Page 11 of My Dangerous Duke

“Now I know it is custom for the bride to have a few minutes alone with her friends between the wedding and reception to refresh,” Margaret stated presently, an air of authority to her tone, “But such time has passed. Gather yourself, child. You and your husband must receive your guests so that we may get this wedding breakfast going. Remember, we must be on the road to Larsen by nightfall.”

A rush of emotions hit Eleanor as she dabbed at her forehead one last time before letting the Dowager lead her back out into the reception hall. Despite her annoyance over not speaking to Xander since their little moment of passion in her father’s study, she had found herself looking forward to her wedding day. But, as her father walked her down the aisle, and she met the eyes of her future husband, she saw a look she could not decipher.

Other than to say the words required from them by the priest, Xander had said nothing. Had he changed his mind? Had he realized she was right about the better women out there, and now regretted this strange deal? Eleanor had asked her father about Xander’s proposal just as he had suggested, several times in fact, but each time she did so her father’s mood would darken and he would berate her for her ingratitude. During her last attempt to finally find out what was going on, he had threatened to lock her in her room until her wedding, so, she had finally stopped asking.

“I have our bride,” the Dowager announced as she led Eleanor back into the reception hall. “And where is our groom?”

“Right here.”

Xander’s words sounded so close to Eleanor’s ear that it startled her, and she gasped as she whirled around; nearly smacking her nose into her husband’s wide, tuxedoed chest. Xander’s hands came around her shoulders immediately, preventing her from stumbling, and set her firmly back on her feet.

“What are you doing scaring your bride like that?” his grandmother huffed, swatting her grandson’s arm. “Where are the manners I spent years teaching you?”

Xander’s dark eyes lightened and glittered with amusement as he kept them on Eleanor.

“I did not mean to scare you,Honey,” he said softly, his one brow rising slightly as he tilted his head. “Forgive me?”

The tone of his voice and the directness of his gaze were sending a cacophony of interesting sensations through her body, but Eleanor ignored them all and allowed her annoyance at him to rise.

“For this transgression, yes,” she replied sweetly, mimicking the tilt of his head. “For avoiding me and conversation? Not yet.”

Xander smirked and rolled his eyes at her as Margaret let out a loud, sharp laugh and clapped her hands.

“Such pluck! I love it!” She crowed, reaching up to pinch Eleanor’s cheeks.

“You will be good for my grandson, my girl,” she praised as guests began to gather around them, “You are just what he needs.”

“I am so disappointed that your cousin, Richard, could not be here,” Xander’s grandmother despaired for the hundredth time as she walked with him and Eleanor toward their carriage.

“Is it not you, Grandmother, that always says we must be gentle with poor, Little Richard?” Xander retorted, casting his grandmother a mischievous look. She tisked her tongue as she swatted at his arm, and he chuckled.

“It matters not,” he continued, pushing to be off the subject, “He is in Larsen and so shall we be in a few short hours.”

The subject dropped, and Xander let out a muted sigh of relief. The day had been stressful enough without his foolish cousin’s presence. Xander had arranged for Richard to enter the Royal Navy but he had not told his grandmother yet. Eleanor, who, aside from being startlingly beautiful in her wedding gown, had also been driving him startling mad with questions every spare second they had been given. Then of course, if it was not Eleanor, it was her parents, her sister, or his grandmother. All of whom demanded something different from him.

“I am sorry that your parents did not stay to send you off,” his grandmother apologized to Eleanor as she kissed both her cheeks, “But they seemed in a most urgent hurry.”

“Your offer to them of your country house was quite gracious,” Eleanor replied respectfully as she accepted his grandmother’s affections, “They were most excited to take advantage of whatever they had left of week’s end hours, I am sure. Besides it is of no matter to me, I am happy to go.”

Though still annoyed from her earlier pestering, Xander felt a swell of compassion and pride at his wife’s response. It was obvious that she understood who her parents were and what they wanted. Very much like himself, now that she had been properly played, she was being discarded. Xander could understand why he was being used, but what he did not comprehend was how little Victor Langley truly cared about his youngest daughter’s wellbeing.

“Well put, young lady,” the Dowager praised, stepping away from them both. “All right, farewell my darlings. I shall see you soon.”

“She is not coming with us?” Eleanor asked him as he opened the carriage door for her.

“She will be along in a few days,” Xander explained. “Unlike me, she does not have an aversion to London society.”

“You do not like London society?” Eleanor asked, still standing by the carriage.

“I do not believe I like any society,” Xander replied bluntly, nodding toward the entrance. “Go on, get in.”

Eleanor raised a brow as she took a step back and crossed her arms. “Are you not going to help me in?”

Xander’s hands, like they had all day, itched to wrap around his wife’s small waist once more- but he did not trust himself. If he started there, he did not know where he would stop. Ever since time in the study, no matter how battered his body had gotten in the ring, no matter how full of rage he was over Richard’s flagrant disregard for life, he dreamt of her every night.

Xander felt his jaw tick as he ground his teeth and drew in a deep breath, and without a word, he lifted his bride easily off of her feet- which produced a pretty gasp that caused an immediate stir in his groin- and deposited her as quickly as he could into her seat. Just as he feared, a primal need had shot through his fingertips and down his arms the moment he touched her; both infuriatingandarousing him greatly.

Damn you, woman,Xander cursed silently as he quickly followed her into the carriage. After taking the opposite side, he rapped his knuckles on the roof, and the driver immediately alerted the horses. As the carriage began to move, Xander settled back into his seat and cast his eyes to the floor.

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