Page 4 of Wedded to the Beastly Duke
“Have you so much as met the man?” he asked, returning to his letter.
“Haveyou?”
“Not as such, but I will shortly. And I have heard nothing that convinces me he is not a man who will suit your sister. Her beauty will melt even the hardest of hearts.”
“The very fact you say that proves you know that he is not a kind man. If he has a hard heart to melt, is he really a man who will make my sister love him?” She stepped forward, hands entwined, lowering her voice into a plea. “Aurelia is young, and she has a delicate sensibility. If she is married to a man who cannot adore her, you know she will suffer.”
“Nonsense.” Her father waved a dismissive hand. “You are being hysterical.”
“Hysterical? For defending my sister?”
“I have found her a good match.”
“You have condemned her to marry a man whose only defining trait is his despicability. Youcannotallow Aurelia to marry him.”
A knock sounded at the door. “My Lord,” the butler said. “The Duke of Kant is here to see you.”
ChapterTwo
“I’m afraid,” a cold voice said from behind her, “that is not up to you. Nor do I have any wish for it to be.”
Emmeline whirled, a hand on her heart, as her gaze fell on the Duke for the first time. At that moment, she knew she had been right in her assessment of him. He was tall, almost disagreeably so, and had dark hair swept severely back from his face. His eyes were a crisp, cold blue and held nothing but derision as they roamed over her face.
Still, despite that, he was one of the most heartbreakingly handsome men she had ever seen, his sternness only serving to accentuate the fineness of his features. His jaw was strong, his lips thin but sensual, and the overwhelming masculinity of his face made the length of his lashes appealing rather than feminine.
“Do not flatter yourself,” she retorted. “Your wishes are the least of my concerns.”
If his heart was even a fraction as cold as the expression on his face, he would not suit her sister.
“Emmeline!” her father scolded. “You will not speak out of turn.”
“It is no matter,” the Duke said, turning away from her as though she did not exist. “You asked to see me?”
“Yes.” Despite being the older man, her father shot to his feet and extended a hand. “I thought we might finish conducting our business in person.”
The Duke’s cold gaze roamed over her father’s face, and his expression did not change. In Emmeline’s estimation, he was in his late twenties or early thirties; there was no sign of gray in his dark hair, but something about his eyes suggested that they had seen a great deal, and much of it was unpleasant. Despite herself, she felt the power inherent in those eyes, and the shocking vividness of their color.
“Yes,” Emmeline said, her lip curling. “No doubt it’s time to finally look at the fiancée you have secured yourself and see if she is to your fancy.”
The Duke’s gaze flickered to her. “I have already ascertained all I need to know.”
“Oh!” This man was insufferable. She drew herself up as tall as she could go. “And I suppose her temperament is of no concern?”
Something flashed across his expression, too fast to read. Then he bowed. “It is certainly none of yours.”
“Please, sit down.” Her father gestured toward his chair, interrupting the icy tension between them. “Please excuse my daughter, Your Grace. She was just leaving.”
Emmeline folded her arms and remained in place. “Your Grace,” she bit out. “As Lord Sunton has mentioned, I am his daughter, Lady Emmeline. What adelightto finally make your acquaintance.”
The barest hint of a derisive smile touched the corner of the Duke’s mouth. “If only I could say the same.”
“Good grief. You trulyarerude.”
“Only when I am first met with rudeness.” He turned back to her father with that same dismissive air. “Shall we continue with the meeting? I have very little time to spare.”
“Aurelia is in the drawing room,” Emmeline said pointedly. “I’m sureHis Gracewishes to meet her.”
“That will not be necessary.” The Duke’s voice was cold. Absolute.
