Page 20 of My Ruthless Duke

Chapter 10

Why is it so difficult?

Dorian could not bring himself to make good on his promise. Two weeks had passed, and he had still not gone to claim his wife. After seeing her so frightened that night, he could not do it. Every morning at breakfast, she seemed more drawn and reserved. Despite how much time she spent out in the sun, Cordelia seemed to be growing paler. She clearly was not sleeping well, and he did not know how to accommodate her. She almost seemed sick, but she never complained. He had instructed the housekeeper to keep an eye on her to ensure that she was given anything that she might want. She should not be wanting for anything, and yet, she was not thriving.

It was troublesome.

Dorian’s work was slipping. He ought not to worry himself with things so trivial as how she spent her day, but how could he not when she was starting to seem ill? Mary had been avoiding himfor nearly a week now. He was jittery and on edge for reasons that he could not explain. Even now, his hand felt uncomfortably twitchy. If only there was a way to shake her and demand that she tell him what was the matter so that he could fix it. Was that truly so much to ask?

Cordelia was wilting away. He was failing. Again.

Guilt was an annoying emotion. That must be it. He was just overthinking his debts to her father, though he did not think of them asdebts. It was not his daughter’s or wife’s place to languish and suffer as a result of his sins.

This afternoon, he wasattemptingto read a book. He wastryingto distract himself enough to collect himself to resume his work. Cordelia would not ask the housekeeper for anything. But he was at a loss. How could he help her if she would notlethim?

Mary sat across the room from him, working on her needlework slowly. Every few strokes of her needle, she paused to look in his direction. Given that she also happened to be catching him at the same moment that he was watching Cordelia out of the window, he was of a mind to banish his sister from the room entirely.

“You can admit that I am right, any time now, you know,” Mary said in a singsong voice. She was overly proud of herself. “Or, is this something perhaps even more than I originally expected?”

Vexed, Dorian set down his book and angled his body away from the window to remove the temptation from himself. “What are you implying?”

“Most men would be only too happy to have feelings for their wives, you know,” Mary continued, barely keeping from smiling, though the gloating was abundantly evident in her voice.

“I do not know what you are referring to.”

“Brother, you are far too intelligent to play so stupid.”

“I do not have feelings for her. It is a convenient arrangement and nothing more. That is all.”

“Do you think that I am blind?” Mary put down her needlework to focus on him better. “Do you think that I cannot see the way that you watch her at dinner? The way that you refuse to answer even the smallest questions from her? Even Georgie has noticed it! Are youthatafraid that she might like having a conversation with you that you freeze her out entirely?”

“Are you finished?”

“I will be finished the moment that you admit that you are at least fond of her,” Mary pressed.

“You are a highly meddlesome woman; do you know that?”

Mary lifted her hands in mock surrender. “Have it your way.”

Dorian nodded and opened his book back up forcefully. He could not read a single word on the page. No matter how hard hetried to focus, he was just glossing over the same paragraph time and again, absorbing nothing. All he could think was Cordelia. Finally, with a huff of frustration, he put it back down and gave up the pretense.

“If you have a solution to how I could make her… less miserable, I would be open to your suggestions,” he said reluctantly.

“I thought you would never ask!” Mary chuckled, basking in her victory for a few moments. “I have learned that she does love flowers…”

Dorian pressed his tongue against his teeth. It took him less than a moment to understand what she was getting at. Of all of the things that she could have suggested, that was the one wholly off-limits. He wouldnever,under any circumstances, open that greenhouse again. He truly did not know why he had not had the whole thing leveled a long time ago. “Absolutely not!”

“You asked. If you do not like my answer, that is your fault,” Mary said. “All she talks about are the flowers that she had back home and how extensive her garden was. If you truly want her to behappyhere, then you need to meet her in the middle.”

“Find another middle,” Dorian insisted.

“She only wants to renovate the greenhouse, Dorian. She will transform it into something all her own. It will not be the place that Father–”

“Do notdarespeak of it or him,” Dorian warned.

“She will plant flowers, Dorian. Perhaps cover it all in a fresh coat of paint or something so that you will not even recognize it anymore. Perhaps you could put stipulations on how much she could change? I would be happy to help her so that you are not involved in any of it.”

“Enough! I should have had that cursed building destroyedyearsago!”

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