Page 31 of A Bride for the Sinful Duke

She had heard a lot about the Duke from Lydia while they were young. Ciara also learned of the Duke and had eventually married him. According to local rumor, he had been a rake, notorious for chasing after everything in a skirt. Lydia had admitted in her letters that she had been attracted to her brother’s friend for a long time, but in her later letters, she had put down her feelings to a girlish infatuation.

“He is my friend; why do you ask? You seem quite surprised,” said Hector as he settled in the seat beside her.

“I am, but only slightly,” Juliet replied, quickly stopping herself from saying anything rude about the man. “I know his wife, Ciara. She resided in the nunnery with me, and we had become good friends. It is simply quite a coincidence that both of us married dukes who have a close relationship with one another.”

Hector nodded in mild astonishment. “You are right. The odds of Jonathan and I being married at all were slim, but the chances of us marrying women from the same convent? Even smaller. How intriguing.”

That was certainly one way to put it, but that aspect was the least of Juliet’s focus.

Her mind circled back to their carriage ride on their wedding night. Hector had said he also had a damaged reputation. She now wondered if he’d said that because he was also living a rakish lifestyle.

They sat in companionable silence, each lost in their own thoughts. The crackling of the fire was the only sound in the room. Juliet glanced at Hector, trying to read the emotions hidden behind his stoic facade.

“I was saying we don’t need to host anyone just yet,” Hector said, breaking the silence.

“I agree, Your…Hector.”

She felt very distracted and nearly missed Hector’s next statement.

“Do it only when you are ready. I don’t desire any unnecessary friendship with the neighbors, and I don’t want anyone dropping their unruly children off at my house.”

Julia was startled. “Do you have anything against children?”

She hoped he wasn’t some strange individual who thought children were a burden. She wanted a few of her own, even though she had no idea how she would accomplish that.

“I don’t mind children,” Hector corrected. “What I don’t want are childish adults—parents who look for any opportunity to pawn their offspring off on innocent neighbors, so they can seize their chance to hurt the very person who gave their children life…” He choked as he clenched his fists by his side.

Juliet sat in stunned silence as Hector breathed life into his initial request.

To whom was he referring? He has buried something very painful and close to him from his past experiences, the outlines of which I have unexpectedly caught a glimpse.

“Are you referring to the fathers or the mothers of these poor children?” Juliet inquired as she wondered what her curiosity would uncover.

“There are good and bad parents of all sorts, but the fathers carry the balance of ill intent when it comes to the children and their mothers,” Hector mumbled.

Juliet paused as a vague comprehension ensued and asked, “Why was your friend not at the wedding?” to steer their conversation in a different direction.

“Jonathan? He’s in Ireland with his wife right now. I don’t think we’ll be seeing him anytime soon because from what I’ve heard, he is still rather smitten by his new bride, and he is not yet ready to share her with the world.” Hector waved a hand in the air nonchalantly.

“Why do you speak of it as though it is a dreadful thing? If…if he really loves her, he would want to spend as much time with her as possible,” Juliet snorted with a roll of her eyes.

Hector raised an eyebrow and inched closer. “Is that what you would prefer? A husband who is attached to you like a leech and fawns over you?”

Juliet blinked as her cheeks flushed in response. She tried to move back but found herself cornered as he reached for her face, his fingers curling around her chin.

“There are many ways to spend as much time as possible with someone. Many much, much more pleasurable ways,” he whispered with a smirk.

And then, he kissed her.

His mouth was hot against hers, moving slowly, coaxing her to lower her guard as his fingers gently cradled her jaw like a priceless piece of art.

Juliet felt herself melt into his touch and hungered to press him closer, to inhale more of his manly aroma and feel the heat of his skin beneath her fingers.

However, amidst her deep desires, she recalled how he’d ignored her after their first kiss. Panic coursed through her veins and caused her to pull away from his embrace.

“Are you all right?” Hector questioned, reaching for her again, but he startled when she quickly darted to her feet.

“No. I’m all right. But…I…I think I shall now retire to my room for the evening,” Juliet hastily replied.

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