Page 57 of An Accidental Bride for the Duke
“Only a little.”
That he had worried meant the world to her. Such a small thing, what might have seemed unimportant to others. But to Iris it confirmed fully the decision she had come to the previous night.
“I assure you I am quite fine.” She reached the seat beside Philip’s and sat down. “Just in the mood to sleep in, is all.”
“You slept well, though?” he asked as he sat down.
“I did,” she lied. “Like a baby. Although I always wondered about that phrase. Aren’t babies known to be up at all hours of the night.”
He laughed. “Perhaps like a log? Seeing as they mostly just lie there.”
As noted, Iris’ claim that she had slept well was a lie, but one she felt was warranted in the moment. To tell the duke that she had slept poorly would force him to ask the reason, and that would only lead to much awkwardness.
Then again, I do need to tell him, don’t I? To wait will only make things more awkward, for surely he will be able to tell that something is on my mind…
“I hope you are hungry.” He rubbed his hands together and then caught the eye of the butler standing in the corner. The butler noted the look, bowed once, and hurried toward the kitchen.
“Famished,” she said. “But where is Percy? Should we wait?”
He scoffed. “Already eaten – couldn’t even wait for us.” That just brought laughter. “The good news is, he will be out all morning. For whatever reason, he decided to take a walk into the village…”Philip trailed off as he said it, and Iris saw the concern flash behind his eyes. But he dismissed it with a shake of the head. “Just you and me for now, I am afraid.”
“Oh no,” she laughed. “How dreadful.”
Philip smiled at the comment as he gazed upon her. He had changed so much these last weeks, a transformation that she might have thought to be impossible. Where he was still large and imposing, still of dark features with a powerful presence about him, it was his disposition that had changed the most.
He was happy now. Content. Not afraid to let this happiness show, no longer thinking of it as a weakness. Again, all that was to say that Iris’ decision was made that much easier.
Despite herself, she yawned suddenly.
“Are you sure you’re feeling well?” Philip asked.
“I am…” She suppressed the second yawn. “Perhaps I overslept.”
She looked away from him, realizing now that she likely looked a fright. She felt as much, and wondered if there were bags under her eyes because last night she slept for perhaps an hour, two at the most, and it wasn’t until the early hours of this morning that she had finally found peace.
Too late by then, unfortunately. Where I had been plagued by concern and even fear over the decision that I wrestled with,excitement was what replaced it, and that made sleeping all the harder.
As to the decision that she had been fretting upon?
It was yesterday in the glade when it had come to her, as she kissed the duke and realized that this marriage had become more than she ever dared dream. It was no longer a marriage of convenience, but something more, and that meant that her perception of what she wanted needed a change in course.
Philip had sensed this change also, which was why he’d told her that she did not need to feel obliged to sleep with him come the end of the month. He had thought he was easing her conscience, that his words would bring comfort and give her one less thing to worry about. As things stood, the opposite was true.
Ever since that picnic, Iris had been able to think of one thing and one thing only. That being, whether she was ready to finally sleep with her husband.
She had tossed and turned all night with the decision. Weighing the cons. Considering the pros. Worried that it might change everything. Knowing that these changes were not to be feared. Not so long ago, a month had seemed not so far away at all. Now, she felt as if it could not come soon enough.
Not that it mattered, as the decision was hers to make. And after much thinking, Iris had finally made it.
With that thought placed firmly in her mind, Iris breathed out and made sure to be looking at Philip. “Philip, there is something I wish to speak of.”
“Oh?”
Her heart was fluttering, and her breathing became heavy. “I… was thinking of what you said yesterday. While we were on our picnic.”
He frowned. “What I said? You might have to remind me.”
Her cheeks flushed pink. “About… you know…” She had to look away from embarrassment. “Your rules.”
