Page 42 of The Duchess' Replacement

Sarah laughed. “Trust you? I know less about you than I do about them. Why should I trust you any more than them?”

Charles wiped his mouth his napkin before throwing it onto his plate. “You know only what they tell you, and what they tell you is lies.”

Sarah shook her head. “How do you know what they told me?”

Charles rested his elbows on the table. “All right then, tell me what they told you.”

Sarah raised her chin. “Very well. While they are only trying to survive you make deals with other towns instead of looking to your own people. Mr. Crowfelt, the town’s only butcher, told me that he does not supply this house with our meat, that you get it elsewhere. Is that true?”

Charles nodded. “Yes.”

Sarah was shocked with his quick affirmation. No remorse or guilt colored the word.“Why?”

Charles grimaced. “Because it is my choice and I choose elsewhere.”

Sarah slumped back against her chair. She was beginning to think there was no arguing with this man. How can you argue with someone who always thinks he’s right?

“What could possibly be the reason why you would choose another supplier over your own butcher in your own town? Do you not care for your people?”

Charles straightened his cravat. “I can care for my people and not trust them in the same breath. They are not mutually exclusive.”

Sarah’s back straightened. “Not trust them? Why wouldn’t you trust them?”

Charles stood, his chair scraping the floor. “I’ve had enough of this conversation. I’m retiring to my study. Samuels?”

Samuels stepped up from this place in the corner. “Yes, Your Grace.”

“I’ll be finishing my meal in the study. Please have someone bring it to me.”

Samuels nodded and quickly left the room to fetch a maid.

Charles walked towards the door and stopped at Sarah’s side.

“You live in a fairytale, Sarah. Not everyone is looking out for you. We may have our differences, and you may not know a lot about me, but one thing you can absolutely count on is I will look out for you. If something happens to you it happens to me.”

Sarah eyes reached up and met his as he stood over her. “What I hear is you only care about my wellbeing because it may reflect poorly on you?”

A flash of emotion crossed his face but disappeared too quickly for Sarah to decipher what it was.

Charles only looked down at her. “Good night, Sarah,” he said as he left her sitting alone in the dining room.

CHAPTER 12

Sarah sat in what had become her favorite chair in the library. It was angled just so that the morning sun lighted her pages, but the afternoon sun wasn’t so harsh.

Her mind drifted to the library she found upstairs. Its books were bright colors of pinks and blues and called to her more than these heavy handed books on warfare and politics did. How she longed for her romance novels she cherished. She brought a few with her but she was itching to get her hands on a new story. Perhaps there was a store in town that could accommodate her.

Stretching her arms over her head, she sighed. It was doubtful. It seemed as if her husband had a strong hold on what he allowed in and out of his duchy.

Sarah chewed on her bottom lip. Each day she accomplished her goal of learning more about the man she married but there were still major questions that needed to be answered.

For instance, this library. It practically screamed Charles. The sofa and chairs were stiff and uncomfortable. The pillows weren’t soft. The colors were drab and dark with browns and grays. Once more her mind drifted to the perfectly suitable feminine library upstairs.

Why couldn’t he just let her have that room? Or at least allow her to leave her mark in some rooms? Perhaps she’d feel more at home if she saw herself within her surroundings.

The door opened and Samuels ushered in Charles.

“Ah, there you are. I wanted to let you know I will be going out of town for a day. I won’t return until the day after tomorrow.”

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