Page 87 of The Duchess' Replacement

Sarah giggled. She never felt so content in all of her life. She reached up to play with the hair that flopped over his forehead before cradling his face in her hands.

She pulled him down to her. Their kiss was sweet and sensual and everything Sarah longed for from her husband.

Charles leaned into her deepening the kiss when there was a knock on the door.

“What is it?” Charles growled.

Sarah had to cover her mouth with her hand to stop from laughing.

“Your Grace? Something has come up that needs your attention.” Samuels voice traveled through the door.

Charles looked out the window, dawn was just breaking. “Can’t it wait?” Charles groaned.

“I’m sorry for the interruption, Your Grace, but you had told me to find you at once when this news arrived.”

Charles sighed.

“What is it?” Sarah asked.

Her husband’s weight shifted as he rolled off of her. “Nothing too concerning. Just a local merchant causing some grief. Nothing I can’t handle.”

Charles stood from the bed and walked to a chair where he left his shirt.

While Sarah immediately missed the comfort of his body next to hers, she couldn’t deny the view of a naked Charles standing in front of her.

Her eyes dipped as she bit her bottom lip.

“What’s that look for wife?” Charles laughed.

Sarah shook her head. “Nothing.”

Charles feigned shock as he looked down at himself. “I assure you, madame, this,” he said gesturing to himself, “is not nothing. I’m sure I’ve proven that to you last night. Although, if you need a reminder, I’ll happily oblige.”

Sarah licked her lips. “I thought you had more pressing matters to attend to?”

Charles looked at the door and let his shoulders sag. “Yes, unfortunately for me, my happiness has to come after those of the duchy.”

As he prepared for the day, Sarah contemplated his words. She knew that he went outside of the duchy for goods and services, which would directly contradict the happiness of the duchy. Perhaps he considered what they talked about dinner last week and he was now going to use his own people for services.

Sarah sat up in the bed. “This merchant contract that you need to take care of. Is it with someone from the duchy?”

Charles scoffed. “Heavens no.” Charles sat on a bench to slip on his boot. “Well, the merchant in question is from the village. But I’m not using him, which is his problem. I’ve explained to him multiple times why it’s not an issue. He does this every now and then, it’s nothing I can’t handle.”

Sarah worried her lip. She looked over to the empty space next to her and laid her hand over it. The mattress still held her husband’s imprint and warmth. She knew by asking her next question, she may not see that imprint or feel that warmth again, but still, her constitution demanded wrongs to be righted.

“Why can’t you use him?” Sarah’s voice was steadier than she expected. Which made pleased her, if she was going to potentially ruin the afterglow of their coupling, she might as well go all in.

Charles held his other boot in his hand and leveled a look at her. “Sarah. We’ve talked about this. You don’t know those people like I do. I trust you to look after the house. Trust me to look after the duchy.”

He held her gaze for a moment longer before he continued with his boots.

Sarah nodded and rested against the headboard. An awkward silence hung between them and she chastised herself for bringing the question up.

Thankfully, Charles broke the tension. “What plans do you have today?”

“I think I owe William a trip to the modiste.”

“William?”

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