Bride for a Duke

by Bryn Donovan

  “Oh, she is just a precious thing,” Lady Wilton beamed at Colin. “You must bring her by the house sometime. You say she has a sister?”

  Serena looked highly amused as Lady Wilton leaned in closer to Colin and very loudly whispered, “Do you think her sister would like James?”

  Colin cleared his throat. “That is for James and Lady Haddington to decide. That being said, we certainly will stop by once we have settled in.”

  “Splendid,” Lady Wilton said grandly as she waved her fan about as if to an adoring public. Colin held in the sigh as the servant pushing Lady Wilton wheeled her away.

  “She seems nice,” Serena said, but Colin could see the laughter just beneath the surface.

  Colin snorted. “You are a poor liar.”

  After the guests had left for the night, the halls were filled with the quiet murmurs of servants and the swish of brooms as clean up got underway. Abigail drew in a deep breath. She waited near the stairs for Colin to return.

  She had really done it. She had married the Duke of Richmond. Abigail caught sight of herself in the reflection of a window and eyed the strange woman she saw reflected back to her.

  Serena had been right. No one was the wiser, at least in the Honeyfield household. Her mind went to Colin then, and guilt crept into her thoughts.

  This was what she had dreamed of, and yet now that it was here, she felt like she was in some sort of nightmare. Sooner or later the façade would fall away, and she would be humiliated. Abigail practically jumped as Colin rounded the corner.

  He laughed. “I did not know that I would startle you.” His expression changed from amusement to worry as his eyes went to the way she was holding her chest. “I really did give you a fright. All this excitement and being in a new place just has you out of sorts.”

  His voice was soothing, and Abigail had no trouble just nodding along with whatever he said as he guided her up the stairs, his hand at her back. Her Duke could make mere words magic. He could conjure up a spell to steal her breath with just a glance of his brown eyes.

  They walked in silence, but it was a comfortable one. His hand cradled her elbow, the other hand at the small of her back as if he were protective of her. Abigail leaned into him as much as she dared.

  She was lulled by his nearness until he stepped away to open the door when they stopped. He stretched out his arm to usher her into the room. “I hope you find it comfortable.”

  Abigail slipped by him cautiously into the room. She peered around. It was clear that this was a space that a man had previously occupied without restriction. “It is very dark,” Abigail noted.

  Colin chuckled. “I suppose it could use with a new coat of paint perhaps.”

  Abigail turned her head towards him with a smile. “You are very easily persuaded to go along with my notions.”

  “Are not husband and wife supposed to be generous with one another?” Colin tugged his cravat, and Abigail eyed him with amusement. Once he had it free, he flung the thing over onto a desk. “It was choking me.”

  She nodded and went over to peer out the window. There was little in the way of a moon, and precious little light spilled out the household windows on the first floor. “What is normally your view out the window?”

  “Part of the garden,” Colin replied as he came to stand near her. “You will be able to see it better in the morning.”

  His words made her skin break out in goose bumps. In the morning, after they had spent their first night together. Abigail felt his fingertip brush some of her hair off her cheek.

  Her eyes darted up to his, but the fear she felt fell to the side when she looked into his eyes. She felt like she should say something, but her mouth was dry, her lips felt thick and clumsy. Perhaps she had drunk too much of the mulled wine, or perhaps it was just that the Duke was unbearably close.

  She reached up out of curiosity and ran her fingers into his hair. She freed the dark blond strands from the tie that held them. The feeling of the Duke’s long strands over her fingertips bright a smile to her lips.

  He seemed to think it time to return the favour. Abigail made an undignified squeak as he pulled a pin out of her hair. He laughed at her little outburst, and she could not stop herself from giggling along with him.

  Soon enough, he had her long auburn strands free. “It is hard to believe this is your natural colour, yet I know that it is.”

  “It would be hard to match my sister perfectly by squeezing beet juice on our heads,” Abigail replied with a grin.

