Page 10 of Her Tiger of a Duke
“That cannot happen any longer. I am a duke, and they have no choice but to respect me. The whole purpose of this engagementis to protect both yourself and Lady Helena, as a connection to me will prevent anything being said.”
She laughed emptily, looking at him as if he did not know anything at all.
“You do not understand. You are a gentleman, and therefore immune to any gossip of their kind. Besides, in our position you are a hapless victim that wished to become a husband. It is not as though they would use their words against you.”
He did not believe her at first, but he could see the sincerity in her eyes. It was true that he did not know how it felt to be a young lady at the mercy of Society, especially a lady like her.
“Lady Beatrice,” he assured her, “when you are my wife, I will not allow anyone to say a word against you. You shall be my duchess, and it is my duty to protect you regardless of the circumstances surrounding our marriage.”
She seemed to believe him, at least a little. Owen did not let himself be wounded by her lack of faith, for he would prove himself soon enough. They continued on their way, and there were no more unwanted discussions or intrusions.
When they returned to the carriage, he turned to help her, but he then remembered that she did not want assistance. As he stopped, however, she reached out for him and tumbled. He caught her, his arms wrapping around her instinctively as she fell into him, her heartbeat matching his and their eyes locked together. He froze, looking at her as she settled against him,laughing shyly about the fall. She glanced at her maid, who was watching in surprise but said nothing, and then her cheeks turned bright pink, and she stumbled to her feet, boarding the carriage without another word.
Owen followed her, uncertain of the feelings stirring in his chest.
CHAPTER 5
It was a quiet wedding, precisely what Beatrice had always wanted.
Unfortunately, it was not with the grandeur befitting a duke. Outside, thetonwas abuzz with excitement, and as Beatrice waited to walk down the aisle, she tried in vain not to listen to them.
“They seem happy about the match,” her father commented, “and with all things considered, we cannot ask for much more than that.”
Beatrice could only nod as she smoothed her demure white gown. It had not been as intricate as she had imagined, but t the simplicity of the garment could not be helped on such short notice. She felt deserving of everything that was happening to her, with the exception of the title she was to receive. She was not the right sort of lady to be a duchess, and while her friends had come to enjoy their roles in Society, she could not believe that the same thing could happen to her.
The music began, signaling that she was to enter the church hall, but all that she could wonder was whether or not her friends would miraculously be there. They had received invitations at her husband-to-be’s request, for he thought it would be wise to have the dukes and duchesses there, but there was no telling whether they would have the time to arrange everything or not.
Everything, including a special license, had been put in place in the span of a week, after all.
The doors were thrown open, and Beatrice stood before the longest walk of her life. With every step, she worried that she would trip on her skirts, or step badly and stumble as she had done in Hyde Park. When she finally reached the altar, she stood in silence until her vows, which she mumbled.
The Duke smiled at her throughout, and she knew that he was trying to encourage her, but she could not stand it. He was being so kind to her, but she knew how angry he truly was. She glanced away at the seats and saw Helena sitting there, smiling at them. It was a dutiful smile, and Beatrice could see the panic in her face, hiding.
As the Duke recited his vows in turn, Beatrice tried to listen, but her thoughts were plagued by the fact that she was to steal Helena’s life from her. Beatrice would have been happy enough as a spinster, but Helena would not survive as an unmarried mother, even if the Duke swore that he could protect her too.
She blinked and glanced at her fiancé, who was looking at her expectantly. She realized then that she had not been listening tothe vicar, and when her new husband leaned forward to kiss her she almost pulled away instinctively.
But she knew what he wanted, and that it was expected of her. It was awkward, a peck on the lips that signified that she was now a wife, and very little more. She knew that her husband saw it that way too, but she was all too aware that the burning in her chest was not shared. She took his arm, and as they left the church and smiled at their guests, she saw her friends at last.
Emma, Cecilia, and Dorothy were sitting together with their husbands, in complete shock. Beatrice had not written to them herself about the wedding, and she wondered if she perhaps should have, but she was too busy being pleased that they were there. This way, she would at least have an enjoyable day before disappearing to her new home, possibly forever.
“You did rather well,” the Duke said as they returned to his London home for the wedding breakfast. “Though I must say, I was expecting you to have that same clear voice that you had at the first wedding.”
“Your Grace, I–”
“In light of the circumstances, might we drop the formality? Owen is perfectly fine now.”
“Very well, Owen… I apologize. You may well think that I have a strong, proud way of voicing my opinions, and that I always have, but you are mistaken. I have always been rather…”
“Quiet? Yes, your friends’ husbands made that known to me. Your mother, too. And Helena, for that matter. I was expecting it, believe me, and you did very well, given what it must have cost you to speak up as much as you did.”
“So, you are not angry?”
“Of course not. Whyever would I be? This is not an ideal circumstance, and it would be foolish of me to demand perfection when I cannot attain it myself. Beatrice, I know that you have felt expectations that you could never quite meet, but I am not here to force them upon you. I am your husband, and I wish for you to feel comfortable in my presence.”
Beatrice thought about his words as they arrived for the breakfast. She had expected to be unable to eat at all, but as she took her seat, she discovered that she was, in fact, ravenous.
“I hope it is all to your liking,” he whispered beside her. “Knowing that your passions lie in the kitchen, I wanted to ensure that everything was to your standard.”
