Page 63 of A Bride for the Cruel Duke

“A question?” Roderick frowned and looked at Violet. “Do you know anything about this?”

“I was trying to pry but Caroline has held her tongue.” She raised an eyebrow at Caroline. “Needless to say, I am as intrigued as you are.”

“It is nothing as exciting as you make it out to be.” Caroline did her best to appear nonchalant. “It is just that I wished to do something...” She considered the phrasing, not certain why she suddenly felt so awkward about her question. As if revealing it was a secret that only she and Anthony were privy to. “Something special for Anthony.”

“Special?” His Grace frowned and inclined his head.

“I know so little about Anthony,” Caroline hurried to explain. “At least regarding what he likes to do for himself—what brings him pleasure. I know he is not a big reader. Somehow, I doubt that stitchwork is a passion of his.” She chuckled to herself at the image. “I was just wondering if you might have an insight into a favorite pastime of Anthony’s. Anything at all really.”

“And why would you want such a thing?” His Grace asked curiously.

“Is it such a strange thing,” Caroline said. “To want to do something nice for one’s husband?”

His Grace snorted. “If I was pressed...” His Grace clicked his tongue with consideration. “I suppose Anthony is fond of horses. Riding them specifically.”

“He is?” Caroline perked up.

“Anything outdoors, really. I would tell you to take him hunting but...” He chuckled. “Somehow, I doubt you would be very good company there.”

“Riding...” Caroline thought ahead, already forming a plan for how she might use this information. The notion excited her, as did the image of seeing how taken with shock Anthony might be when she revealed her surprise. That alone made her smile... “Yes, that is good to know. Thank you, Your Grace.”

“I do not know why you bother,” His Grace said and then scoffed. “For Anthony of all people. He would not do the same for you. Or anyone, for that matter.”

“Oh...” Caroline blinked, caught off guard by the rebuke. As said, she knew His Grace and Anthony were not exactly the kindest of friends, but she had not expected him to be so overtly outspoken. “I do not know about that, Your Grace. In my experience?—”

“I am merely trying to help you,” His Grace spoke over her. “Do remember, I have known the man close to my entire life, so I have an insight into these things that you might do well to heed.”

“I...” Caroline didn’t know what to say. “Perhaps you do not know him as well as you think.”

“I know that he locked away his own mother, making her a prisoner in his home. Although to be fair, everyone know that.”

“Roderick,” Violet spoke up, her tone cold. “Now is not the time to?—”

“I am only trying to help,” His Grace spoke over her. “I am merely trying to do well by your sister. She is married to a man who in some countries would be locked away from society for their own betterment, lest he lost his temper one day and commit himself to a killing spree.” He sighed and shook his head. “At least that is how people view him.”

Caroline wasn’t at all impressed by this characterization.

She knew that the smart thing to do would be to say nothing. She was not here to defend her husband’s honor. And she certainly did not want to get on the wrong side of the duke. Keeping her mouth shut and leaving without causing a fuss was the smart move...

Only, Caroline found that she could not do that. Like the rest of the ton, she had heard the rumors of her husband, and she had believed them well enough. Why would she not? Nobody had ever told her differently. Nobody had ever thought to defend Anthony’s name when these malicious lies were spouted. And that was the entire point. People believed these things of Anthony for no good reason because, in her personal experiences, she had seen nothing to justify what was said about Anthony.

And with how she was feeling about him now, all that had happened these past few days, she simply could not imagine a word of these lies as being even half-truths.There is just no way.

“I will ask you kindly to take back what you said,” she said with great calm as she looked up at His Grace.

“Excuse me?”

“What you have said just now,” she continued with the same calm. “I will ask that you take it back. An apology too, would be welcome.”

“An apology? Who do you think you are?—?”

“That is my husband of whom you speak,” she spoke over him, still calm, but forceful. A little trick she had picked up from Anthony. “You are spreading lies about him. He is not what you say, which I think you know, which leads me to wonder why you would say such things in the first place.” She then cocked an eyebrow at the duke.

“Is that right?” he said, caught between annoyance at being argued with and amusement at the fact that she might dare. “They are lies, are they?”

“Even if they are not, what kind of man are you to say such things about another when he is not here to defend himself? A man whom you call a friend. Not much of one, I would say.”

“Caroline!” Violet cried.

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