Page 66 of A Virgin for the Duke of Scars
He pulled his horse to a stop when they finally arrived at the manor. As they rounded the corner into the stables, he eased his feet from the stirrups and leaped from Midnight’s back. Without a word, he tossed the reins to the groom, who would water Midnight and brush him down.
When he saw servants in the path ahead of him, he dodged them and took another route to his tower. The maid who was in charge of cleaning his quarters was carrying linens to his tower when he stepped into the manor.
“Draw a bath for me,” he commanded.
She looked around, as if hoping someone would appear out of thin air and rescue her. When she saw no one, she bowed her head and hurried away in the direction of the washroom in his quarters.
Aaron skulked up to his tower and flung the door open, ready to put the morning behind him. He had had enough of women, and he knew that no one would bother him so long as he was here, secluded in his quarters.
But when he opened the door, he found that Theresa had other plans for him.
She was seated on his bed in a gown that showcased her breasts in a way that he found utterly indecent. He could see their fullness, and already his hands itched to feel their weight in his palms. It must be one of the custom-made gowns the dressmaker had delivered after their shopping trip because he did not remember seeing it in the shop.
The kitten sat in her lap, its tiny mewls echoing off the walls. Aaron could not remember the name she had given to the creature, only her promise that it would live in the gardens. It seemed the feline had made its way into the manor, after all.
“You were not here,” Theresa said by way of greeting.
“I needed some fresh air. I needed to get away from the estate for a little while. Surely, you can understand the need to escape from theton?”
“You needed fresh air, while I needed my husband,” Theresa argued. “I had no choice but to wait here patiently for your return.”
“What could have gone wrong in my absence?” Aaron was puzzled by her sudden need.
Juliette and his grandmother found ways to occupy their days without his supervision. Could his wife not do the same?
“The house party is in three days, and I have a problem.”
“What problem could you have? If it is a dress you need, I am sure we can make some arrange?—”
“I do not know how to dance,” she blurted out.
Theresa had been trying for half an hour to master the steps to the dance Aaron led her through. When she confessed her worries of embarrassing him at the garden party, he had been kind to her—kinder than she thought he would be about something that came naturally to him.
She still did not think he understood how out of her depth she was in the city after growing up in a convent.
“We did not dance in the convent,” she explained. “We had no partners. It was not fitting for ladies to dance before the Lord.”
“You will find it to be one of the few pleasures of a house party,” Aaron said. “You will not want for a partner all evening, I assure you. Everyone will want their moment with the Duchess.”
“That is precisely what I am worried about! I do not know how to even begin to master dancing. I will bring shame upon you and your family, after they have been so welcoming.”
Theresa was so upset over this revelation that she was near tears.
“Dear wife,” Aaron soothed when he noticed her obvious distress. He stepped closer and put a hand on her cheek. “There is no way you could embarrass me, even if you stepped on the foot of every dance partner you may have tomorrow.”
“I do not want any other dance partners,” she protested. “I only want you.”
“Then that suits me just fine. I shall keep you with me all evening. I do not much care for the house parties thrown by Lady Sophia.”
Theresa was not surprised at his distaste for parties. According to the Dowager Duchess and Juliette, they were ostentatiousaffairs. These parties were like nothing she could have envisioned attending just a few short weeks ago. Now, they were a fixture on her schedule.
She thought about the difference between what was required of her now and what she had been required to do with Margaret each day. They would scrub the stone floors of the common areas and tidy their own spaces. They would garden and pray.
It was, admittedly, a dull existence.
However, there was very little at stake if she were to miss a spot while scrubbing the floors. Now that she was a duchess, she had to think about her husband, his family, every lady and lord in theton. She had a responsibility and image to uphold.
That was what she was thinking about as Aaron led her through the steps of the dance in his study.
