Page 21 of A Trap by the Rakish Duke
“Do enlighten me as to what that is.” Philip found himself growing tired of the conversation.
Oliver made his way to the door.
“Your wife is no longer Aurelia Godwin. She is an Ellington now, and more specifically, the Duchess of Oakdale. You cannot keep her at arm’s length forever.” Oliver paused in the doorway and looked back at him. “If I may be so bold, with a woman as beautiful and charming as she is, do you really think that you will be able to keep your hands off her forever?”
He gave Philip a knowing smile before stepping into the hall.
Philip mulled over his friend’s words for a while before heaving a sigh. Oliver certainly had a point when it came to Aurelia’s beauty.
He had come close to kissing her a few times since their wedding and it was becoming increasingly difficult to resist her.
Yet, the fact remained that she was the daughter of the man who had killed his brother. There was no telling what she would do for her father if given the chance.
Chapter Eight
Aurelia chewed the inside of her cheek as she watched the Viscount from the parlor window.
Philip had not provided her with any opportunities to learn more about her father’s clandestine lifestyle. How was she to make sense of anything in her life when he kept her locked up like a prisoner?
The sun began to set, ushering in yet another evening that promised nothing but loneliness.
There is only one way to remedy this unhappy situation.
She shook her head in frustration, turned away from the window, and made her way determinedly across the room toward Philip’s study.
If the Duke thinks he can continue to punish me for something I have not done, he has another thing coming.
She marched into his study and slammed the door behind her. “We need to talk.”
Philip looked up from his desk with a frown and blinked in the flickering firelight.
The room was dark, stuffy and overheated. She examined the drawn drapes and the fire, then placed her hands on her hips and glared at him. “Why is there a fire blazing in here when it’s the middle of summer?”
“I like the heat; it helps me think. This is my house. I may choose to light any fires I wish without being questioned.” The muscle in his jaw ticked as he glared back at her.
In the aftermath of their previous arguments, Aurelia had realized that Philip’s jaw muscle only twitched when he became annoyed, more so in her presence than in anyone else’s.
He tore his gaze away from hers and stacked the letters he’d been reading into a neat pile on the side of his desk. “Speak then.”
Aurelia took a deep breath and squared her shoulders. She was determined to get an answer, whatever the cost. “Am I to be a pawn in your schemes for the rest of my life? I demand to see my father, especially since you are so determined to keep me from speaking to anyone else!”
Philip’s eyes darkened as he sat back in his chair and rubbed the tips of his fingers against his thumb.
“Why does his absence bother you so? Is there a good reason you are so adamant about seeing your father again?”
She huffed in astonishment. “Because he is my father. What is it about that statement you do not understand? I would inquire after your parents, but I am, of course, forbidden to ask.”
Placing his hands flat on the desk, Philip pushed himself up and scowled at her. “He may be your father, but he is the one who unceremoniously offered you up as payment for his many debts.”
“And you were the one who accepted, Your Grace.”
Philip’s eyes darkened as he stood and straightened to his full height. Desire knotted in her belly as she watched the muscles of his chest strain against his shirt.
“I will not have you gather information that you can feed to your father. Do I make myself clear? There are plenty of activities and other engagements to fill up your days.”
Aurelia balled her fists at her sides and rolled her eyes in fury. “Do this! Do not do that! Are you certain that you do not wish to draw up a schedule for me, Your Grace? Perhaps I should accompany you on your many evening adventures; then youcould be sure that your little prisoner behaved according to your constant demands!”
Something inside Philip snapped as he made his way around the desk and advanced on her, his eyes dangerously dark.
