Page 1 of A Bride for the Beastly Duke
Chapter One
“Your Grace, you cannot be serious about this. A fallen woman? Why would you even consider it?”
Edward huffed in annoyance. “You know I do not like it when you call me that.His Graceshould have been my brother, not me.”
His aunt, Anastasia, sighed heavily, “Yes honey, I know. We all feel very sorrowful about his passing, but one must accept reality as is.”
Edward gritted his teeth, releasing an irritated breath. “I am very familiar with reality. I think it is you who needs to face it.” He spread his hands out, indicating the dusty parlor room they were sitting in. What with only being able to afford three maids of all work, a butler, a footman and a cook, the house was not very well kept.
“Look around you,” he said. “Lady Ava’s dowry would be enough to pay all our debts and rehire our staff, not to mention give us enough of a boost to restart the brewery, the smithy, and the bakery thus employing our people. It is my duty to marry her.”
His aunt shook her head sadly. “You speak of duty when in truth, there is no one to whom you owe anything aside from yourself. Look at your cousin—he is fine where he is, being the Marquess of Lanton, and he has just welcomed my first grandchild?—”
“That is indeed lovely, Aunt, so why aren’t you there, celebrating with your son, instead of nagging me to death?”
Anastasia gave him a look. “Because he does notneedme. I promised my dear sister that I would look after her sons, and I am trying to do that.”
“I am not a child, Aunt. I am a former colonel in the Navy. As you can see, I have been to war…” he gestured at his face in illustration, “…and I have the scars to prove it. I do not need you. Go and fuss over your grandchild.”
She snorted derisively, “And if I do that then who will arrange your wedding to this scandalous woman, hmm? Are you to trust that to people who cannot even keep their daughter pure until marriage?”
Edward sighed tiredly, waving his hand in dismissal, “Do what you like, Aunt Anastasia, but understand this well—Iwillmarry Lady Ava Marshall. This may not be my deepest desire, but inthis one case, I have an advantage over her that I cannot claim over any other woman.”
Anastasia raised an eyebrow. “And what is that?”
“She is in no position to refuse me.”
Anastasia blinked a few times, looking away to hide the tears. “No self-respecting lady would refuse you. You are a duke!”
“I am a deformed monster and animpoverishedduke. No lady in her right mind would consider me, and you know it.”
Anastasia whirled around to meet his gaze. “So, you admit that this… woman is likely not in her right mind?”
He laughed bitterly. “No, but I know she is out of options. Even with such a hefty dowry, she has not succeeded in securing a match, and she is almost on the shelf?—”
“Sheison the shelf at five and twenty. Surely, there are other options!”
“For her, perhaps, but not for us, Aunt. If we are not to lose everything that was supposed to be my brother’s, we must act now.”
“What if she cannot conceive?”
Edward gave her a look. “She already has.”
Anastasia waved an exasperated hand. “I mean again.”
“She is not that old, Aunt. Now, enough of this. I will not discuss it again. My mind is made up!” Edward got to his feet and strode out of the room. He paused in the dim corridor with a sigh, leaning against the door he had just closed behind him.
He did not like this arrangement any more than his aunt did, but this was the only way he could get what he needed. It was not just the duchy at stake; if he was to find out what happened to Jonathan and how he died, he needed funds. He almost felt sorry for Lady Ava — this must not be easy for her. He planned to do everything in his power to make her new situation more comfortable.
“At least she is marrying a man who expects nothing from her aside from her fortune,” he murmured as he began to walk toward his study. There were some papers he wanted to review that might shed light on Jonathan’s last assignment.
If I hurry, I might finish reading them before it gets dark.
Candles were an expensive commodity and not in endless supply. Until he received that dowry, he still had to watch every penny. He hastened his steps; there was not much daylight left.
Chapter Two
“Sweet dreams, my dear angel.”
