Page 22 of The Duke and the Hellion Bride

He jumped in fright, so lost in his own machinations that she could have walked across the room and slapped him across the face before he had noticed her.

“Miss Brooks,” he said as he tried to regain his composure. “Is something the matter? The girls?”

“Have been put to bed, Your Grace,” Miss Brooks assured him. “They were excitable, as is to be expected. But they know better than to push. At least they know better than to push me,” she finished with a curt smile.

Magnus breathed a sigh of relief. “Good. And thank you for today, Miss Brooks. My hope is that now we have a duchess living here, the burden of fostering my two nieces won’t fall so squarely on your shoulders. The Lord knows you could use the help.”

“They are little angles,” Miss Brooks assured him. “It is no bother.”

“Nonetheless, Her Grace will be taking a greater hand in their care from now on. And if you require anything regarding either of the girls, she is who you should seek first.”

“Understood, Your Grace.”

Miss Brooks had been a lifesaver these last few weeks. A true gift from God who had saved Magnus more trouble than he could imagine. She was the girl’s governess, hired originally by his brother, kept on once Magnus took over for the sake of consistency and ease – it would not do for so much to change in the girls’ life in such a short time.

As adept as she was, she was also not a mother. Well into her sixties, looking after two girls who were but eight and ten was a task that might just break her if she was left to it on her own. Besides, where she could teach them well enough in the ways of learning and education, a mother-figure was needed to hone the girls into proper ladies of theton.

As to whether his new wife – he still felt strange referring to her as Diana – was up to task... that remained to be seen.

“Was there anything else?” Magnus asked, noting that Miss Brooks remained in the doorway.

“Regarding your supper, Your Grace. I was asked to enquire when you would be wishing to eat.” She considered and then wore a coy smile. “I believe Her Grace might be hungry also.”

“Ah...” Magnus grimaced. “Yes... supper...”

It was only right that Magnus joined his wife for supper this evening. Freshly wed, her first night in a new home, the right thing to do was to join her to make her feel more comfortable. Wasn’t that what he wanted? For her to feel as if she belonged.

Alas, if only things were that simple...

In hindsight, Magnus was beginning to realize how short sighted he had been when he’d approached Miss Diana Goldsmith and asked for her hand in marriage. A marriage of convenience... to ensure that his nieces had a mother to help raise them... what could possibly go wrong?

It went without saying that Magnus had found his new wife attractive when he’d first met her. But that was not why he had chosen her. Truly, their brief interaction at that garden party had been enough to tell him that she was possessed of the exact type of personality needed if she was to take control of two young girls in ways that he simply could not. Ironically, that was also the problem.

He found her confrontational wiles utterly intoxicating. The way that she stood up to him, pushed his buttons, refused to heed his demands seemingly to spite him was unlike any woman he’d met before. It did things to him. It made him feel... enamored, and excited, and lustful in ways he had never felt before. Dammit, it made him lose control!

Just now for instance, Magnus had completely lost his sense of reason, forcing himself on his new bride because his head had swum and all he’d been able to think about was how it might feel to take his new wife in the ways that a husband should – that was his right.

The problem, as he saw it, was that this went against what was promised. He has given his word that this was a marriage of convenience, and it simply did not feel right to force himself on her because he could not control his most base desires. Magnus knew how it felt to be powerless, to have no control or action in one’s own life. He would not wish that upon anyone, especially his new wife.

As such, he had retired to his study, a chance to regroup and think what he was going to do, if he could be around his wife without being overcome by his raging libido. Even just to think of her right now had his body turning hot and his manhood... awakening.

“I am afraid that I will have to skip supper tonight,” Magnus said eventually. “I am swamped with work and cannot spare the time.”

“Oh...” Miss Brooks frowned. “And Her Grace? What shall I tell her?”

“That she is free to take supper as she needs. This is her home now, and it should be treated as such.” He nodded once but then decided to add a final note. “But please, send her my apologies, won’t you? It is regrettable but unavoidable.”

Miss Brooks eyed him curiously, the sense that she didn’t believe a word of what was said. Magnus cocked an eyebrow at her, warning her off saying anything. She thus offered a smile and a small curtsy.

“It shall be done,” she said and stepped from the room.

Magnus exhaled and sagged into his chair, feeling like a proper coward while knowing that for tonight at least, this was for the best. He could not avoid his wife forever. Nor did he intend to. What he needed was to learn to control himself when he was around her. Surely, that should not be so hard.

But then he remembered her scent, the feel of her skin, the taste of her lips, and he became undone once more. A marriage of convenience?Has a greater lie ever been told?Magnus highly doubted it.

ChapterNine

Diana was not surprised to find that on her first morning living in Albury Estate that she would be breaking her fast alone. Indeed, after being thoroughly rebuffed last night, she had expected it. Not that this made the situation any easier to deal with. Or less confusing.

---