Page 36 of The Duke and the Unwanted Bride

“Oh no…” Frederick pulled pieces of grass out of her hair as she patted herself down. “I am so sorry. That was… I don’t even know what to say.”

“Not the success I was hoping for.” Hannah chuckled as she smoothed down her skirt. “But I suppose it was too much to hope for.”

Frederick grimaced as he plucked a petal from her hair. “She will come around, I promise.”

“So you keep saying.”

“She is just…”

“Stubborn, like her father?” Hannah shot back.

Frederick’s face dropped, and he fixed her with a no-nonsense glare. But the sight of her, bedraggled, dirty, a real mess, made him burst into laughter.

“What?!” she snapped. “What is so funny!”

“I am sure you can guess.” He tried his best to stop laughing but was unable to.

“Oh, I am just so glad that my misery brings you such joy.”

“At least it does to one of us…” He took a deep breath, calming himself, his body still shaking. “And to be honest with you, I could use the laughter. It has been a while.”

She rolled her eyes. “Alright, but you owe me. One embarrassing situation so I can laugh at you, thank you.”

“Deal.” He grinned.

It was only just then that Frederick realized that they were once more alone. Standing less than one foot apart. His hands all over her as he plucked petals and leaves and pollen. And standing this close to her, looking at her properly… again, he was forced to admit just how stunning she was.

Her deep brown eyes were playful. Her smile was mischievous and fiery. And even though she had since dressed herself in a more conservative pelisse and jacket, Frederick remembered how she had looked earlier today in her wedding gown.

“Ah… I should thank you, too,” he said awkwardly, his eyes flicking past her so as not to stare.

“For?”

“For doing as you promised. For at least trying with my daughter.”

She scoffed. “I did not have much luck.”

“But you tried,” he emphasized. “For now, that is as much as I could have hoped for.”

“Oh, well, you are welcome…” She looked away sheepishly, her cheeks coloring.

“And for—” He bit his tongue. But at that moment, as close as they were, as alone, as unable to stop looking at his wife as he was, Frederick felt his self-control slipping. “For behaving yourself. I didn’t know you had it in you.”

Her eyes flashed, and she looked at him again. “I am not the one with the problem. That, Your Grace, is you.”

He scoffed. “Me? I will remind you that you are the one who keeps… throwing herself at me.”

“I have done no such thing!”

“And you would be a fool to try,” he said, looking into her eyes, his heart fluttering. “For it will do you no good. I told you, ours is a marriage of convenience. Nothing more.”

“Are you sure about that?” She raised a challenging eyebrow at him. A quick glance about the garden, as if to double check they were alone.

“Do you doubt me?”

“I think you know that I do.”

She leaned closer to him. Close enough that if he wanted, he could reach out and pull her into his arms. Something that he very much wanted to do.

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