Page 59 of A Bride for the Sinful Duke

Hector paused for a moment then nodded.

“All right. But let us go quickly, so you do not become ill.”

Juliet gave him a sideways glance. “Why do you sound as though you are worried about me?”

Hector scoffed at her ridiculous assessment.

“You mistake my irritation for worry, dear wife. I do not harbor any fears over you falling ill. I am merely trying to protect myselfbecause you are probably even more unbearable to be around when you are sick.”

“I don’t believe you,” Juliet sang coyly.

“You do not have to. Time will tell all, eventually.” He narrowed his twinkling eyes at her in mock seriousness.

As soon as they walked into the house, Hector beckoned a servant.

“Run a hot bath for the Duchess and prepare a hot cup of tea for her afterwards.”

Juliet watched him with a smile, and after he was done speaking with the servant, she curtsied sweetly.

“Thank you, Your Grace, but I assure you, I do not fall ill easily.”

Hector nodded and pulled a leaf from her hair.

“Be that as it may, it is better to be safe than sorry. Enjoy the rest of your day, Duchess.”

The color that spread over her cheeks was quite beautiful. Not for the first time that day, Hector thought that giving into Juliet might not be such a bad thing after all.

Especially when he heard her call after his retreating form, “And you as well, Duke!”

CHAPTER 21

“Ithink the lighter drapes look better. They tie the room together more solidly than the dark ones.”

The maids nodded in agreement with Juliet’s remark, and she smiled, clapping her hands excitedly.

“It is settled then. We shall go with this one.” Juliet pointed at the light brown drapes.

The maids curtsied and got to work arranging the drawing room, and Juliet stood back to marvel at the sight of her ideas coming together. She left them to finish and decided to check on the other areas she had planned to redecorate.

It relieved her that she had finally found some way of keeping herself busy and distracting herself from thoughts of her husband. She could finally shift her focus onto something other than how deeply she craved him, at least during the daylight hours.

The nights alone were much worse. She was plagued by her fantasies of his hands roaming across her waiting body, his sensuous lips tasting every inch of her until she was reduced to steaming lust. She ached for him and was consumed by a thirst she could not satiate.

Juliet shook herself free from her ruminations. “What rooms have we not yet addressed?” Juliet asked Estella, who quickly fell in line next to the Duchess as she left the drawing room.

“The sunroom, Your Grace. But perhaps His Grace’s opinions should be obtained in advance of any alterations. His mother loved that room dearly. It was her favorite place in the entire house to rest.” Estella explained gently.

Juliet had seen the sunroom and understood why the former Duchess had loved it so much as she had been overcome with calmness the moment she walked into the room. Everything from the furniture to the decorations inspired peace and a lightness of the mind. Juliet had nearly decided not to tamper with it at all.

However, some of the objects in the room were worn and needed to be replaced, so she saw it as an opportunity to improve the space.

It was infuriating to have to ask Hector for permission over every little thing she needed to do. However, in this instance, it was necessary to seek Hector’s instructions because she did not want to disturb a space that had meant so much to the woman he had cherished and adored.

“I will do just that,” Juliet sighed.

“Y…Your Grace?” Estella called after her, sounding confused.

“I am off to greet my dear husband.” Juliet raised a hand without looking back. “Now is as good a time as any!”

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