Page 30 of The Duchess' Replacement

Charles raised an eye brow. “You may be the Duchess but I am the Duke. If you want your own study or library I’m sure we can make arrangements elsewhere.”

Sarah grimaced. “You make it sound as if I am diseased. What is so special about those rooms?”

Charles made it a point to have his eyes rake over his new bride. There was nothing ill about her. Strength and poise pulsed from her. Blonde hair and alabaster skin shone in the streak of sunlight streaming through the window. No. There was definitely nothing diseased about this woman in front of him.

Sarah ignored his prying eyes. “I assure you, Your Grace. I am as healthy as a horse and I will not contaminate your precious rooms with my presence.” Sarah snorted. “You act as if they are a part of a mausoleum. I assume they were your mother’s?”

The world slowed around him at the mention of his mother. His eyes focused on Sarah while everything else melted away from his vision. Her voice became muffled in his head, as if the waves from the ocean were locked inside his mind.

“Do not speak of my mother.” He enunciated each word with cutting precision.

Color drained from Sarah’s face. “What… why…”

Sarah stumbled over her words. The look of terror and confusion mixed in her expression creating anxiety to flow from her once more.

“You are never to speak of my mother or any one of my family members, do you hear me?” Charles could barely get the words out over the lump in throat. He turned his body away from Sarah as a buzzing sound started in his head. The blasted nuisance happened when he became too stressed or angry. Usually his brother Eli caused it, but, luckily enough for Charles, he had to go and marry a woman who elicited this response from his as well.

Wonderful.

His heart began to beat faster and his hands tightened into fists. Normally, focusing on his breathing helped center him. Unfortunately, there was something about finding Sarah in his mother’s rooms followed by Sarah mentioning him that was too much for him.

Images of his mother crying into her paints swirled around in his mind. Those pictures then morphed into people snickering and turning their back on him as he walked the streets when he was younger.

His teeth began to mash together.

A soft touch on one of his arms brought him back to reality.

Looking down, Charles saw Sarah had reached out to him without him noticing. Her soft touch was timid but enough to ground him. She immediately snatched her hand back when he brought his eyes to look into hers.

“I’m sorry, Your Grace. I didn’t realize those rooms meant so much to you.”

She held the hand that had touched him with her other hand, nursing it as if it was burned. “While I would love to one day have the freedom to live in this house as if it were my own, I understand our arrangement is new and time will be needed on both sides to become acclimated to our predicament.”

Her voice was gentle. She was treating him as if he were a cornered animal, which was exactly how he felt.

He was a man who liked control, and by losing his mind to his memories he unwillingly allowed her to step into power. Charles scowled. Letting his guard down around people was something Charles never let happen.

His eyes narrowed. Well, it used to be never. Now he let one person see him unguarded and he couldn’t have that. Charles’s neck began to tingle with tension. He needed to reclaim his control of the situation.

Charles tilted his head as he took in his new wife. She was definitely more adventurous than he would have liked. However, maybe he could use that to his benefit.

Relaxing his shoulders, Charles shifted so he stood over her. Sarah’s eyes tracked the changes in Charles’s demeanor and took a step back.

Good.

Charles rubbed his chin with his hand, letting his finger trace his own mouth.

“You realize you did break another rule of mine and therefore you are in need of another punishment.”

Sarah’s eyes followed the movement of his fingers. A gasp escaped her perfectly plump mouth when she caught herself staring. Her cheeks reddened. “What rule did I break this time? I didn’t bother you. If I remember correctly you sought me out.”

Her hand came up to grasp the neckline of her dress, her fingers played with the lace collar. She looked like she didn’t know if she wanted to tear her dress off or try to keep it on.

Her confusion powered his intentions.

The heavy tension that was just hanging over them was replaced with a new sensually charged atmosphere. Charles took in a deep cleansing breath. He much rather have this environment to work in than the previous one.

Charles tsked. “I caught you not only snooping, but within this very conversation you brought up a family member of mine. I distinctly remember telling you not to inquire about my family.”

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