not a minute to spare. I wore a peach chiffon dress with a lace cape. Almost everything I wore that Auggie created had one, so I turned to him with a crooked grin. “It’s a little on-the-nose, don’t you think?”

  He walked up to me. “Not at all. All superheroes deserve capes.” He bent for a kiss.

  I was glad that, despite the night before, he seemed in better spirits.

  I tasted the peach flavor on his tongue. “I can’t wait to have a taste of that bourbon for real.”

  “Until then, we’ll improvise,” he decided as he took me into his arms and kissed me so deeply, I felt a little tipsy when it ended.

  “Who needs booze when I have you?” I teased.

  He laughed as he put the finishing touches on his own costume. He wore a black tuxedo with a black shirt and tie, along with a black cape. The only thing to differentiate him from other guests was the Quinn coat of arms tie pin. He fixed the jewel-studded mask on his handsome face, revealing only his strong jaw and auburn beard.

  “You look like a shadow,” I quipped, though I did appreciate the view. In all black he looked every inch the Duke of Mayhem. “How will I be able to pick you out of a crowd?”

  He pulled me into his arms. “You’ll know,” he promised.

  “I feel pretty conspicuous by comparison,” I admitted.

  He looked me over. “You will stand out, a queen among them all. As you should.”

  I pulled away to give my outfit another once-over in the mirror. “I’m so nervous,” I said, thinking about the significance of the event. This was where I introduced myself to the Aldayneans, a literal outsider to their world, their culture, and their customs, but presenting myself to them as their possible leader. “Any advice?”

  He came to stand behind me, looking at my reflection in the mirror along with me. “Be yourself.”

  “You always say that,” I muttered.

  “And it always works,” he insisted. He wrapped his arms around me from behind. “It’s never been about rules and formality. It’s about personality. They will love you just as I do.”

  I clung to him gratefully. Right at that moment, Jack decided to give me a swift kick in the kidneys. I grimaced in pain. Auggie pounced on it immediately.

  “What’s wrong?”

  I shrugged as I stepped away, holding my tummy. “Jack has been a real stinker today. I think he’s getting tired of his cramped quarters.”

  “Only a few more days to go,” Auggie assured. “We just have to get through tonight.”

  I chuckled. “Don’t tell me. Tell your son.”

  He knelt to speak directly to my tummy. “Listen here, young man. This is your father speaking. The future king. It would be bad form to make an early appearance. Settle down and treat your mother nicely. She deserves it.”

  He punctuated the command with a kiss on my belly. He straightened. “There. Fixed.”

  “By royal decree,” I grinned.

  “Get used to it,” he growled as he pulled me close for another kiss.

  I held him at arm’s length. “Listen here, Your Highness,” I began with a smirk all my own. “This is your wife speaking. The future queen.” The words felt heavy on my tongue. “If you kiss me now, I may just say to hell with the party and make love to you all night long. Then Jack really would make an early appearance.”

  He laughed and hugged me tight. “Your wish is my command, Highness,” he granted with a bow. “Let us go meet our public.”

  Chapter Thirteen

  The grounds had opened to our guests by 4 o’clock that afternoon. Thousands of Aldayneans arrived in various costumes, many representing the royal figures throughout Aldayne’s history. They brought their children and sat with extended families and friends to witness this historical event, for many it was the first such reception to meet a new royal, as the last time it happened was when King Evander introduced his new bride, Maeve.

  There was no reception for Sofie Agassi, as Roan had run off to marry someone against the king’s wishes. By the time they had returned five years later with little Auggie in tow, Aldayneans were quite aware who they were.

  The only reason King Evander had allowed them to vanish for five years was because Sofie and Roan agreed to marry again through the Church of Aldayne, simply to fulfill the legal requirement that all kings and queens must have their marriages recognized by the same church that would declare them monarchs.

  This would be the only reception the new princess would experience. Sofie was already pregnant by then, but nobody knew.

  Everything about their romance had been treated like a dirty little secret.

  Maeve was determined not to make that same mistake again, particularly when her people were beginning to murmur about ruling themselves and foregoing sovereignty altogether.

  To put it bluntly, this was a PR stunt.

  But she had given us free reign to make it an event of our own, likely figuring that a younger population might relate to us better if we could prove that we were just like them in so many important ways.

  Given Auggie’s background as the Duke of Mayhem, it just made sense to make it a holiday music festival. This would attract both fa
ns of music, Halloween, and the royal family alike.

  Apparently, it worked. The tickets for the event sold out the day we got married. It was free for most, with several hundred VIP tickets that could be purchased with a donation to the charity we were funding, the Sofie Agassi Cancer Centers. There were two major hospitals this funded, one in Aldayne and the research facility in Ademar. The donations started at $250, but people could—and did—give more. In fact, the website we had created showed a list of people and organizations who secured their tickets with eye-popping, high-dollar donations, including Cillian Byrne, who had given $25,000.

  This meant we couldn’t uninvite him no matter how much I wanted to.

  We met him, along with the rest of the VIPs, in a reception line upon entrance to the castle just after five o’clock.

  The Queen was not present for the event, neither was Fiona, who was, by all accounts, the Queen’s true lady-in-waiting. Though they were sisters-in-law, they were often joined at the hip, with Fiona backing up the Queen no matter what she said or did.

  When the Queen made it clear this event was for the prince and his new wife to mingle with the people of Aldayne, and her presence there would prove too big a distraction, Fiona agreed to keep her company at Shimmering Falls instead, for a more classic Halloween celebration where they would be entertained by all the children from the Cancer Center and the Princess Giselle Independent Living Academy, who showed up in costume to get personalized treats from the Queen, as was her favorite tradition.

  Mariel and Giz were honored guests to our event, however, mostly because they themselves had made sizable donations to our charity of choice.

  I got the sense that both had taken me, as well as the entire McPhee family, under their wing to help us navigate these new roles we all played.

  When Mariel showed up on the arm of Louis Baskin, in matching costumes no less, I suspected her motives might not have been completely altruistic. I shared a glance with Auggie, who gave me a knowing wink.

  Even Giz showed up with a date, a young man named Justin Gustavson, who taught at her academy. He was clearly crazy about her and proud to be on her arm, which made me happy. She gave so much to so many, it was nice to see someone willing to give back to her as well, even if romance wasn’t extremely high up on her list of priorities.