Page 27 of His Arranged Duchess
“What sort of bride would be pleased to come back to find two pretty, flirtatious women fluttering about her new husband in her absence?”
“Oh, you are ridiculous. It’s only a bit of fun. A joke!”
“A joke? Well, Frances was not laughing.”
At that moment, the pianoforte playing ceased. Lucien fell silent as Mrs. Black came scurrying across the ballroom, with Miss Tubbs or whatever her name was in tow.
“I think we had better leave,” Mrs. Black murmured, picking up her shawl from where it was draped across the back of her seat. “The duchess does not seem happy that we are here.”
There was an unspoken accusation there, indicating that Benjamin had not warned them that therewasgoing to be a duchess.
Benjamin threw himself back into his seat, folding his arms tight across his chest like a petulant child.
“Oh, very w-w-well!” he snarled. “You c-can go if you want. I can’t s-stop you.”
Mrs. Black gave him a strange look. Apparently, Benjamin’s stutter had not presented itself when she had first met him.
The two women mumbled insincere pleasantries and scurried out as fast as their slippered feet could carry them. That left Lucien and Benjamin alone in the ballroom, silence hanging heavy between them.
“I suppose you want me to go too,” Benjamin murmured, a little more subdued.
Lucien bit his lip. “Of course not, Benjamin. Look, I always intended to introduce you to my wife; I only wanted to do itproperly. And I was terribly remiss in not writing more often, it’s just that there has been so much to do here. But you’re here now, and that’s all that matters. I only want you to be friends with Frances, that’s all.”
“I’ll be back soon. Hopefully, Frances will come with me, and you can introduce yourself again. Try and behave, can’t you?”
“No promises,” Benjamin responded, sounding more cheerful this time.
Lucien left him to it, setting off at a brisk trot after Frances.
CHAPTER 11
“Do you care for her?”
That question was unexpected. Lucien missed a beat before he responded.
“No, of course not. She’s a rather pretty little thing, it must be admitted, and I amfondof her, but you know me, Benjamin. I don’t care for love. This was a marriage of convenience, for her as much as for me.”
Benjamin had left the ballroom by the time Lucien returned from his attempt to placate Frances and was now in the study, peering at the ornaments on the mantelpiece. Since Frances was clearly not coming down for supper, Lucien supposed that he might as well have a drink or two with his old friend. Despite it all, hewaspleased to see Benjamin. He did not have many friends, after all.
This answer seemed to reassure Benjamin a little. “Well, I don’t want to imagine that you’re going to be stuck in a miserable marriage. I hope she won’t be the sort of wife to prevent you from having fun. I think that you and I could have had a good deal of fun with those two women, you know. They’re excellent company. I can vouch for it.”
I’m sure you can,Lucien thought tiredly.
“If it’s a marriage of convenience,” Benjamin continued, glancing up to meet Lucien’s eye, “she ought not to be stomping around like a child in a tantrum concerning your choice of friends.”
Lucien didn’t point out that Benjamin was also currently acting like a child in a tantrum.
“I’m sure you two will be firm friends in no time,” he stated, as firmly as he could. If he said it often enough, perhaps it would be true. “I haven’t many friends in my life, Benjamin, and so my closest friend and my wife had better get on. Do you think you can manage it? For me?”
Benjamin scowled. “I suppose I shall have to.”
“Good. Now, I think you’ll like her well enough, once you get to know her properly. She’s got a sharp wit, and as I said, she’s very pretty.”
Benjamin shot a baffled glance up at him. “Whydoyou care if I like her? She’s only your wife, and you don’t even have feelings for her. You talk about how pretty and clever she is, but if this marriage is only about convenience, what does any of that matter?”
Lucien smiled grimly. “What matters, Benjamin, is that she is my wife. Mine. The Duchess of Blackstone is a woman who must not be overlooked. I will not allow you to speak so disparagingly of her.”
“But…”
