Page 40 of The Duke and the Hellion Bride

“Think nothing of it,” he said. “Although most of the thanks should go to my dear wife. This was all her doing.”

“Oh?” the viscountess turned to her daughter. “You did not go behind your husband’s back, did you?”

“I see you know your daughter well,” he chuckled.

“Diana...” her mother groaned.

“Oh, it is fine, mother.” She waved her mother down. “And he is mostly joking,” she then added with a smirk in his direction. “We are both equally glad you could join us.”

“We almost asked if we might bring a third,” the viscountess then said with a smile directed at Miss Goldsmith. “But the last-minute nature of your invitation forbade it.”

“A third? Who?” Diana asked, looking at her cousin.

Miss Goldsmith pushed her lips together as if annoyed and turned away. “Oh, it is nothing...”

“It is not nothing,” Lady Langham said. “Much has happened these past few days, Diana. Namely, your cousin is in the midst of a courtship.”

“What!” Diana cried out, looking as excited as she was disbelieving. “Who? Evelyn, why did you not tell me!”

“I said, it is nothing...”

“It is not nothing,” the viscountess said. “Lord Herrod has been nothing but a gentleman toward Evelyn these past few days and I know that if he had the time, he would have been thrilled to --”

“Lord Herrod!” Diana cried again. “Evelyn, tell me this is a jest! Surely...”

“It is not jest,” her mother snapped. “It is very much real, and you should be supportive. I would expect nothing less from you, Diana.”

Diana was looking at her cousin with confusion. Her cousin was looking away as if embarrassed. And Magnus watched them both, sensing there was more here than what he was understanding but not willing to ask questions. After all, wasn’t the entire point that he was trying to avoid becoming too familiar?

“We may discuss it in more detail later,” Lady Langham sighed. “For now, Diana, are you going to invite us inside or have us stand out here all day in the heat?”

“Oh!” Diana gave her head a shake, eyed her cousin one more time, then put on a smile and exhaled as if to expunge the previous conversation from memory. “Of course. Mother, Evelyn...” She frowned again at her cousin, another shake of the head. “If you might join me inside, we have drinks and refreshments ready. And then, perhaps a tour.”

“Your Grace, will you not be joining us?” the viscountess asked.

“I wish I could,” Magnus said magnanimously.... even if he caught a somewhat rueful glance from Diana as he told the lie. “But duty calls, and it cannot be avoided. I wished to make sure I was here to greet you, but hosting duties fall on Diana’s shoulder’s today.”

“Oh no.”

“It is a cruel world,” Magnus agreed with a sigh. “And I promise that the next time, I will be sure to have my calendar cleared.”

Although Lady Langham was clearly surprised, she did not make a fuss, likely wishing to show that she was more than aware of how busy a duke’s schedule could be, so much so that she even expected it. Miss Goldsmith remained silent also, but that seemed more on account of this sudden courtship than anything.

So it was that Magnus took a step back and watched his wife take her mother and cousin inside. He had expected her to bid him farewell, but she resolutely ignored him as she took her mother’s arm. Was it on account of anger at his avoidance of her? Or was she simply distracted? He had no idea.

As he watched them go, Magnus sighed to himself, feeling his stomach knot with guilt because he knew he was doing the wrong thing, while also knowing that he would do nothing to change it – he wished that he could, but still he was unsure of what he wanted.

A marriage of convenience was a wonderful idea on paper but in practice it was beset by real world difficulties that would, in time, need to be addressed. For now, as Magnus had done so often in the past, he would simply avoid them by running in the opposite direction.

ChapterFifteen

“And what of an heir?” Diana’s mother asked her, pivoting into the question from nowhere, as her mother so often did.

“Wh -- what?” Diana stammered, her saucer of tea halfway toward her mouth, nearly spilling down her front in shock from the question.

“An heir, dear,” her mother said simply, taking a small sip from her own saucer, no sense that she said anything untoward or strange. “Have you and His Grace discussed such things?”

“Mother... that is not... I do not think that... this is not the time or place for --”

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