Page 31 of The Duke and the Unwanted Bride

He wanted her. She knew that he did. If he did not, he would not treat her like a pariah, as if touching her might see his hand bitten. Oh yes, she did not doubt the Duke’s true feelings. She did, however, wonder about her own.

Hannah smirked to herself as she shuffled back in her seat, content to continue the rest of the journey in silence. There was no rush, she decided. They did, after all, have the rest of their lives to spend together. The rest of their lives to figure out what this was. So, let him have the carriage ride.

Tonight was to be their wedding night, and she would see then just how self-controlled the Duke was. Not to mention, finding out once and for all what potential this marriage might have.

“Amelia!” Frederick called as soon as he walked into the foyer. “Amelia!”

Hannah was right behind him, hurrying to keep up as he strode ahead, doing her best not to look annoyed by the way he was acting. It was one thing to try and set boundaries, but this was bordering on rudeness and discourtesy. As soon as the carriage pulled up, Frederick climbing out of it, striding ahead of her without so much as checking that she was following him.

And then there was this ‘Amelia’ whom he called. A name that she had heard several times before but still had no idea to whom it belonged! Initially, Hannah had wondered if it was a woman who held his heart, and if she might have been the reason that he didn’t wish to touch her.

But surely not. Was she a maid? Why did she live here? And why was Frederick so eager to see her?!

“Amelia!” he called again, looking around the foyer expectantly.

“Do not trouble yourself,” Hannah huffed angrily. “I am right behind you. Not that you cared to check.”

Surprisingly, Frederick grimaced as he turned back to see her coming toward him. Even looking embarrassed.

“I am sorry,” he offered. “I did not mean to—I should have helped you down from the carriage and shown you inside.”

“It is a little late for that.”

Again, he grimaced. “My mind is elsewhere, I am afraid. I haven’t seen her the whole day, and surely she is eager to meet you.”

Hannah could not have been more confused. “And who is it that you are speaking of?” She did her best not to look or sound worried.

“Amelia, of course.”

“And who is?—”

Her words caught in her throat when a woman walked into the foyer.

She was about Hannah’s age, dark of hair, light of skin, and pretty with big blue eyes and pixie-like features. The way she was dressed suggested that she was a maid, and this, paired with her relief at the sight of Frederick, made Hannah’s stomach churn.

So… Amelia was a maid. More than that, she could only be his paramour. It was almost ridiculous to consider that this man, who seemed to pride himself on self-control and propriety, might see fit to marry while also having a mistress he was happy to parade in front of his new wife!

Hannah had been wondering to herself how she felt about her new husband, if this urge to seduce him was anything more than a mere desire to be proven correct, or if she actually had feelings for him. But at the sight of this gorgeous woman swaying her hips as she made for Frederick, she had no choice but to admit to the jealousy that rose up within her.

“Your Grace,” the woman, presumably Amelia, greeted with a smile. “You’re back.”

“I might have been back sooner,” Frederick said. “But the wedding breakfast lasted a little longer than I had hoped. How is everything?”

“Oh, she is becoming restless.”

Frederick chuckled. “I am not surprised. She wasn’t at all happy that she could not come today.”

She?

Hannah started, looking between the woman and Frederick, not entirely sure what was going on.

“I tried to explain to her why that was, but…” The woman sighed and shook her head. “She is stubborn.”

Again, Frederick chuckled. “Like her father, so try not to hold it against her. Where is she?”

In answer to his question, a shrill cry suddenly rang out through the foyer.

“Daddy!” The cry was followed by the sound of footsteps, and then by the body of a little girl hurtling itself across the foyer and right into Frederick’s arms. “You’re back!”

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