The Duke and the Accidental Bride (Duchesses of Convenience #5)

Chapter 11

Chapter Eleven

" S ee, it wasn’t so bad now, was it?” Louisa said smugly. “The way that you have been behaving, one would think that you expected to burst into flames.”

Isabella was not paying her twin sister any attention. That was saved for her now-husband, the Duke. He was standing on the other side of the ball room, surrounded by well-wishers who each spoke to him, rather than at him. He seemed disinterested in whatever they were saying, as if he wanted to be anywhere else but here.

Good. I hope he is having a horrendous time.

“But you did not burst into flames,” Louisa continued. “And the world did not come to an end, for that matter. One might wonder if you will take any of that into account from here on out.”

Isabella and the Duke had barely spoken a word to one another since their previous nightly encounter. In fact, the Duke had barely so much as looked at her. Even just now, during the ceremony which saw them become man and wife, he was careful not to meet her eyes when possible.

And Isabella could not have been happier. At least that was what she told herself, as that seemed easier than admitting the other thing. That which two days later she was still yet to fully comprehend.

The Duke was a monster, of that she had no doubt. But was that such a bad thing?

What happened between them the other night... pressed against the wall... reprimanded and warned... only to accept his kiss because deep down that was what she really wanted. She knew that she did.

His lips around her neck. His hand around her throat. His ravaging, hungry kiss.

A tingle ran through Isabella's body and she shifted nervously.

“Isabella?” her sister took her by the arm. “Are you even listening to me?”

“Huh?” Isabella tore her eyes from her husband. “I am sorry, you were saying something?”

Louisa sighed with frustration. “I was simply pointing out how uneventful the ceremony was, a sure sign that your marriage is likely to be much the same. Not the horror show that you have been bracing yourself for.”

Oh, Louisa, if only you knew the truth...

“It was fine,” Isabella said quickly. “But it is a ceremony, Louisa. Not a marriage. And besides...” Her eyes flicked to the Duke. “What could possibly happen with so many people about? Mother, especially.”

Louisa frowned. “What are you saying? That you expect once His Grace has you alone, he’s going to transform into some sort of... of beast!” She laughed and slapped Isabella’s arm. “Honestly, Isabella, you are the heigh of absurdity. Marriage is not a cage or a nightmare. It is a wonderous thing for which you should be grateful. I might even go so far as to say that I am jealous of you.”

Isabella rolled her eyes. “You should have said so. I would have gladly stepped aside for you.”

“No, no, he is your husband. I will find my own.”

Isabella nodded vaguely and went back to watching the Duke.

There were three score of guests gathered in the ballroom and all seemed to be gravitating around her husband; desperate to show him that they had come, that they were here, and that it should be recognized. Isabella almost felt like an imposition at her own wedding ceremony and wondered if anyone would notice were she to leave.

“I know that mother is relieved at least,” Louisa sighed. “I think she expected you to do as Selina did and tear down the very sky in an effort to escape – what are you looking at?” She followed Isabella’s eyes and smirked. “Oh, I see. You know, for someone who claims to be in mortal peril, you are doing a rather good job of playing at being smitten.”

“I am not!”

“And yet you cannot stop staring at your own husband. With a look that I know very well.”

“Oh, what do you know about that ?”

Louisa’s cheeks flushed. “I do too know!”

“He is not as wonderful as you think...” Isabella went back to watching him, a warm pulse radiating through her body. “And now I am trapped with him.”

“Ah, I see what this is...” Louisa giggled. “You are scared of what must be done tonight.”

“Tonight?” Isabella was back on her. “What is tonight?”

Her sister looked at her flatly. “Oh, come now. You know...” She pumped her eyebrows. “Your wedding night...”

It took Isabella a second.

“Oh -- oh!” Her eyes went wide and she was back to watching her husband; she could feel the blood draining from her face as she began to consider what this meant... what tonight would bring.

The wedding night! How had I forgotten that? Her heart began to race.

“I have heard it is not something to fear,” Louisa explained. “And surely it will not be so bad. For all your complaining, be grateful that the Duke is at least handsome. It is more than can be said for most.”

She watched her husband, thoughts of their last interaction now screaming in her head. The kiss had been nice. What he did to her neck, also quite lovely. But everything else...

She would be alone with him. He would not hold back – he would have no reason to. Her breathing turned short as he filtered between panic and excitement.

No. It couldn’t be excitement. She was mistaking it for fear, because that was what any logical person would be feeling. Fear of what the monster, her husband, might do to her. Especially if I misbehave...

“Isabella. Isabella, are you listening?”

She was not. Still watching her husband, he turned suddenly and their eyes met across the room. Isabella fixed him with a glare for no other reason than she had no idea what else to do.

“I know that look,” a voice spoke over Duncan’s shoulder. “It is the look of a man besotted with his wife!”

