Page 82 of Wedded to the Ruthless Duke

“Oh, for goodness’ sake, Dorian. I am not made of porcelain. This child is quite safe.”

Philip closed up his accounts book as the door of his study was flung open with such vigor that the door bounced off the wall.

“Good day to you, sister,” Philip said coolly and calmly as his eyes landed on Eleanor.

Her face was red, hair wild, hands on her hips in fury. Her posture would have been one full of intimidation had it not been for her rounded stomach making her walk rather ungainly as she marched into the room.

“Good Lord, Eleanor. You’re making me worried. Please calm yourself.” The words burst from Philip, his worry for her and the child escalating by the second.

The butler had vanished from behind them, leaving Dorian to follow Eleanor into the room with a rather amused smile on his face.

Damn his amusement.

“What did you do to my friend?” Eleanor cried out as she stopped on the other side of the desk.

Stunned by the words, Philip sat back.

“Well?” Eleanor barked. “What did you do to her? Grace is one of the kindest souls I know. She deserves so much better than you.”

“A low blow, sister.”

“She does,” Eleanor said with feeling. “I think the world of you, Philip, and I always have, but it must be admitted that you challenge that feeling often. Why do you deserve her when you have driven her from the house?”

“Driven her from the house? What the hell are you talking about?” He stood hurriedly, startled by the words. He caught sight of Dorian’s smile as his brother-in-law hung back behind Eleanor. “You’re enjoying this, aren’t you?” Philip asked him sharply. “Enjoying seeing us at odds? Shouldn’t you be insisting she stays at home and rests?”

“Oi!” Eleanor cut in. “I am not a dog to obey any man’s order.”

“She’s carrying my child; I cannot refuse her anything,” Dorian said with a smile. “Although I will say, Eleanor, you are in such a fury; if you could at least sit down and still be angry, it would give me some comfort.”

She flashed angry eyes at him. Despite her insistence not to obey an order, Dorian’s request clearly had more of an effect on her than she wanted to admit. She sat down heavily in the nearest chair though she only managed the very edge, holding onto her stomach as she glowered at Philip.

“Now, what’s all this about my wife being driven from the house?” Philip asked.

“Show him,” Eleanor said, waving her hand at Dorian.

He reached a hand into the pocket of his jacket and pulled out a sheet of paper. He passed it slowly to Philip.

“I think you’d be best off not reading it at all,” Dorian added in a hushed murmur to Philip.

“Dorian, you are not helping,” Eleanor said with a sigh.

“I was trying to help your brother, Eleanor.” Dorian shrugged and moved to stand behind her.

Philip didn’t read the paper straight away. His eyes rested on Dorian for a few seconds first, realizing that if Dorian thought it best that he didn’t read what was in this, then it had to be bad indeed. Yet his curiosity burnt through him, and Philip opened the paper.

It was a scandal sheet which talked of an accident Grace had nearly caused in Covent Garden the night before. The article went on to hint that as Grace was riding out aloud, perhaps she was running away from her husband.

“What did you do?” Eleanor countered again.

Philip looked away from the paper and out of the window. It was raining again.

She is determined to either be outdoors or far away from me, isn’t she? She’s always out riding in the rain!

He crumpled the paper in the palm of his hand until it was nothing but a tiny ball.

“I didn’t do anything,” Philip argued though he knew it was a lie. He had been the one to drive her out with his anger. What’s worse, he had left her alone after they had made love.

She’ll hate me soon. At least, there is safety in hatred. Her heart will not be hurt by me.

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