Page 16 of The Duke's Unclaimed Bride
The Duke stepped closer, and she felt his eyes appraising her once more.
“The duchy,” he started. “It is in a poor state. I inherited it some time ago, along with the fortune my father built during his lifetime, but I am unable to access the funds I need to secure it.”
“Unable?” Edith echoed, cocking her head.
“His will contains a clause. To be able to access the funds, I must?—”
“Have a wife and a child,” Edith finished for him, the truth of the situation finally sinking in.
“Now you see my plight.”
“It is quickly becoming clearer, but why not simply father children of your own? Why go through all this trouble to adopt a child?”
“I have neither the intention nor the desire to father a child,” he huffed.
“Why not?”
Edith watched his jaw clench as he looked away from her. He inhaled deeply, as if to steady himself, but his shoulders remained rigid.
“That is my concern, not yours,” he said, his hands now curled into fists at his sides. “Do you accept my offer?”
“I…” Edith looked away, her thoughts racing. “I don’t…”
The Duke’s expression hardened, and he walked up to her until his face was mere inches from her own. The smell of wine and cedarwood tickled her senses.
“I want to make myself clear, Lady Nealton. I do not care for the prattling of the ton, or their whispers about reputation and scandal,” he declared.
“But—”
“I do not care about your reputation, nor where Tilly comes from. What I care about is gaining access to my fortune. Yes, after we marry, they will talk—as they always do. But eventually, they’ll move on to the next scandal. With my title and money, you would be able to continue your charity work and give Tilly a secure home. You would have something important that few ladies of the ton ever achieve: independence.”
Edith looked at him, her heart beating in her throat at his proximity. As much as she wanted to, she knew she couldn’t deny the truth of his words.
She was a widow, and though her late husband had been respectable, he hadn’t been a duke. She had seen how quickly the ton’s opinion shifted in the presence of a title and fortune. Tilly could have a good life, and Edith’s charity and independence could endure.
“Are you implying that ours would be a marriage of convenience?”
“Yes. Purely business. That being said, neither you nor your ward will ever lack for anything. You will have everything both of you desire,” he answered firmly, keeping his sharp eyes on hers.
Edith took a long, deep breath, trying her best to calm her hammering heart.
Another marriage of convenience. Another marriage where I would be nothing more than a mere ornament for my husband.
Sadness flooded her. She’d never held out any real hope of finding love as a widow, but if she accepted the Duke’s cold, practical offer, even the faintest of hopes would have to be extinguished. For good.
Nevertheless, she had no other choice. After the way the ton had treated her at that evening’s charity gala, she knew exactly where she stood.
She now had a child to care for. Until then, she’d scraped by alone, trading comfort for survival. But that was when she’d only had to worry about her own needs.
I can do this for Tilly. For the charities.
“I accept,” she breathed.
The Duke nodded once. “Then we’ll be wed within the week.”
Edith blinked. “That’s a bit quick,” she protested.
“The quicker, the better. You need not worry, I will handle all the preparations. All you need to do is show up.”
