Page 24 of The Duke's Return
Still he watched her. Still he smirked. “But, Duchess, should you ever change your mind… You know where to find me.”
The bold behavior was enough to make Genevieve react. She huffed loudly to hide the flustered feelings swimming about in her stomach. It felt like she had swallowed a bucketful of frogs. With a hand on her door, she sent him a hard stare. “Good night, Your Grace.”
He might have been winking when she took her leave, but she didn’t care. She swept inside and shut the door loudly to make her point heard.
If her dress had been any simpler, Genevieve might have been able to pull herself out of the garment. She would rather have the evening to herself. But the back buttons required assistance, so she called on her maid to assist her.
Elodie’s fingers dealt swiftly with the row of buttons and then she offered, “Shall I help you with your toilette, Your Grace?”
Although Genevieve had meant to keep Miriam, her lady’s maid from before her marriage, her mother had been rather stingyover the matter during the wedding. Miriam was still under her mother’s roof caring for Genevieve’s three sisters.
It had taken Genevieve three months to find the right maid since she hardly knew what she was doing. But they had been together since, and Elodie had arrived in a second carriage following theirs that day.
“Not tonight, thank you. I’m sorry if I woke you. I’ll mind myself after this,” Genevieve reassured her.
The young blonde woman beamed. “Oh it’s quite all right. I was busy meeting the household. They’re all very kind, you know, though some of the accents can be difficult at times. And there should be more folks coming in soon. It should be a very busy house indeed very soon.”
Hoping the girl didn’t see her wrinkling her nose, Genevieve said, “I do believe you’re right. But I’d advise you not to stay awake too soon. We’ll be keeping country hours, after all.”
With a curtsy, Elodie nodded. “You’re very right. If that will be all, then I shall be on my way to bed. Good night, my lady.”
At last Genevieve was alone.
She let her shoulders relax as she sat before her vanity. It was a beautiful antique piece with three tilted mirrors. She carefully unwound her hair before pulling out her comb. This nightly routine always helped Genevieve to relax, letting the night settle in and to wipe away the worries of the day.
Candlelight flickered. She tilted her head to consider her features, knowing few might call her handsome. Sharp, she had heard before, all angles. Growing up, she had often felt like a clumsy calf not knowing what to do with herself. Though shehad done her best to instill every lesson by her governess and mother, Genevieve still struggled to remain graceful at times.
Testing a smile on her lips, she supposed they were too small. She pinched them in a pout before remembering her mother had always told her not to create wrinkles. Then she tested a smile on her mouth, and wondered if anyone might find that handsome on her.
“How ridiculous,” Genevieve murmured to herself with a quiet sigh, knowing it didn’t matter. None of this mattered. She was wed, after all, with no further plans of children or adventures amongst the ton. It didn’t matter what she looked like.
It would still be nice to look lovely when I smile, I suppose. I may not be particularly charming, but…
Julian’s curved lips were at the forefront of her mind once more, though she kept trying to push them back. She tried to scowl. But there was a lopsided, boyish quality to her husband’s grin that made her wonder and think and even dream a little about what it could mean.
She blinked at her reflection in the mirror to find her cheeks neatly spotted with a warm blush. A lump formed in her throat.
Pushing the comb down, Genevieve hurriedly left her mirror behind for her bed as though she might be safe there. As though Julian’s handsome gaze on her wouldn’t follow her wherever she went.
CHAPTER 10
Collapsing onto the bed, Julian laid there in a huff for some time while he tried to focus on the beating of his heart.
His correspondence to the household had been short and to the point: he was arriving for a month’s stay with his wife, and they were bringing approximately so many servants, chests, and so on with them.
I should have mentioned where I wish to stay in the manor instead of here.
Even if he was the duke and thus meant to reside in the master’s bed chamber, that didn’t necessitate actually using them. He rubbed his face in frustration. Though he’d never been granted entry here as a child and wouldn’t have recognized this space in general, he didn’t care to be here.
Not where his father had resided.
I don’t want to be anywhere that you are or were. I hardly even care for this title, you old man. Thank the Lord you’re in the grave. That’s a small blessing at least.
“You can’t haunt me here.” Julian spoke the words aloud to convince him of the situation. He let out a small huff before pulling off his shirt and flinging it to the side, too warm at night to wear much if he could help it.
No one replied. It was for the best, he supposed.
Eventually Julian was able to close his eyes. He shut out the world and tried not to think of anything. Genevieve was too confusing to think about at this hour. His parents didn’t belong here in his mind any longer. There was nothing that warranted his attention but a few hours of peace before he started work again to salvage his name and his countless problems.
