Page 31 of The Duchess He Couldn’t Resist

“Please leave it on the table,” Marigold said. “The true lady of the house demands belly rubs.”

The maid entered the room, wide eyes on Duck, and did as told.

“Your Grace,” the maid said with a brittle smile, “you seem to have tamed the beast.”

Marigold snorted.

“Duck is not a beast.” She got up and took her place at the armchair, the dog at her heels. “She is a playful little princess.”

“Perhaps to you, Your Grace. She’s never like this with anyone around the house,” the maid said and then lowered her voice to add, “not even His Grace.”

Marigold served herself some tea and smiled into the cup. Here, one hand still patted Duck on the head, and the massive dog sat down at her feet. But that peace was short-lived. Soon Duck was on her feet, bouncing around the room.

“Fine, let’s take a walk out to the gardens,” Marigold said and made her way down.

She took the way out through the big drawing room, and the footman there rushed to escort her, but she waved him off gently. The gardens matched the house: immaculate with manicured hedges and a reflecting pool. Rows upon rows of roses trained to climb up arches. She took one gravel path with Duck running ahead. She thought of her own garden back in Cove Manor, the one she had built with her own hands that kept them from starving. She had no practical use for it now, but she still missed it, the only thing of her old life that she did.

She wandered out to the gardens, depleting Duck’s inexhaustible energy until it was almost dinner time. She returned to her room, and the maid, whose name was Beth, showed her to the dressing room and helped her into a dinner dress and gloves.

She went down to the dinner hall with four footmen and staff running around. Mrs. Hodgins was also there, hesitating.

“If you are worried about my dietary restrictions or preferences,” Marigold assured the older woman, “please refrain from doing so.”

“His Grace is out on business, Your Grace,” Mrs. Hodgins said in the current manner Marigold was not used to. “He said not to wait up.”

Marigold managed to maintain her smile and thanked her. Very gracefully, she sat down at the dinner table, and at least seven people watched her do so alone, none of them daring to talk to the Duchess. She braved through all courses, sure that the kitchen staff had outdone themselves for that first wedding night. And while all the cutlery echoed through the empty room, Marigold was overwhelmed with thoughts.

It seemed that the Duke had already grown bored with her. He didn’t even inform her himself on the first night, leaving her to eat alone. And she hadn’t even given him the information he needed from her. How would things be when she had exhausted her use?

She went back into her room and endured while Beth helped her into her nightgown. Once she was alone, Claire’s words echoed in her mind, the ones she told her at the church right this very morning, as if some dreadful omen was becoming real.

“If you do not take all that you can before you have outrun your use, you will regret it.”

Marigold was not one to steal, snatch, and exploit others, but she would not sit around waiting to be discarded. And the only way to do that was to remain useful. Information was the one thing that the Duke wanted from her. There was still another part of the deal that she was required to fulfill.

Marigold looked at herself in the mirror. She never saw herself as a great beauty, but the Duke did not seem completely appalled by her appearance if she were to judge by the way he had kissed her twice. Marigold inhaled decisively. She sat down at the vanity and fixed her hair. She would make herself indispensable, and she would start by doing what a wife should do.

CHAPTER 10

INTENTIONAL CRUELTY

Brandon was sitting alone in his carriage as it rolled through the empty London streets. He knew exactly what time it was because he had just passed the Abbey, striking midnight.

“Blast it!”

He didn’t know that doing this would take so long, but it couldn’t be avoided. If he wanted Marigold’s debts to Johnny’s people paid, he had to use a middleman, and that was not an easy commodity to find. And yet he had to. He had no intention of showing his face and revealing his hand so soon.

But again, why did it have to take this long? Brandon knew it was absolutely unforgivable to leave his new bride alone on their wedding night. It wasn’t just society’s expectations. It was the mere fact that this was her first day in a new environment with a new role. And for better or for worse, he was the only point of reference for her.

The carriage turned onto the street, and finally, he had eyes on Verdant House. Most of the windows were dark. The carriage left him at the main entrance, and he was greeted by Mr. Hodgins.

“Your room is prepared, Your Grace,” the butler said. “Would you like me to draw you a bath?”

“Do not disturb the staff at this hour,” he said and made his way to his room. “I can change myself. Thank you.”

He went up the stairs through the gallery, undoing his cravat. He passed by the gallery and turned to the private wing of the Duke and Duchess. He was taking off his cufflinks when he passed by her room. He looked at the opening under the door. Dark. Of course, she was sleeping. Why would she wait up for him? After all, the message he left instructed her to do so.

Brandon tightened his jaw outside the room, realizing that he didn’t even have the decency to tell her he would be out himself. He could rationalize it all he wanted by saying he was striking down a trusted agent to carry out the payments to the gang, but if he were a decent human being, he would have spared a moment to excuse himself.