Page 57 of A Rescue by the Rakish Duke
He grinned at that and raised his teacup in a mock toast.
He had found himself drinking less brandy and wine when he was around her. He didn’t want to miss anything, not her smiles or the nuances of the emotions that played on her face.
“We are going to do more walking, too,” he confirmed. “Tomorrow, we will visit a village with Evan.”
“With Evan?” Gwendoline’s eyebrows rose in surprise.
After retrieving the critical documents, the three did not meet to discuss anything regarding Montrose. Damian wanted to attack, while Evan advised caution. It was why Evan had been shadowing them more often lately.
“Yes. It’s better this way.”
Gwendoline nodded slowly, the mischievous spark in her eyes replaced by a more thoughtful fire.
As planned, the trio headed off for the village the following afternoon.
Since she got married, Gwendoline had mostly interacted with the ton or with the servants at Greyvale. It would be her first outing in the village, where she was supposed to get off the carriage and see the people up close.
That was what they did. Gwendoline stepped down from the carriage with a blend of excitement and apprehension. She exhaled heavily as she looked left and right.
The village near Greyvale, Willowbrook, was a quaint little community with cobblestone streets. Though the place had a relatively small population, the shops were bustling, and all the buildings seemed well-kept, unlike the places Gwendoline had been to with Timothy.
However, walking around with the Duke of Greyvale was different. The people of Willowbrook paused whatever they were doing to stare at them or whisper about them.
Gwendoline was sure that she was being judged. She clasped her hands in front of her as she began to shift on her feet. Her husband seemed to have noticed, for he reached for her hand.She didn’t even notice that he had alighted from the carriage with ease.
It must be him they’re looking at.
She took a deep breath and adjusted her bonnet with her other hand. The slight chill in the air made her stiffen and hunch over. Damian pulled her shawl tighter around her, and she looked up at him gratefully. But at that moment, he chose to withdraw, surprising her and leaving her a little hurt.
Gwendoline shook her head almost imperceptibly, trying to shake off the cobwebs. She reminded herself that whatever they had so far was merely physical. There were no promises made.
No matter what her opinions were on how he felt about her or how he should feel, she could not help but notice his imposing figure. He had his cold facade back on. It was like meeting him for the first time, which made her heart sink.
On the other hand, Evan was the complete opposite. He was the sunshine to Damian’s storm, languidly stepping out of the carriage with a big grin on his face.
“What a charming place,” he declared, loud enough for those nearby to hear.
Some flinched at his voice, but most seemed to warm up to the trio, even going so far as walking closer and observing the well-dressed visitors more closely.
However, Gwendoline noticed something strange. Even though Evan had caused a stir, the villagers’ eyes kept returning to her and Damian. She tried not to make it bother her, but she could feel her palms sweating. She wiped them on the skirt of her dress.
“Where should we begin?” she asked, turning to him.
Damian didn’t look too pleased, his dark eyes sweeping over the streets.
“Let’s walk through the square first. At least we will see what they are selling,” he grunted.
Although Gwendoline suspected that he was not telling her the whole truth, she nodded agreeably, a smile plastered on her face.
She could feel everyone watching them. An argument, no matter how small, wasn’t what she needed right now. Not what she wanted to show the people of Willowbrook.
She clasped her hands together and kept them in front of her, away from Damian. She wasn’t opposed to a stroll through the village. She needed a change of scenery. Balls and social calls were lovely, but being out in the sun and interacting with regular folk was much better.
As they began their stroll, she felt Damian put his hand on her lower back. She masked her surprise, smiling and nodding at people as if having her husband so close to her in public was themost normal thing in the world. Behind her ribcage, though, her heart pounded painfully.
They passed a bakery first. Gwendoline inhaled the warm scent of fresh bread. She had often ventured into Greyvale’s kitchen, but there was something special about smelling freshly baked goods from an actual bakery.
A young woman stood by the fresh bread inside the bakery. It was easy to see her through the glass. Gwendoline sauntered toward her, noticing how the woman looked away after glancing in their direction. Undeterred, she stepped closer to admire the display of pastries.