Duncan shook his head at the comment but even he could not help but smile, as he recognized the voice immediately. Having been caught eyeing his wife across the ball room, he turned around and put his back purposefully to her. If for no other reason than to try and keep her from the fore of his thoughts for a few peaceful minutes.

“Richard,” he greeted his good friend, Lord Deveraux. “I was wondering where you had gotten to.”

“Just basking in the glory of this most beautiful day,” Richard said simply, no sense that he was joking or even exaggerating.

Duncan groaned. “I had wondered whether to invite you, Richard. Now, I am beginning to think that I made a tragic mistake.”

“The only mistake that I can see is that you are not with your gorgeous wife right now, arm in arm, refusing to be parted for even a moment because such an experience might kill you both.”

And for a second time in as many moments, Duncan groaned.

Richard was an old friend of his, perhaps one of his closest friends to boot. A tad too serious at times, little humor in the man, he was kind where Duncan wasn’t, understanding and compassionate, and existing of infinite patience. Really, he was the perfect foil to Duncan’s more hostile and short-tempered sensibilities.

He was also recently married and, from what Duncan had been told time and time again, loving every minute of it.

“Which begs the question,” Richard continued. “Why are you not with that dear thing right now?” He indicated over Duncan’s shoulder. “She has not been able to stop looking at you all day.”

Maybe she is hoping that if she glares at me for long enough, I might just catch fire.

“There is no rush,” Duncan assured him. “We have the rest of our lives to spend together.”

“It sounds like a long time, but far from it...” Richard’s eyes turned dreamy. “And I can guarantee that in years to come you are going to regret not having spent as much time as possible with the woman you hold so dear. For example...” He pumped his eyebrows again and indicated for a second time over Duncan’s shoulder.

If the circumstances were different, Duncan might have taken his friend’s cue and gone to stand with his wife. At the very least, the sake of appearances demanded it! But things simply weren’t that easy.

And you have only yourself to blame.

Duncan had made a grave mistake the last time the two had been alone together. He had let his emotions get the better of him, succumbing to urges which now bubbled beneath the surface whenever he thought of or even looked at his wife.

He dared a glance over his shoulder and their eyes met. In them, he could see the hate that she bore for him, the rebellion! It had his pulse quickening in a way that made him want to storm over there right now, take her by the arm, drag her upstairs and remind her that he was not to be looked at like that again!

If only things were so easy as that.

Duncan loved dominating his sexual partners in such a way. And he loved it when they fought against him, stoked his anger, letting him then bear it upon them. But he only enjoyed it if they wanted it to. If they took the same pleasure in being controlled as he took in controlling them.

He did not want to force himself on his wife. He did not want her to be scared of him. And for that reason, he thought it best to avoid her until he could figure out what he was going to do about his insatiable appetite.

Perhaps I will get lucky, and she will not do anything too rambunctious that she knows will bring me to anger. Although that seems unlikely...

"Let me ask you a question,” Duncan began as his mind worked toward a way to solve this problem. “You and your wife, was it always so easy?”

Richard frowned. “How do you mean?”

“I have seen the two of you together, Richard, and I cannot think of a single time where you have so much as raised your voice at her. Or where she might have warranted such a thing.”

He chuckled. “Such is the way of my marriage. I confess, that woman has me wrapped around her finger.”

“And what if she was to...” He clicked his tongue. “How do you manage to keep her so sedated? So calm and content? Surely, there are times that the two of you fight.”

Richard’s brow furrowed. “There have been times where she has been annoyed by me, if that is your meaning. But that is only natural! All part of marriage.”

“Yes, but how do you diffuse the tension?” He dared another glance at his wife, still glaring at him. “How do you bring her to calm if she is being particularly bothersome?”

“Oh, that is easy,” Richard shrugged. “Women are not so complex, you know? Even if we pretend otherwise. The best method I find for calming a woman’s anger is a simple compliment.”

“A compliment...” Duncan repeated the word as if hearing it for the first time.”

“Tell her how gorgeous she is. How entrancing. In fact, as strange as it might sound, many women prefer compliments not to do with just their physical appearance. Something as obvious as admitting that she is right or telling her that she is funny will go a long way.”

Duncan nodded his understanding. “Anything else?”

“A gift,” Richard shrugged. “When in doubt, buy her a gift. You would be surprised how a woman might melt at the thought.” He slapped a hand on Duncan’s shoulder and grinned. “If you are smart, you will buy several in advance to pull out when the time is right!”

Duncan stored the advice for safe keeping. Something told him that he would be needing it soon.

Tonight, he and Isabella would be alone for the first time since two nights ago. Only this time, if things turned heated, he wouldn’t be able to kick her out or avoid her. They would be living together. The rules had changed, and Duncan could not help but sweat at the implications.