Page 32 of My Ruthless Duke

“I disagree, I have my priorities in the correct order. It isyouthat seems to need the reminder.” Dorian’s tone started to lace with authority toward the end. If she did not leave right this instant, she was going to cave, and she knew it.

“You will have to catch me first, Your Grace.”

Cordelia twisted the handle open and ducked out of the room quickly so that she would not second guess the temptation. She practically ran down the hallway to the parlor, where she knew that Mary was waiting for her. Somewhere in the distance, she could hear Georgie running around giggling and chose to ignore that as well—she needed to focus and leave Georgie to his governess. Shecertainlydid not need to give any thought to the possibility of being with child at some point herself. With the voracity Dorian seemed to apply to the task, it felt inevitable. Was it not?

Focus, Cordelia.

Smoothing down her dress and hoping that her face was not too flushed, she hurried into the parlor with a bright grin at Mary as she moved to link her friend’s arm with her own. “I am sorry to keep you waiting,” she grinned.

“Not at all,” Mary answered with a quizzical look in Cordelia’s direction. “Are you well, dear? You look flustered.”

She quickly shook her head; this was not the time nor the place to be discussing what she was so flustered about.

“I hope that we have not come at a bad time?” Mr. Hislop asked.

“Not at all! We are thrilled to have you here, please, sit!” Cordelia gestured to the couch and moved to take a seat of herown, still tender from Dorian’s touches when she did. But she felt that she did a good job of concealing it. It was next to impossible to keep from thinking about her husband when she could still feel the ghosts of his hands and… other parts every waking moment. He truly had an insatiable appetite. She did not have it within her to protest when she was enjoying it as thoroughly as she was.

It took less than a minute for Mary and Mr. Hislop to fall into an animated conversation. They were lost in their own world, leaving Cordelia and Matthew to occupy the time in their own way.

“You seem to have adjusted well in the time since I last saw you,” Matthew said.

Somehow, it did not feel like a compliment the way he was phrasing it. She smiled nonetheless. “Thank you, I think so as well. I feel… better.”

“No further issues with your husband?” He asked, not breaking eye contact.

Cordelia’s brow furrowed. “To what issues are you referring, Cousin?”

“I do not mean to be crude, Cordelia, but for a man of his reputation, I have certainly not seen anything about his treatment of you that would make me think he is anything other than the rumors about him,” Matthew explained gently.

But all she could focus on was the part where Dorian washandlingher. She shifted and crossed her legs tightly. “I assure you that you have nothing to worry about, but I am grateful for your concern.”

“How much can you truly know about the man that you were forced into marriage with?” He continued. “Other than the fact that he murdered his own father. Only a ruthless man could be capable of such things.”

He… sort of had a point. It was not as if Dorian had been very forthcoming about his past or the things that he had endured with his father. Any time they had even gotten close to his history, the subject was always swiftly changed. There was still so much that he did not trust her with. Of course, she knew that things were progressing between them… but perhaps she ought to question things more.

She offered Matthew a thin-lipped smile and eased back into the couch. Besides, her new relationship with Dorian was still so fragile that she did not wish to put it in jeopardy.

Cordelia opened her mouth to respond to Matthew, but the sound of Mary’s laughter beside them drew both their attention.

"Did you hear what Mr. Hislop just said?" Mary called out, her eyes bright with amusement as she glanced at Cordelia.

“I was telling her about the time I attempted to ride sidesaddle,” Patrick explained, grinning, his humor infectious.

Mary covered her mouth, shaking her head. “He lasted all of ten seconds before falling off and declaring it an impossible feat.”

Cordelia chuckled, the lightness of the moment breaking the tension in the room. “I am surprised you tried at all, Mr. Hislop.”

“Anything for a good story,” Patrick replied, shooting a playful wink in Mary’s direction, which earned him another soft laugh. “Also, I had somewhat lost a bet to Huxton.”

Matthew leaned closer to Cordelia, his voice low. “I do believe your sister-in-law is rather smitten.”

Cordelia smiled but said nothing, watching as Mary’s smile lingered in a way that spoke of more than just passing infatuation.

Later that night, Cordelia lay in her bed, warm and satiated, with the bedding wrapped around her chest. It would only be a few moments before Dorian left her again. He never stayed after they finished. She did not know how to ask him to stay or why he felt that he needed to leave. Dorian shuffled around the bedroom, plucking his shirt and breeches off the floor and dressing very lazily.

Just ask him.

There could not truly be a better time to broach the subject. It could go badly, she knew. But she could not live the rest of her life in the dark. This was a gap that would need to be bridged sooner or later.

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