Page 69 of No Duke of Mine

CHAPTER NINETEEN

Maggie woke in Algernon’s arms to the continuous sway of the ducal traveling carriage. She inhaled the scent of his body, noticed the warmth and weight of his arm across her middle, and sighed, blissfully content with her situation.

She was in love and loved.

She was a wife.

Even without the benefit of a marriage, she had given Algernon her heart and passion without strings. Their desire could never be denied. It was part of who they were to each other.

She glanced around at him to find him dozing, too, but then he roused and blinked sleep from his eyes.

“Good morning, Your Grace,” she whispered.

“You have to stop calling me that. I will answer to Algernon, husband, darling, or dear. Not Your Grace or Ravenswood.” She smirked at her husband’s complaint even as he pulled aside the curtain to glance out the carriage window. “We’re almost home.”

Maggie’s stomach flipped. She had become nervous about her reception at Ravenswood the closer they got to the estate. She hoped his brothers would not be difficult about their marriage.

Algernon insisted they wouldn’t be a problem, and if they were, he was the duke. He could marry anyone he pleased.

But until she was certain how the news was received, she continued to worry. It was quite a leap from poor tutor’s daughter to duchess. She had her work to focus on as well, and that also might be met with disapproval.

Her father’s life’s work was now her own. She was well into rewriting his lessons into pages suitable for printing. First, a mathematics primer for very young children. Then a child in the middle years. And lastly, another primer for the older children, those not yet old enough to attend university or who could not afford to go.

However, Maggie also wished to publish a more rigorous primer for exceptional students. She intended to have them all done in a few short years. And if she was successful, perhaps one day she could use the money to support the Ravenswood Estate.

Algernon would always require more funds to run the estate, and she was determined not to be a burden and contribute. He’d said the need for the money was not urgent, but the debt to his brothers would always weigh on him until it was repaid in full.

The carriage slowed and made a hard turn. Maggie hurried to open all the curtains to see outside.

“Ravenswood,” she whispered, sighting green, lush fields and familiar woods.

“You remember now,” he murmured.

“Yes, I used to dream about running through the woods with you.”

His hand settled on her leg. “We could run about like that again, I’m sure, but perhaps since we’re older, a walk will suffice.”

“Probably more dignified for a duke,” she teased.

“And a duchess,” he agreed, laughing. “Oh, it is good to be home with you at last.”

Maggie nodded, feeling excitement bubble up inside her despite her misgivings.

She had loved everything about Ravenswood as a girl. Well, except for her father and Algernon’s. It had been her favorite place out of all the grand houses she’d been dragged to. And the closer they got to the sprawling country house, the more her memory of the place returned.

“It hasn’t changed very much,” she told him, sitting on the edge of her seat now.

“My father neglected the place in his later years, choosing to gamble away the money instead of making improvements here, and leaving me to pick up the pieces. There is much still to be done and always more on the horizon.”

“At least Ravenswood has you to restore her to glory,” she told him, covering his hand with hers.

Algernon drew her back against his chest. “A bit of advice before we arrive: no matter what my aunt or brothers say to you, don’t take it to heart. You belong here with me. And if the old dragon, my aunt, doesn’t approve of our marriage, she will be the one leaving. She still calls me boy, you know.”

“Aunt Violet was the one who used canes on you, wasn’t she?” she asked.

“Yes, she still swings them around. Hasn’t hit anyone with them yet, since she needs the pair now to walk with.”

“Good.”