Page 12 of The Duke and the Wrong Bride

“And I told you, you’re allowed to go outside.”

“And I will…” She smirked at him. “With you. The Season is almost upon us, and people will be expecting us to attend various events, as is proper. I know you hate such things, but…” She sighed and shrugged, again enjoying how much it seemed to annoy him. “I’d like it if you would make an effort and join me. You know, for the sake of appearances.”

Again, his reaction surprised her. She’d had him pegged as a cold, disinterested person. Someone who didn’t like being made fun of or to be looked at as a fool. Really, she just assumed that his ego was like most men’s, too big for his own good, and the thought of being one-upped by a woman would be too much to bear.

As it turned out, she had misread him completely.

“That’s fair,” he said simply.

“R-really?” She balked.

“Of course.” He smiled at her. “But don’t think this means I’ll be going to every ball and promenade you suggest. I have my limits, so don’t test them.”

“I would never,” she said with just a hint of sarcasm.

He eyed her warningly, then shook his head to himself, rolled his eyes, and went back to staring out the window.

It wasn’t much longer when the carriage arrived at Hayward Estate. It was too dark to make out clearly, but it was a great big castle that loomed large and ominous in the night. In that way, it reminded her of her new husband. When the carriage came to a stop, she expected Henry to help her out and show her about, to give her some direction. After all, they were supposed to be supping together. But the moment the carriage stopped, he threw the door open and left her.

She started, wondering if he was coming back from her, but after a moment of waiting, she realized he was not and was forced to climb out herself and then give chase.

“Excuse me!” she called after him, feeling a little annoyed now because of the way he was treating her. “Where are you going?”

“To my quarters,” he grumbled without turning back. “The staff will be down to help you shortly.

“Your quarters?” She ran up the steps just as he reached the door. “You’re just going to leave me?” He was about to open it, but she reached out and grabbed him by the arm. Right away, she realized it was the wrong thing to do.

His body stiffened, as if he’d been struck. “What did I say earlier?”

“What did you say?” Her voice quavered.

He rounded on her, a cold look in his eyes that wasn’t so much anger as it was frustration. No doubt he had expected today to proceed more smoothly than it had, Charlotte being the meek wife who would do as he asked without question. The fact that she was pushing him so consistently was clearly beginning to grate on him.

“About asking me about my business.” He stood over her, taller than she had realized him to be. Reaching out, he rested a finger under her chin and forced her to look into his eyes. They were demanding and cold, the look of a man who didn’t like being questioned. “We’ve been married for less than a day, and already you’ve broken one of my rules.”

“I-I did not mean to,” she stammered, trying to find bravery within herself. “I just thought you might… that you would help me find my way?”

“And I told you, the staff will be down shortly.” He kept his finger under her chin, and at that moment, she felt completely in his thrall, knowing that he had all the power here, and there was little she could do to break it.

Strangely, unexpectedly, that feeling of helplessness wasn’t nearly as terrifying as she might have thought.

She meant to take a step back, but her heels rested on the edge of the step, and she found herself unwilling to break his touch. Yes, her heart raced. And yes, her body flushed. But there was something else there… a fire simmering that she’d never felt before.

“Do not test my limits,” he continued, his voice softer now. “I know you didn’t wish for this marriage, but I promise that if you continue to push me, you’ll rue the day your sister thought to abandon you the way she did.” He raised his eyebrows in warning, and she gasped.

And then, clearly feeling that his message was received, he dropped his hand, turned about, and stormed inside, leaving her on the steps, heart beating, face flushing, body overheating as she struggled to decide how she felt about what had just happened.

A part of her hated the man she had been forced to wed. But another part… it wanted to see how far she could push, and what might happen if she did.

ChapterFour

Henry had never expected to spend his wedding night hiding in his bedroom, but that’s what he was doing. Although the wordhidingdidn’t sit well with him, as it implied fear, when trepidation was the better term to use. He was being cautious only, aware of the situation he’d found himself in, wanting to pour cold water on it early, rather than risking letting it turn into something he certainly did not want.

Had this been a mistake? Should he not have gone through with this marriage? He hadn’t wanted to. Marriage to a woman he barely knew was the last thing that Henry had desired. But he’d had no choice in the matter! He was a part of the peerage now, and that was just the way things were. His reputation demanded it.

As to his wife… Charlotte. She wasn’t at all what he was expecting. There was a fire in her, he now knew. Hidden. Simmering. Waiting to be unleashed. This marriage was supposed to be an easy solution to the problems that hounded him, but if the last hour or so was anything to go by, there would be nothing easy about it.

And so he paced his room, mind racing as he tried to reckon with what he was going to do, hoping that today was an anomaly, and soon he and his wife would be able to exist together without having to spend too much time together. As impossible as that might seem.

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