Page 13 of Married to a Frozen Duke
"I suppose," he said slowly, "we should discuss... arrangements."
"Arrangements." She sighed. "How romantic. What sort of arrangements?"
"If we marry..."
"When. When we marry. Unless you've found another Miss Coleridge hidden somewhere?"
"When we marry," he corrected, though the words felt strange in his mouth, "you'll live at Montclaire House, naturally."
"Naturally."
"You'll have your own chambers."
"How generous."
"A generous allowance."
"For what? Purchasing my silence?"
"For whatever duchesses purchase. Gowns, I suppose. Ribbons. Whatever it is ladies buy."
"Ribbons." Her tone was perfectly flat. "Yes, I'll need lots of ribbons. It's what I live for."
"I'm trying to be..."
"Practical? Businesslike? Cold?"
"Fair."
She looked at him for a long moment. "Fair would be neither of us having to do this. But since that's not an option, I suppose your arrangements will have to do."
"You'll have duties, of course. Social obligations. The Duchess of Montclaire has responsibilities.”
"I'm aware. I shall need to be decorative at balls, charming at dinner gatherings, and invisible the rest of the time. I excel at invisible."
"That's not..." He stopped, because actually, that was rather what he'd been thinking.
"Your Grace," she said quietly, "I know what you need. A wife who won't embarrass you, won't make demands, won't interfere with your life. Someone you can present when necessary and forget about otherwise. I can be that wife."
"And what do you need?"
The question seemed to surprise her. "I... what?"
"What do you need from this arrangement? You must want something."
She was quiet for a moment, considering. "Respect," she said finally. "Not affection, I don't expect that. But basic respect. Not to be treated like a servant or a fool. To have some small space that's mine. And..."
"And?"
"And for you to at least try not to actively hate me. I know I'm a Coleridge, I know what that means to you. But I'm also a person. A rather boring person, granted, but still."
"You're not boring." The words escaped before he could stop himself.
She looked startled. "I'm not?"
"Boring people don't deliver speeches about maritime disasters and ribbons."
"Perhaps I'm only interesting when I'm nervous."