  Colin agreed with a nod. The next moment he was kissing her. It was not rushed, or forced, he simply leaned in, and she allowed it.

  The feeling of his lips against hers, of his hands sliding around her waist, made Abigail’s head swim. She had dreamed of this moment a dozen times but never had the kiss been this sweet. The imagined administrations of a dream lover were not something that could be compared to the real sensation.

  Abigail had never felt such feelings because she had simply never done this before. She was swept up in the emotions of the experience, as much as the Duke caught her body up into his arms. When they parted lips, she whispered, “I have known forever.”

  “Perhaps in a thousand lifetimes,” Colin whispered back. Abigail could not have expected a response like that, yet he had said just the right thing.

  Abigail smiled. “Am I dreaming?”

  “I certainly hope not.” Colin leaned forward, and she met him in a sweet kiss blissfully unabashed even as the man held her aloft in his arms. She was his wife. It was more than just natural, it was perfect.

  She closed her eyes just revelling in the feel of it all. His lips left hers, and he whispered, “Serena.”

  It was at that moment that reality hit Abigail. He did not even know her name. He thought she was someone else.

  “What is the matter?” His words sounded concerned. “You look upset.”

  Abigail pushed his chest, and he let her down to the floor. She stepped away awkwardly, wrapping her arms around herself. “I almost forgot,” she whispered.

  Colin’s eyebrows furrowed. “Almost forgot what?”

  She blinked up at him. “I almost forgot where I was.”

  “Well, now you remember,” Colin said with a smile as he pulled her back to him. Abigail put her hands on his chest, and Colin was kissing her again.

  Abigail was ashamed that she did just as much kissing in return. She longed to fall with him into the bed, but even though they were married, she hesitated. “I cannot.” Her words were a shield that she threw at him in desperation when he broke the kiss for a moment.

  “Something is wrong,” Colin concluded as he eyed her with concern. “Just tell me what it is, and I promise I will do my best to fix it.”

  Abigail lifted her hand to his cheek. She smiled at the look in his eyes. “There is nothing to fix. I am just not used to being in a new household. It is jarring.”

  “I truly did nothing to cause your discomfort?” Colin placed his hand over the hand she had laid against his cheek.

  Abigail shook her head. “The only discomfort you have caused is my heart to race. Dear Colin, it is not you.”

  He seemed to take her words to heart. “I suppose the first night in a new home is expected to be a bit unsettling. There is no rush. We have a lifetime, after all.”

  She could have cried with the sweetness of his reassurance and understanding. “Thank you,” she whispered.

  He pulled her back up onto the bed. “You will allow me the indulgence of holding you?”

  Abigail nodded as she lay down beside him. Snuggled against him and cradled in his arms, Abigail thought she might never go to sleep with her heart beating in her chest so loudly. Yet, sleep did overtake her eventually, and she slept for the first time in her Duke’s arms.

  Chapter Fifteen

  “Catherine, what is the meaning of this?” Lord Grey was sitting behind his desk, his face puffed out in an expression of indignation.

  Lady Grey squar
ed her shoulders and ignored her husband’s outrage at her barging into his study. “Charles, this is important. I have to tell you something.”

  His forehead wrinkled as it did when he knew bad news was coming. “Let me drink this brandy. Anything you wish to tell me on the day of our daughter’s wedding cannot possibly be handled without brandy.”

  Lady Grey frowned at her husband and folded her arms across her chest. As soon as he had downed the last of the brandy in his glass, she asked, “May I continue?”

  “Of course,” Lord Grey said. He drew in a deep breath as he laid his hands on top of his desk.

  She eyed her husband with a good amount of tolerance which had been built up over the passing of more years than she cared to count. “Since you clearly see nothing wrong, I can only deduce that you have not realised what your daughters have wrought.”

