Page 9 of Married to the Ruthless Duke

When they got to the study, the Viscount offered him some whiskey, but he declined. His mind was already muddled where Helen was concerned, so he would prefer to keep it as clear as possible.

“Your Grace, I acknowledge that it was presumptuous of me to think that you would not hold me to the contract, but you must understand that this agreement was between your father and me. I didn’t think that you would want to follow your father’s wishes, since young people these days prefer to choose their partners themselves.”

“Well, I have my reasons for deciding to go this way. Besides, it is a well-known fact that you raised your daughters into well-mannered ladies despite the loss of their mother. I simply want the best,” Alexander said, smiling softly. “And I know this marriage will not just be beneficial for me but for you as well. I know about your near financial ruin. I promise to support you, despite the rumors you may have heard about me, andverywell if she pleases me.”

There was nothing like adding subtle flattery and playing on a man’s greed when one wanted to deflect suspicion, and it had the desired effect.

The Viscount visibly relaxed and smiled in obvious pride.

“Well, Margaret is a well-mannered young lady with a good head on her shoulders. She is calm and nurturing but perhaps not the best when it comes to social gatherings. She will outgrow it with time. The two of you would do well together.”

“You seem to be mistaken, My Lord,” Alexander clarified. “I didn’t come to request Margaret’s hand in marriage.”

“Then why did you come?” the Viscount asked, visibly confused.

“I want to marry your younger daughter, Helen.”

ChapterThree

The meeting between her father and the Duke was taking longer than she had expected, but then she felt that if they were going to discuss her sister’s future, they should take their time and be thorough about it.

Not that she would ever allow her sister to be drawn into such an agreement. But she would prefer to get the confrontation with the Duke over with before her bravado completely deserted her.

Helen hadn’t expected the reaction he had evoked in her and found it hard to speak, but now that she knew her sister’s plight, such silly emotions had to die so she could protect her.

Just about then, she heard footsteps as the Duke and her father made their way down the stairs. Her heart beat a frantic rhythm as she watched him descend the stairs she had walked a thousand times, marveling at how his aura seemed to dwarf the ancient wood structure.

She agreed wholeheartedly that the Duke was attractive in a way that left one staring in awe. Every movement he made was oddly graceful for such a large man, and the way he filled out his waistcoat gave hints that he might have a well-sculpted body beneath all the proper apparel of gentlemen. She had spotted his large hands when he had sipped tea, and they’d looked calloused with a light dusting of hair, more like a workman’s than an aristocrat’s.

The Duke cleared his throat, and it had the desired effect of jolting her out of her reverie. She met his gaze, and the amused look in his eyes showed he had caught her gawking at him. She flushed in embarrassment.

Since when did she start having a vivid imagination about the anatomical proportions of gentlemen? She would like to blame it on the fact that she had recently just visited Lady Hamburg’s statuary, where she saw a lot of Roman sculptures that exhibited the male anatomy in a tad exaggerated fashion. Exaggerated, because she doubted that the lean figures of the typical English lords, who were given to excess food and drink, could have such a level of muscles. But the Duke looked like he might have a body similar to those of the statues.

The smug smile on the Duke’s face seemed to widen, making it obvious that he could discern the path her mind was clearly taking. Her flush intensified till she was sure she resembled a bright red tomato. She tilted her chin and composed herself, despite her embarrassment.

“I fail to see what is so amusing, Your Grace,” she said in a voice that was surprisingly steady.

“I am sure that you could guess the cause of my amusement. Surely, you would not like me to say it aloud,” he said with amusement in his voice, even though she heard the veiled warning.

He was so clearly enjoying her obvious discomfort. Helen opted to change the topic of discussion.

“Helen, you’re being very rude,” her father scolded. “Come pour the Duke some tea.”

She sighed yet went to obey, resisting the urge to breathe in deeper when the Duke’s sandalwood scent permeated the air the closer she got to him.

“Thank you,” he told her with a thick voice when she handed the cup to him.

“You’re welcome,” she answered, nearly breathless.

Their fingers lightly brushed when she moved to hand the cup over to him, and she nearly dropped it at the spark that went through her.

She cleared her throat and returned to her seat, earning a confused look from her sister.

“How was your discussion, Father?”

“It was quite satisfactory if I do say so myself,” the Duke replied, smiling triumphantly.

“It was fine, Helen,” her father answered. “But that is not talk to concern yourself with. It’s men’s matters.”

---