Page 26 of Wedded to the Beastly Duke
“The directions to the village are very clearly signposted, Your Grace.”
“Be that as it may, you will not go alone.”
She narrowed her eyes. “You will not give me orders in that highhanded way. I am perfectly capable of looking after myself.”
“I would never let my wife wander the countryside alone.” His tone was hard and uncompromising. “Is that what you think of me?”
“Are you suspecting I would escape?” she demanded.
“Of course not.”
“Then why are you pushing this matter?”
His nostrils flared. “Because I am trying to ensure your safety, though you are making it exceedingly difficult. Requiring a servant to accompany you is not an unfair restriction on your freedom, Emmeline.”
The sound of her name on his tongue gave her a slight thrill she refused to acknowledge. “You are attempting to ensure my safety?”
“I understand this was not a marriage of your choosing, but you are still my wife, and I will protect you the way I would have protected any woman I chose to marry.”
But you did not choose to marry me.
“Then perhaps you should have thought twice before marrying me,” she said tartly, and then darted out the door before he could physically stop her.
Once outside, she walked briskly along the gravel path that led to the road. From there, it was only a mile to the village, and although many might think the journey too long to be taken by foot, she had spent her childhood wandering across her father’s estate, covering miles in her explorations.
Originally, she had intended to take a stable boy with her, or perhaps a maid, but his overbearing demands had overridden all her more sensible inclinations.
Still, this journey was not an unsafe one. The road was quiet, newly budding trees arching overhead, and she could hear the birds singing in the trees.
Her intention was clear. Once she got to the village and introduced herself to the primary inhabitants, she intended to invite them all to the castle for dinner. The Duke would have to attend, and he was proud and disagreeable enough that he would detest having to play nice with his social inferiors.
Then she would repeat until he concluded that she was not a suitable wife for him, after all.
Hopefully, their argument that morning would convince him of the fact as well. She was not the well-bred lady he had hoped for, or at least, for this purpose, she would pretend she was not. One day, in the not-too-distant future, she would convince him to send her back to London.
Back to her parents.
She sighed in anticipation, although really the landscape around Crowny Castle was delightful. Spring was well underway, and primroses swayed merrily in the ditch, blooming as the last of the daffodils died. There was a chance she would, in fact, miss this.
A foolish thought. She put it out of her mind. There would be no regretting leaving the village.
* * *
Adam did his best not to concern himself with where his wife had gone. He applied himself to his accounts with his steward and planned how to make the most of Emmeline’s dowry, which was now his to spend as he chose. New farming equipment, probably. He would have to consult with someone with a little more modern thinking than Jacob Hawley, the man who had served his father. And, if he recalled correctly, his grandfather.
“These new-fangled ideas are all very well,” Hawley said, “but you must consider the men running the land—as they have been doing for generations now. They know what is best. And what we need is better crops and equipment.”
“Perhaps we can do something else with the crops,” Adam mused, running his fingers across the numbers. “A brewery, perhaps? With the hops?”
Hawley gave him a stern look under bushy brows, but all he said was, “At least you’re taking more of an interest than your brother.”
“My brother didn’t take an interest?”
“He was barely here, Your Grace, God rest his soul. Spent most of his time in London, even during hunting season. Strikes me he didn’t want to be in the house.”
Well, that’s hardly surprising.
Considering everything they had lost here… Adam glanced around his study. Above him, in the east wing, was where his mother’s room had been.
