Page 29 of Wedded to the Loveless Duke
He squeezed her hands and leaned across the tray to kiss her lips gently, much more chastely than he had the previous night. “Thank you, dearest. You will not regret it.”
She kissed him back just as softly. “I hope not.”
Sarah burst into the sitting room with a bright smile. Eleanor jumped up and met her halfway across the room, throwing her arms around her closest friend. So many things had changed since Sarah’s last visit, and Eleanor desperately needed to speak to her friend, to have some help in processing all she had been through in the past weeks.
“Sarah, I have so many things to tell you!” Eleanor dragged her friend to sit by the windows.
Sarah laughed. “You seem in a much better mood since I last saw you. Is marriage finally agreeing with you?”
“I am not yet certain.” Eleanor leaned forward in her seat and lowered her voice. “So much has transpired since you last visited. Phillip is… not what I expected.”
Sarah’s grin widened. “Phillip, is it? Things have certainly progressed!”
Eleanor blushed and stared out the window. “It is all so strange and unexpected. I never thought I could forgive him for what he did. I am not yet certain I have forgiven him entirely, but I have begun to. We have agreed to try to find a way to make this marriage into more than a mere formality.”
“I am so happy for you, Eleanor.” Sarah took her by the hands with tears in her eyes. “It really is a beautiful story you have. From all I have heard and have seen, it is clear that His Grace adores you.”
“To everyone else!” Eleanor shook her head. “The man blows hot and cold. At least, now I know why he does so, and I must say, I cannot help but respect his self-control. The man must have a will of iron, Sarah.”
Sarah looked perplexed. “A will of iron?”
“I asked him why he did not kiss me that first night,” Eleanor murmured. “He told me it was because he wanted to be certain that I want him when he would take me to his bed. He said he refuses to lose my heart just to claim his rights as my husband.”
Sarah pressed a hand to her chest. “He is terribly romantic, Eleanor. No man has ever said such a thing to me!”
“I should hope not!” Eleanor laughed. “If someone has, you had best flee at once. It would be most inappropriate for a man to say such a thing to a lady he is courting.”
Sarah laughed with her. “I suppose that is true. Nevertheless, you are fortunate to have a husband who adores you so greatly.”
“Well, what about you? How is this man who is courting you?”
Sarah extended her left hand, showing Eleanor a diamond ring. “He has asked my father for my hand. We will be wed in three months to give us time to post banns. My father and his do not possess the influence yours does, so we must wait, I am afraid.”
Eleanor wrinkled her nose. “Mine only used his influence because he knew he could not bring me to the altar if I heard about the plans he and Phillip made through the banns.”
“I suppose he assessed that fairly enough,” Sarah quipped.
Eleanor sighed. “Very well. I suppose he did judge that one point fairly. But it does not make it acceptable, Sarah!”
“I never said it did, only that he had good reasons.”
“I am not certain you can call the desire to force me to the altar a good reason to ask the Archbishop for a special license.”
It was Sarah’s turn to sigh. “Shall we have this argument every time I visit, Eleanor? I do not mean to be unkind, but really, I will never be convinced that your father stopped loving you all of a sudden, and I simply cannot believe that he acted without a good reason or at least a good motive. You will not be persuaded to entertain even the notion of it, and so we are only going to aggravate one another.”
Eleanor nodded. “I apologize. I should have left it be. I am delighted to hear that you and your betrothed are to be wed in a short time!”
“Yes, and I cannot wait! We have three months to prepare and plan for the wedding. The affair will not be nearly so grand as yours was, but I am only marrying a viscount, so it is hardly unexpected. Besides, His Grace really did see to every detail for your wedding. He must have wanted to make it memorable and special for you.”
Eleanor offered her friend a pained smile. It had been memorable all right, but not in the way that she suspected Phillip had hoped it would be. The guests might have been satisfied, but she and Phillip knew the truth of the matter. It had not been a romantic day in any way, and Eleanor wished things had been different. Of course, had they been different, she likely wouldn’t have married Phillip, and she wasn’t certain how she felt about that notion anymore. Determined not to let sour memories ruin her visit with Sarah, she turned her attention toher friend and left worries about whether she and Phillip were really better off together despite the rocky beginning of their marriage for another day.
CHAPTER 12
“Ithought we might go out on the lake together,” Phillip voiced out at breakfast. “I have taken the day off from business. Have you seen the whole of the property yet?”
“I have seen a little on my morning rides.” Eleanor took a bite of the pastries Annie had prepared for breakfast and closed her eyes with a sigh. Annie made the best breakfasts.
Phillip was smiling when she opened her eyes again. He seemed amused by how greatly she was enjoying her meal. “Have you seen the lake already, then?”
