Page 8 of A Trap by the Rakish Duke
Without another word, she hiked up her skirts and set off down the aisle, leaving her father standing alone at the altar.
Silence filled the carriage as the wheels rattled over the cobbled streets of London.
Philip wasn’t sure what to say to the woman he had just married, knowing that she despised him for taking her away from her home. Her simple yet elegant dress accentuated her figure, making her large breasts strain against her corset. Her rich blonde hair had been pinned to the back of her head with little to no additional jewelry, yet she still managed to look flawless.
After the ceremony she had climbed into the carriage in a huff and had instructed the footman to ride on before he could even speak.
Philip would have been angry if he hadn’t been so impressed by her sheer determination to take charge. She certainly possessed far more backbone than her father.
A few more moments of silence passed before he decided to broach the subject of their marriage.
Clearing his throat, he said, “There is something you must understand. We are married in name only.”
“I beg your pardon?” Aurelia turned away from the window, blinking a few times as her eyes adjusted to the dim light in the carriage.
The sun was just about to set and cast long shadows as the cobbled London streets gave way to a bumpier dirt road.
“If you were worried about performing, ah, wifely duties this evening, you need not be. I will not be visiting your bedchambers,” Philip clarified.
He hadn’t doubted the fact that she was a virgin, yet her response only solidified the fact.
Her perfect lips made the shape of an ‘O’. “That is kind of you, Your Grace. And may I ask which dungeon I am to reside in when we reach your home?”
As the interior of the carriage grew more humid, she lowered her elbows to her sides and proceeded to remove her gloves.
Rolling his eyes, Philip crossed his arms over his chest and swore under his breath. “I do not plan on keeping you under lock and key.”
His words seemed to anger her, and something flashed in her eyes. Her beauty struck him again as her eyes darkened.
“Oh? Forcing me into an unwanted marriage is not a form of imprisonment? Your logic astounds me, Your Grace,” she bit back instantly, without so much as a trace of fear in her voice.
Philip glared at her for a moment, finding little to no amusement in her sarcasm. He had admired the way she carried herself in her father’s study, but now he found her behavior more irritating than anything else.
“It was your father who offered you as repayment for his debts. I merely accepted his offer. Thus, I suggest you direct your scorn at him.”
Aurelia narrowed her sapphire eyes at him, clenching her fists in her lap before turning her head to look out the window. The carriage wheels rolled over some stones in the road, causing her breasts to bounce beneath the confines of her corset. A surge of desire flooded Philip’s loins at the sight.
God, she is beautiful.
He attempted to distract himself by clearing his throat and averting his gaze. “There are certain things that I will expect of you as the Duchess of Oakdale, one of them being a duty to make public appearances. You will be provided with enough money to keep up with all the latest fashions. One ball a month should suffice to keep up appearances. Beyond that, you may live your life as lavishly as you desire.”
“Thank you, Your Grace. Your generosity is admirable. I have always wanted to be a showpiece for my husband.” She forced a sarcastic smile.
The new Duchess was as feisty as she was beautiful. Philip had agreed to the marriage as a way of punishing her father, yet he now wondered if he was the one being punished.
“I just find it strange that you would have such lofty expectations of your wife when you demand satisfaction for a supposed ‘murder’. Tell me, Your Grace, what kind of business led you to learn of my father’s debts? Surely an honest man would not be privy to such scandalous debauchery.” She met his eyes challengingly, making his blood boil with anger.
“Do not ever challenge me like this again. My business is my own. You will have free run of the house, but not my life. Just as your affairs are to be your own, you shall never probe into mine…” His voice was dangerously low as he glared at her from across the carriage.
Aurelia’s lips parted as a strange emotion flickered in her eyes. “Are there any other rules that you would like to add, Your Grace?” she asked softly, narrowing her eyes at him in anger.
“As a matter of fact, there is. You are never to see your father again.”
Chapter Four
“You have no right to forbid me from seeing anyone at all, let alone my own father!” Aurelia clenched the fabric of her new dress in her fists. It wrinkled under the pressure, leaving two very distinct dents above her knees.
Just who does he think he is?