  Charles’ eyes squinted at her as if she were not speaking words. Lady Grey sighed and let her hands drop to her hips. “Charles, that was not Serena that married the Duke today. How can you not tell your daughters apart?”

  “Well, Catherine, they do look a smidge alike.” Charles bravado of humour only lasted a fraction of a second, as that was all the time it took for the implication of what Lady Grey had said to reach his brain. “Lord have mercy on us. What if the Duke finds out?”

  Lady Grey held out a hand to calm her husband as he began to wring his hands. “I am sure the girls had some reasoning behind what they did. I cannot decipher what it could be, but I intend to get to the bottom of it.”

  “You cannot mean to expose this.” Lord Grey’s mouth dropped open. “The scandal could harm our reputation beyond repairing.”

  Lady Grey came over to her husband and put her hands on his shoulders. “Calm yourself, Charles. We must maintain appearances, or people might grow suspicious. Whatever reason the girls had, they have made their beds, and they shall have to sleep in them.”

  “Cannot we just swap them back out?”

  Lady Grey rolled her eyes. “Charles, do you think the Duke might realise that the woman he has already taken to his bed is suddenly a virgin reborn?”

  Lord Grey covered his face with his large hands. Lady Grey cringed as he slammed one of his hands down on the desk. “How dare Serena and Abigail do this?” His voice boomed out so loudly that Lady Grey instinctively shushed him.

  “Darling, keep your voice down. The servants have ears, and they have mouths.” Lady Grey rubbed her husband’s shoulders. “We shall sort this out in quick order, first Serena, and then her sister.”

  The Baron of Stanton and his wife were usually fine people to visit. The problem was not with the baron or his wife, but with Colin himself. He found that he could not focus on what the man was saying, even if he would normally be interested.

  No, all that Colin could really think of was his new bride who was seated beside him. It did not help that Serena brushed against him. Her light fingers caressing his wrists as she sought to get his attention so that he might pass her some little thing.

  He did not know if she was doing it deliberately or if she was innocent in the matter. He just knew that he was going to lose his mind if she did not stop touching him. It had been torture to lay with her each night since their wedding and not actually consummate it.

  Colin knew that couples were meant to consummate the marriage on the first night, but he had not wanted to force Serena. He had known when whose wives shrunk away from them after such experiences, and he did not want that to happen. He just wished that she would come to him willingly.

  He caught her eye and gave her a smile. She returned his smile before the Baron’s wife asked, “Do you sew?”

  “Do not get her started talking about her sewing,” the Baron warned with a warm chuckle.

  The Baron’s wife waved his comment off. “He is only upset because he would rather be out in the yard running like a yearling.”

  “The doctor says it is good for the health. Do you not agree, Your Grace?” The Baron looked over at Colin reminding him that he had to yet again pretend to be interested.

  Colin lifted his shoulders. “I like a good game as much as the next man.”

  They all talked briefly about games, even the ladies, but eventually, the talk died out. Colin was about ready to declare the visit over when the Baron spilled a bit of tea upon himself. His wife quickly excused them and ushered the Baron out of the room.

  Colin turned to his wife. “I think this is the most enjoyable part of the visit thus far.”

  Serena sighed and leaned her elbows against the table. “That is not a nice thing to say, Your Grace.”

  “And yet, you cannot deny it.” Colin gave her a little toast with his dainty teacup. “Is this not the smallest cup that you have ever seen?”

  The snort from Serena was more amusing than anything to Colin. She was laughing when he caught her around her waist and tugged her into him. She was so caught off-guard that she did not even protest when Colin kissed her.

  Serena looked at him intently as he pulled back from the kiss. “You are right,” she whispered. “This is the best part of the visit.”

  Colin offered, “I can spill tea on him again when they come back.”

  “Do not dare,” Serena chided, but the woman’s smile told Colin she was not really offended by the idea. She tipped her head up and pressed her lips against his.

