Page 56 of A Bride for the Wicked Duke

“That is not necessary,” her mother spoke quickly. “Aurelia…” An awkward laugh. “I am sure that Daniel –”

“Would wish to speak with Lord Mildenhall himself,” she spoke over her mother, raising an eyebrow at her. “You know as well as I do that Daniel demands he be kept across such things as this. If we ignore him or say yes without his approval, he will be well within his rights to cancel the marriage altogether.”

It was only half true. Indeed, Daniel was the patriarch of the family, and he was very insistent that he be treated as such. However, their mother still held a firm enough control of her daughter’s interests that she could have insisted nonetheless that this marriage go ahead, and Daniel likely would have agreed. If for no other reason than he needed this marriage as much as anyone else. More so, in fact.

But Aurelia held her mother’s eyes, her eyebrow still raised, making it clear that she would not be budged on this. Daniel needed to be consulted.Or rather, that is the line for now.

“She speaks the truth,” her mother conceded. “We should seek my son’s approval before we agree – which we will do,” she made sure to add, widening her eyes at Aurelia. “Be sure of that, Lord Mildenhall. This is not a rejection, merely a delay. A short one at that.”

Lord Mildenhall looked caught between frustration and confusion. His brow was furrowed while his expression was taught. But he was a man of the ton and the logic was sound enough that he was able to raise his chin high and accept the terms without his pride being too heavily wounded.

“Yes, of course – that makes perfect sense.” He grimaced. “Perhaps I should apologize for being so hasty.”

“Not at all,” her mother said.

“I was,” Lord Mildenhall said with much forced calmness. “So focused on my own needs I do not stop to consider the bigger picture…” He laughed awkwardly. “Please, speak with you brother and once you do, send me word of your final answer. I am certain that nothing will change in my mind.”

“It will be done,” Aurelia’s mother assured him. “And as I said, the answer is sure to be yes. But formalities…” She clicked her tongue.

“Thank you for understanding,” Aurelia said with a soft smile. “You have been most kind.”

For a man who had just been rejected, Lord Mildenhall managed to appear content with how this little meeting had gone. Likely, he did not see a reason to worry, certain that his offer to cover their debts would be more than enough to convince Daniel that he was a man worth giving his sister to.

It was a relief in some ways, that Lord Mildenhall clearly felt nothing for Aurelia outside of her ability to provide for him an heir. Yet it also proved to her how little she wanted this marriage to happen. She had felt passion now. She had felt fire and want and desire beyond reason. She knew what it was to become fixated on another, just as she knew that anything less than that simply would not suffice.

“We will send word as soon as we can,” her mother assured Lord Mildenhall some time later as they waved their goodbyes from the foyer. It was pouring rain outside, they stood in the doorway, and Lord Mildenhall continued to look upon her as if the deal was done and there was no need to worry. “You have our promise.”

“I look forward to it. Just as I do out future together” He gave Aurelia’s hand a kiss, thanked Aurelia’s mother again, and then walked into the rain, heading for his carriage.

Aurelia’s mother waved as she stood in the doorway, ensuring he reached his carriage before closing the door on the storm. That was when she turned on Aurelia.

“Have you lost your mind!”

“I do not know what you mean,” Aurelia said simply, turning to leave.

“Do not walk away from me!” Her mother swept past her, cutting off her exit. “What do you think you are doing! No, I misspoke! Clearly, you were not thinking! If you had, you would not –”

“I was doing as I should,” Aurelia spoke over her, trying her best to appear in the right, even if she knew she was so very much in the wrong. “Daniel will wish to have the final say. You know he will.”

“Daniel!” she cried. “That is your excuse!”

“It is not an excuse, mother. It is simply the way things are. You know it to be true.”

“I know that Daniel wants this marriage even more than I do! I know he would do anything to see it happen – do you really think he would say no! Or that he would care if we accepted without his consent!”

“Maybe.”

Her mother wrung her hands in the air. “I do not know what you are playing at Aurelia but hear me now. When Daniel returns and agrees to the viscount’s proposal – as he will!” She widened her eyes with fury at Aurelia. “You will say yes. You will walk down the aisle. And you will marry him! Is that understood!”

“Of course it is,” Aurelia said calmly. “You forget, Mother, I am the one who wanted this marriage in the first place. Why would I suddenly say no?”

“I wish I knew,” she seethed angrily. “I wish I…” She took a deep breath and calmed herself. “You will see me to an early grave. That is what this is.” A shake of the head and she stormed past Aurelia, mumbling to herself as she went. “All I have ever done is for you girls, and this is my thanks…”

Aurelia watched her go, the guilt cascading on her.

She was in the wrong, she knew it to be true. Just as she knew that she had done what she needed to buy herself a brief window. It was a flight of fancy, she knew. Likely to destroy and break her into so many pieces she would never recover. A broken heart was what she had in store... but at least then, she would know.

Deep down, Aurelia knew that the duke cared for her. She knew he loved her as she loved him. And she knew that they were meant to be together. Now, before she said yes or no to Lord Mildenhall, she had find out once and for all if what she knew was a shared truth, or little more than a dream.

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