Page 61 of A Trap by the Rakish Duke
Philip chuckled softly, clearly amused by her reaction. “What of it?” he teased. “Is it so terrible that a husband desires to be close to his wife?”
She tried to cover her embarrassment, lifting her hands to her cheeks. “I was thinking about you,” she admitted, though it was only half the truth.
Philip’s eyes sparkled with mischief. “And what, pray tell, were you thinking?”
Aurelia smiled but didn’t answer, her lips pressed together in playful refusal. Instead, she let the moment pass, her heart beating a little faster from his teasing.
As they resumed their walk they passed more townsfolk. To Aurelia’s surprise, several stopped to exchange pleasantries with Philip.
“We have not seen you about town much, Your Grace,” one shopkeeper remarked with a respectful bow. “Busy with work, I imagine?” he asked, his eyes darting playfully to Aurelia.
Philip nodded, his smile warm and genuine. “Indeed. But rest assured, all matters are well in hand.”
“I am glad of that, Your Grace.”
Aurelia observed the way Philip interacted with his people, noting the compassion in his eyes and the ease with which he reassured them. There was something noble about the way he carried himself, something she hadn’t fully appreciated until that moment.
As the shopkeeper turned to address another customer, Oliver’s words about Philip being more compassionate than she thought echoed in her mind. Now, as she watched her husband, she couldn’t help but agree.
On the walk back to Oakdale Manor, the afternoon sun casting a reddish-yellow glow over the path, Aurelia finally voiced the thoughts that had been nagging at her.
“Your people truly adore you,” she noted quietly, glancing up at Philip. “You a good Duke,” she said with a smile. “However, I do not know if I can be the same. I am not sure I am cut out to be a Duchess.”
Philip stopped walking and turned to face her, gently taking her hands in his own. He pressed a kiss to each of her fingers, his eyes never leaving hers.
“You are every inch a Duchess, Aurelia,” he assured her softly, his voice filled with a sincerity that made her breath catch. “I do not know what others expect a Duchess to be, nor do I care. But I know you are perfect for me, and that is all that matters.”
Aurelia’s heart swelled at his words, but her uncertainty still lingered. “But what if…”
“We will do something about your worry,” Philip interrupted, his voice firm but kind. “If you are unsure, then it is my duty to help you find your place. We will face it together.”
Aurelia blinked, caught off guard by his sudden determination. “How do you propose we do that?” she asked.
A mysterious smile tugged at the corners of Philip’s lips. “You shall see once we return home.”
Aurelia’s curiosity was piqued, but she didn’t press him for details. Instead, she nodded, allowing herself to trust whatever he had in store.
The following morning Aurelia sat in her room nervously smoothing out the folds of her gown, anticipating Mrs. Jarrow’s arrival.
The idea Philip had in mind was simple: Aurelia needed to familiarize herself with the intricacies of running Oakdale Manor and he had summoned Mrs. Jarrow to offer her guidance.
Aurelia sighed, imagining the housekeeper’s stern face and clipped tone. It would surely be a long, trying lecture on running Oakdale Manor. She suspected that Mrs. Jarrow still didn’t like her because the woman had always been curt and distant, her loyalty to Philip far outweighing any warmth she might have had for his new wife.
A knock at the door made Aurelia sit up straight.
“Enter,” she called, her heart racing.
When Mrs. Jarrow walked in, Aurelia was taken aback. The housekeeper smiled, something she had never done before. It wasn’t a small, polite smile but one of genuine warmth which softened the sharp lines of her face.
“Good morning, Your Grace,” Mrs. Jarrow greeted her with a curtsy. “I trust you are ready for today’s lesson.”
Aurelia blinked, momentarily stunned by the sudden change in the woman’s demeanor.
“I…I am,” she replied, though her voice faltered.
An irksome voice in the back of her mind reminded her not to be too trusting in light of the situation concerning her father. The smile that had briefly danced on her lips vanished and was replaced with uncertainty.
Ever observant Mrs. Jarrow noticed the change. “If you are not feeling up to it, Your Grace, we could always reschedule,” she offered kindly. “I would be delighted to teach you whenever you feel most comfortable.”