  Colin was about to respond when he heard footsteps. He and Serena were both quickly back in their respective chairs. Serena cleared her throat as the Baron and Baroness returned.

  It took all Colin could do not to make good on his offer to tip his tea over onto the Baron, but they managed just barely to make it through the rest of the visit. It was with great relief that he escorted her out to the carriage. Serena, too, seemed quite happy to be leaving.

  Colin wondered perhaps if Serena might be more open now to being with him, but he was hesitant to push his luck too far. In the carriage, they sat apart, but Serena’s eyes darted over to him. The ride home would be a short one, so he kept it respectable by staying on his side of the carriage seat.

  When they reached home, Colin guided Serena towards the stairs with his arm around her waist. “So glad to be home,” Colin whispered.

  His aim might have been to get his bride upstairs, but a servant cut him off. “Your Grace, you have a visitor in your study.”

  Colin just did stop himself from groaning out loud. He cleared his throat. “Do they have a name?”

  “It is Lord Yates, Your Grace. Says he has to talk to you about an important matter.”

  Colin rolled his eyes. Lord Yates probably wanted to know how Colin would be voting in the next session of the House of Lords. It was hardly an important enough matter to drop in unannounced, yet he had to attend to the man.

  “I am afraid that Lord Yates tends to be a bit long-winded. You may have to find your own amusements this afternoon,” Colin said with dismay to Serena.

  Serena gave him a sweet smile and a kiss on his chin. “I shall find something to entertain myself. You have your duties, after all.”

  “True enough, but it does not mean that I have to always like them.” Colin gave her a kiss on the forehead. “I better go. Yates has a tendency to get cranky when kept waiting.”

  He left Serena at the base of the stairs as he turned towards his study. His face settled into a displeased frown as he walked with purpose towards the man who had interrupted his plans. Colin knew his duties very well, but he definitely did not always have to like them.

  To Abigail’s dismay, Colin being called away was not an isolated event. The man seemed to be constantly beckoned somewhere that often was not somewhere she could accompany him. She had begun filling her time exploring her new home.

  She had started exploring mostly to avoid having to sit with Colin’s mother in the sitting room. She liked her mother-in-law well enough, but she was used to having time to herself. She could still spend meal times conversing with Colin’s mother which seemed
to placate the woman well enough.

  Today Abigail was going back to look over the library she had found a few days before. She wanted to find something to read to pass the time. She drew in a breath as she peered into the library, and then released the breath when she found it empty.

  The library had books that went all the way up to the ceiling and a ladder that wheeled around the room to allow a person to reach the ones up top. Abigail scanned the books nearest the door and found them dry scientific books. She frowned and walked across the room towards a large book of fairy tales.

  Perhaps she would find lighter reading if she went to the fantastic tales of children’s stories and worked her way around. She was engrossed in her search when a deep voice said, “Searching out some inspiration?”

  Abigail clutched the book she held to her chest and gave an undignified squeak.

  Colin’s laughter carried to her easily as he walked across the library. He looked as if he had just returned. “I did not mean to startle you. The butler said he saw you headed this way.”

  “I am glad to see you.” She gave him a warm smile as he came over to her. His grey coat that he wore when he was travelling framed his body perfectly as he walked. “I am glad to see that you made it back from your visit safely.”

  Colin nodded and sighed. “As am I. What do you have there?”

  Abigail laughed. “I had just picked it up to look at, so I am not entirely sure.”

  “Ah, poetry,” Colin deduced as he saw Lord Byron’s name on the bind of the book.

  Abigail felt her face warm. “I had not realised that was what I had picked up.”

  “Do not be embarrassed; he has a masterful way with words,” Colin said with a smile.

  Abigail leaned back against the bookcase behind her and eyed her husband curiously. “You like Lord Byron, do you?”

  “I have read some of his works,” Colin admitted with a shrug. “I find them interesting, although I never had much to compare them to until now.”

  She shook her head at Colin. “You seek to embarrass me.