Page 13 of Wedded to the Deviant Duke

Before Thalia could argue, a pair of white-painted gates let out a hinged squeak, opening up on a wide expanse of landscape perfectly curated to fit the lofty aspirations of a duke and his family. The lawn looked straight out of a fairy garden, decorated in beautifully-blooming flowers and shrubbery that naturally gave off a sense of otherworldly awe.

It was evident in Thalia’s expression that she adored it, and why wouldn’t she? He’d worked quite hard to cultivate the landscape in such a manner; a pang of pride rang through his chest, and it was difficult not to show such feelings across his face.

As for his sister, he found her taking a ride on one of her horses—a chestnut-coated stallion, dressed in a pair of mismatched white socks and diamond patterning on his muzzle. She wore her equestrian garb as if were an old friend, dark ribbons of hair tied back in a tight ponytail as her long frame held fast to the horse’s sides.

The carriage clearly caught her attention, and as she drew her horse closer, her face lit up immediately, and she smiled in delight. Then she directed her steed towards the mansion’s front, determined to beat her brother there.

“Who was that, Your Grace?” Thalia asked.

Gabriel restrained the pride in his voice, not wanting to come off as too sentimental. “Your hostess, Miss Sutton. I expect you’ll treat her as if she were your own flesh and blood.”

He intentionally made the last part sound more threatening than was necessary, but Robin’s dark scowl hadn’t yet passed. A reminder would do him good; it was a privilege to be here, and Thalia’s brother or not, it was a privilege Gabriel was more than willing to revoke.

The carriage eventually rolled to a stop at the manor’s entrance. Sure enough, Charlotte was already waiting at the bottom step, her stallion being led away by one of the stableboys. She bounced eagerly in place as Gabriel pushed the carriage door open and, without even waiting for the footmen to approach, immediately rushed into her brother’s arms. “Gabriel!”

“Charlotte.” He offered a warm smile, embracing his sister affectionately. “I told you I wouldn’t be long; you act as if I’ve been gone for months.”

Charlotte pulled away, her lips pulled into a pout. “You might as well have, after the news you dropped during breakfast. Had me in an absolute state—a lady friend, Gabriel? I’ve been handing you brilliant offers on a silver platter, and you’ve rejected each and every one!” Her brow furrowed, a curious smirk crossing her face. “What makes this one so different, hmm? Or are you suggesting I have poor taste?”

Gabriel chuckled lightly, gesturing toward the carriage. “See for yourself.”

She did so, bounding past and nearly scaring Thalia off the steps. “Oh my—you’re quite lovely, you know that?” Charlotte grinned, casting a glance her brother’s way. “All right, I shall trust your taste from now on, dear brother of mine.”

Gabriel’s grin fell as Thalia fully exited, settling to a neutral frown. “Charlotte, why don’t you show Miss Thalia Sutton the back gardens while the men discuss some matters?” He shot a look Robin’s way, pleased to see the young man flinch.

“Code for, ‘Charlotte, save this woeful damsel from a long, boring chat between the big, strong boys’.” Charlotte winked, offering a laced hand Thalia’s way. “Come on, then; I’ve got another friend enjoying an early lunch in the rose section. Do you like roses, Thalia?”

Thalia cast a withering glance Gabriel’s way; he simply replied with a shrug. “I… suppose I do, yes.”

“Wonderful! You’re going to love what I’ve managed to get growing out of the ground. It took a lot of work, but I have some of the most brilliant minds on my staff. Why, you’d practically think they had literal green thumbs…”

Charlotte’s chatter faded away as she dragged Thalia towards the back, leaving Gabriel to face the remaining Sutton family member. He gestured inside, watching Robin carefully to see what his first move would be.

His attention lingered on his sister, following her and Charlotte until they completely vanished behind the house. Then, with a nod, Robin started towards the steps, Gabriel following close behind.

CHAPTER7

“Ihope this doesn’t sound too terribly rude, but…”

Thalia pulled her attention back to Charlotte, having been looking over her shoulder for quite some time. She’d tried to watch Robin for as long as possible, but as soon as they rounded the house, she found herself wildly uncomfortable.

Not that she didn’t trust her brother to behave himself, but this was such a vastly different world from the one he grew up in. And to be cornered by the Duke of Stonewell, of all people… it was a feeling she was well versed in.

“...that is who you are, isn’t it?”

Thalia blinked, realizing she’d completely missed Charlotte’s question. She smiled awkwardly, tugging at the fray of her old gloves. “I’m so sorry—who am I, exactly?”

Charlotte’s expression was soft, inquisitive—nothing at all like her brother’s. She let her hair down, brushing a long, curling strand of hair over her shoulder as it bounced just against the middle of her back. “Thalia Sutton. As in, the late marquess’ daughter.” Charlotte grimaced, adding almost hesitantly, “Whose… cousin banished you from Oslay Hall.”

A wave of nausea briefly overtook Thalia, and she began to shake her head.

“Oh, no, I don’t mean to sound judgmental!” Charlotte insisted. “What happened to you was absolutely unjust; if I had it my way, I’d have Gabriel storm the manor walls and simply bully the man into apologizing.”

A nervous snort of laughter escaped Thalia. “Th-that does sound like something His Grace would do.”

Charlotte made a slight face. “Ugh; he has you refer to him by his proper title? How horribly unromantic.” She shook her head and sighed lightly, her hands folding behind her back. “I love my brother, I truly do, but he’s absolutely hopeless when it comes to courtship. Perfectly adequate if you need to scare someone, but I hardly think he wants to scare you away.”

Thalia could only nod a nervous reply, keeping close to her hostess’ heel. It hadn’t been long since she treaded the grounds of a manor, but her time in Whitechapel helped her appreciate all the little things she never had before.

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