Page 10 of My Ruthless Duke

“The greenhouse is off limits.”

She felt as if water had been dumped over her head. “What do you mean? I could work miracles in a greenhouse like that! You cannot even imagine the sort of rare flowers that I could bring to life with that much space and light!”

Working in a garden had always been her happy place. It was the one thing that no matter what was happening in her life aroundher, there was always that. There was something cathartic about working with her hands in the soil and knowing that she was bringing something to life, helping it to thrive. Her smile was so wide it was making her cheeks hurt. Surely, the duke could be reasoned with. After all, she had just married him—she had come all this way; was he truly going to deny her first desire?

“I said the greenhouse is off limits to you,” the duke repeated.

There was something in his gaze that both gave her pause and deflated her at the same time. She could ask why; she could ask what the consequences would be. But something in his eyes stopped her. There was a story there, one that she did not know if it would be wise to go searching for just yet.

“There are a great many diversions available to you inside the house. I am certain that, while you are still adjusting, you will hardly have time for gardening anyway,” he continued.

Gardening was the sort of thing that she wouldmaketime for.

“Do you have some sort of animosity toward plants?” Cordelia asked, attempting to lighten the mood.

“Hardly.”

The front doors to the massive estate opened, and the butler came walking out, a couple of maids behind him. It was a far cry from the sort of formal presentations that she was otherwise accustomed to when visiting estates like this.

“Your Grace?” The butler asked, looking very confused.

“Ah, yes. Monty, may I present my new duchess? Lady Cordelia, this is Monty, our butler, and some of our staff. The housekeeper is likely around the back at the moment. So, you will have to meet her later. Feel free to pick any of the female staff to be your lady’s maid or whatever you might need,” the duke said with a dismissive lift of his hand.

“You got married, Your Grace?” Monty asked, surprise evident in his features.

“That is what I just said, is it not?”

“Youwhat?” A female voice demanded from the darkness of the doorway. “Dorian, you didnotgo and get married without so much as sending a letter home. You did not even care to invite me? What in the heavens is wrong with you?”

Oh, Cordelia sorely hoped that was not his mistress.

“You ought not to have been so secretive!” The woman chastised.

However, the duke seemed content enough to allow her temper. Interesting.

“It is lovely to meet you,” the woman turned to her, pulling Cordelia into a firm hug without waiting to be properly introduced. “Since my brother has more rudeness than sense, I am Mary.”

Oh, she liked her already.

“Cordelia. It is a pleasure to meet you!”

“Likewise. My rascal of a son is somewhere in here. Well, I suppose that makes him your rascal of a nephew now, does it not?” Mary chuckled, linking her arm through Cordelia’s. Mary did not so much as cast a backward glance at her brother as she pedaled the pair of them away and into the house.

“I think you and I are going to be fast friends,” Cordelia giggled. She, however, did cast a single backward glance to see the look of faint irritation on her new husband’s face.

“I certainly hope so. I have wanted a friend to help liven this place up for a while! I know that my brother can be somewhat… difficult to handle from time to time. But the trick is to not let him know when he gets to you. It drives him mad.”

Cordelia laughed, already thinking about all the ways she could put such an inside tip to good use.

“Where should we start, hm? How about a tour?” Mary offered.

“I would love that!”

When Cordelia looked back once more, the duke was already gone.

“Uncle, look what I have made!” Georgie’s small voice never seemed to slow down. Of course, Mary insisted on him sharing every meal with them. She claimed that it was the only way to have him learn the best ways to conduct himself in society. She had a point, but he had a sinking suspicion that Mary just secretly liked watching the fraying cords of Dorian’s temper threatening to snap.

Every inane conversation felt like a test.

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