Page 25 of Her Beast of a Duke
“And I do not need to compromise on such an arrangement,” he told her coolly.
“I am the Duchess of Rochdale byyouroffering,” she said, moving close enough that he finally stood up as if to stop her advancing. “A duchess ought to be able to open a door, or a curtain.”
“Light a candle if you are afraid of the dark.”
There was something insufferably mocking about his tone, and she did not care for it. Her jaw clenched, and she shook her head.
“I amnotafraid,” she said quietly, looking up at him. His eyes swept over her, as if taking her in, inch by inch. She had the sensation of being weighed and measured, but not in the way thetonmade her feel. “Not of the dark, and certainly not of you.”
His mouth tugged at one side, and she truly took him in. His beard covered more scars that disappeared into it. Curled around his nape was dark hair to match, several strands hangingin his eyes. He looked tired, but there was so much pride in his expression that it was almost covered up.
“Yes?” he prompted, as if noting her gaze on him. “You have a penchant for staring, Duchess.”
“And you have one for a lack of manners.”
“So you have pointed out.”
She made a rough, annoyed noise in her throat and backed away. The closeness to him could not be abided, and she drew back, shaking her head in irritation.
“I—” she did not know how to finish that sentence. “Why is the northern turret door padlocked?”
At once, his eyes turned flat, the bright green dimming. A muscle in his cheek twitched.
“There are rules in this house that you should follow,” he told her softly. “Keeping away from the northern turret is the very first rule.”
“That does not answer my question.”
“It does tell you all you need to know,” he dismissed. “Thewhyis none of your concern.”
“As your wife, I believe it is.” She exhaled deeply. “Why are you the only one with access to it? Even Mrs. Tisdale would not say anything.”
“Duchess, you are my wife in nameonly,” he reminded her, and she ground her teeth. “We do not need access to one another’s privacy.”
“Then you ought not to have brought me to a place full of secrets,” she snapped.
In truth, all the rules and distance reminded her of her parents’ dismissals and disapproval.
All I do is perform. Isabella, move here, go there, do this, and do not do that.
For a minute, she regretted not taking Hermia’s offer of connections to relieve her of this arrangement.
“Your Grace,” she finally said, when he offered no other answer, “if you harbor a dangerous secret, then I ought to know. Is the northern turret locked because of what they call you throughout theton?”
“Oh, dear wife,” he laughed darkly, “I earned that name forfarmore dangerous reasons.”
“And I suppose I will not know those either?”
“No.” He cocked his head at her, causing his hair to fall into his eyes. “You have a rather fanciful imagination for all these assumptions ofdark secrets.If you wish to paint me as your villain, you are free to do so. However, you are still my wife, and you will obey.”
“And that is an order?”
“Yes.”
“I have decided that I do not wish to take orders from my husband.”
Finally, the duke stood up. She fought the urge to back away further because, as he stalked closer to her, his gaze was unwavering. A faint scratching came from the door, but she ignored it.
Her husband, however, did not. He strode toward her, and she held her breath, right up until he leaned past her to open his main bedroom door.
