Page 26 of Married to the Cruel Duke

She knew it was getting close to dinner time. She knew she should make her way back to her room, but she couldn’t seem to find it!

It felt like hours before she managed to stumble back inside. She headed over to her closet and looked over her dresses with a sigh. She hoped William wasn’t too disappointed in her when he saw her at dinner. She was sure he expected her to dress, but nothing she had was nice enough for dinner with a duke.

“I wonder if he received a portrait of me or anything like that before we met?” she asked herself as she started to prepare for the evening. “I don’t recall sitting for one, but maybe they didn’t use a real portrait.”

If that was true, she could only hope her appearance hadn’t been too much of a shock and he wasn’t too upset.

Still, it would feel like being lied to and he didn’t deserve that. She could only hope he would accept the way she looked in time.

“All right,” she said to herself. “Almost time for dinner with the duke.”

He isn’t just a duke,she reminded herself.He’s your husband.It should have been comforting or helped her relax, but it only heightened her anxiety even more.

He had been so kind to her so far, but she could still upset him to the point that all of that could come to an end. Rebecca shook her head.

There was no point in thinking about that.

She wouldn’t let it happen.

Not again.

She would make him proud. She would make him happy. She had to. That was her purpose now.

She was his wife, all she could do was try to be the best possible wife she could be.

That was still running through her mind when she was startled by a knock at the door. She opened it to see the same maid from that morning staring at her.

“Is it time for dinner?” Rebecca asked with a smile.

“It will be shortly. Duke Danton wanted me to inform you that he will be unable to join you.”

Her face fell. “Oh, I see.”

She didn’t react. “In light of that, the cook wanted me to ask if you would still want to take your meal in the dining room or if you would prefer it some place else.”

Rebecca tried not to let it sting. She was sure he was a busy man. It was hardly a surprise that he didn’t have time just to have dinner with her.

“You can just have them bring it up here. Thank you for coming to tell me.”

“Then I will let them know. Do you need anything else before I go?”

“I should be all right, but thank you for asking.”

She nodded then made her way off, leaving her alone in her room once more.

She went inside and sat on the end of her bed, waiting for her to come back with her food.

At least they seemed like they were going to keep her well fed. Even if she did spend so much of her time alone.

This was all right, she reminded herself once more.

Rebecca was used to being on her own. She could manage just fine. He was a busy man. She needed to respect that.

After all, she was a duchess, he was a duke. He was probably often busy with his duties. She could hardly expect him to rearrange everything just to spend some time with her.

She just needed to be grateful and content.

Rebecca could do that.

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