Page 25 of Wedded to the Loveless Duke
“You are a bit late. I feared you might have forgotten or lost yourself in a book.” Phillip took her arm and helped her down the rest of the steps. “I see now you were merely ensuring that every piece of your attire was perfectly chosen and placed. You look resplendent.”
Indeed, she did. The evening gown hugged her ribcage snugly before flowing down from her bustline in smooth lines. The back had been pleated to give the gown a fuller effect, and the front had delicate gold butterflies and dragonflies embroideredon the straight, flat panel of blue silk. The neckline had similar embroidery, and it showed off the graceful curve of her neck and the swells of her breasts beautifully. He shifted, averting his gaze and reminding himself that such thoughts were not appropriate, not when his bride despised him.
“Thank you.” She moved past him, but not quickly enough to hide the faint blush on her pale cheeks. She might feign indifference, but she was pleased he thought she looked lovely. “I am sorry I kept you waiting.”
The Duke slipped a hand into his pocket and pulled out the velvet-covered jewelry box containing the late wedding present he’d had commissioned for her just for this occasion. “Wait, Eleanor. Your ensemble is incomplete.”
She turned to him with a frown. “Whatever do you mean?”
“I asked you not to wear any jewelry.” He extended the box to her. “I had this commissioned for you as a wedding present. I know it is late, but I would like you to wear it this evening.”
Eleanor returned to his side, taking the box from him and opening it up. For a long while, she simply stared down at the jewels, her face a frozen mask. Then, her expression shifted to something pained before turning strangely wistful. She traced a finger along the curve of one of the necklace’s wires and over a few of the diamonds. “It is lovely, Your Grace,” she whispered. “Why did you choose such an unusual design?”
He too looked down at the necklace and the matching earrings and bracelet. “The wires supporting the diamonds are delicate yet strong, and the diamonds are nearly unbreakable. Their natures remind me of yours. That is why I chose them.”
She flinched and looked away. “You think I am delicate?”
“I do, but I also think you possess a stubbornness that hides that delicacy from all but those who are keen enough to notice it.”
“And I suppose you have?”
“I think so. Here, allow me.” Phillip lifted the necklace from the box.
Eleanor turned her back to him obligingly, standing very still as he drew closer. He reached around to put the necklace around her neck. Though there was no need to touch her to accomplish anything he was doing, Phillip couldn’t resist allowing his knuckles to brush the warm skin of her throat as he adjusted the wires and then pulled the chain to fasten the necklace. He let his fingers trail briefly down the base of her neck and her shoulders before pulling away.
She tensed, and a tiny shiver worked its way through her spine. He didn’t point out her reaction to his touch. If he did, he suspected it would ruin the mood between them, and he didn’t want the quiet, almost romantic moment between them to end. So instead, he let the goosebumps on her arms and the little shiver pass without making a remark and turned her to face him. “Perfectly suited to you,” he murmured.
The blush on her cheeks intensified, and she lowered her gaze to the remaining jewelry in the box. “Shall I put the rest on?”
“In the carriage.” Phillip took her hand and pressed a gentle kiss to her knuckles before slipping it into the crook of his elbow with a soft smile. “We have dallied long enough, and if we do not hurry, we will miss the ball entirely.”
Eleanor followed him out of the house in silence, letting him help her into their carriage before he climbed in after her. He noticed that she put the bracelet and earrings on right away without any prompting from him. He also noticed the way she kept stealing glances at him when she thought he wasn’t looking. A tiny flicker of hope bloomed in his chest. Perhaps she could learn not to hate him and instead—dare he think it?—learn to love him. He would settle for the first, but he couldn’t help hoping for the second.
Eleanor entered the ballroom of the Duke of Bedford’s sprawling mansion on Phillip’s arm. As much as she disliked these affairs, she had to admit that the Duke of Bedford had outdone himself with the attention he and his wife had paid to every detail of the decor. She recognized the Duchess of Bedford’s distinctive touch in the decorations, and she suspected her husband had been responsible for the food choices since they consisted of heartier fare than usual. He was known for being slightly eccentric in his tastes.
The Duke of Bedford and his wife were the first to greet the newlyweds. It seemed that Phillip was very close with their host. Such a swift greeting with such warmth was uncommon at a ball of this size. The Duchess of Bedford smiled at Eleanor congenially while the men talked. “Madam, allow me to be the first here to congratulate you on your wedding. I hope you have found married life to your liking?”
Eleanor hadn’t, but that wasn’t acceptable to say. Glancing at Phillip, she pasted on a smile. “As much as any woman would, Madam. The decorations you have put up for this event are simply marvelous, by the way. I have always admired your talent for turning an ordinary ballroom into something so lovely and enchanting.”
The Duchess of Bedford smiled broadly, her previous line of questioning forgotten. “You flatter me!”
Eleanor laughed. “No, I mean it truly.”
Phillip turned to Eleanor with a smile. “Perhaps we should make our way to the dance floor, dearest? You still owe me a dance. I cannot think of another couple that has not danced a single dance before or after their wedding. Can you?”
Eleanor worked to keep a scowl off her face. With their hosts looking on, she could hardly refuse or try to wheedle her way out of the thinly disguised command. “It is one of the many things we have not done,” she murmured, her eyes cast demurely to the ground.
“Indeed.” Phillip’s smile turned sly. “One of themanythings.”
It took her a moment to realize precisely what he meant by such a comment. A fierce heat flooded her cheeks, and she tried not to shiver, whether from embarrassment or interest in what he was implying, she didn’t know. No, she scolded herself. She didn’t want anything to do with themanythings he was implying. It didn’t matter how attractive he was with his windswept curls and soft hazel eyes that could turn bright with interest or desire at a moment’s notice. That didn’t make up for what he’d done. It didn’t. It couldn’t.
She smiled wanly at the Duchess of Bedford. “I have never been much of a dancer, much to my father’s chagrin. When His Grace asked me to dance at the ball where we met, I refused on account of it.”
Phillip’s look told her that she might have fooled their hosts but had not pulled the wool over his eyes. They both knew she’d run because he frightened her, and because her reaction to him frightened her even more. It had little to do with her dancing skills, though it was true that she was not a very good dancer as he would soon discover if he persisted in making her dance with him.
“Well, you could not be in better hands, Your Grace,” the Duke of Bedford told her. “Richmond is an excellent dancer.”
Phillip had the good grace to look a bit embarrassed at his friend’s effusive proclamation, but he didn’t deny his claim. Eleanor couldn’t help noticing that the shortened version of herhusband’s title seemed not to bother him. If he allowed the Duke of Bedford such privileges, they must be good friends indeed.
