Page 25 of His Highland Duchess
Lysander was surrounded by at least a half dozen lords, all eager to get a word in and make sure the popular duke saw them. It had been that way all evening, the desperation others found in their desire to speak with Lysander. They swarmed on him like bees on honey, and every single one was over-the-top in their praise of him, and of Margaret, for in their eyes, she was perfect. She’d have to be, to be married to Lysander.
It made Margaret chuckle to see from afar her husband dealing with the masses. She knew for a fact he was not a social type, and she had no doubt he was loathing the attention.
Guid. He was the one who wished to come here tonight. Let him suffer the consequences.
“He does seem to be struggling, doesn’t he?” Catherine said. “Margaret, perhaps you should intervene?”
“Na,” she said, her tone a little sharper than she meant for it to be. “I da nae think so.”
“Ah, there it is,” Catherine chuckled.
“There what is?”
She shared a look with Sampson. “The real you,” Catherine laughed. “All evening, I have found myself wondering, who is this woman, and what has she done with my sister. I thought perhaps marriage had changed you.”
“What does that mean?”
“Oh, come now,” Catherine said rightly. “This is the first time I have seen you since your wedding day, and the truth is, I was expecting a vastly different version of you. Or perhaps a better way of saying it is that I was expecting my sister,” she chuckled.
“The two of you do seem rather happy,” Sampson noted. “Catherine assured me that it would be as if a cat and dog were forced to wed…” He laughed at the joke. “I was quite looking forward to it.”
“So, I am nae allowed to be happy?” Margaret said defensively.
“Are you?” Catherine asked. “My eyes say yes, but my ears are suggesting that they are lying to me.” She looked at Margaret. “So, come now, tell us true. How is married life really?”
Margaret wasn’t overly surprised by her sister and brother-in-law’s initial assessment of her marriage to Lysander. That they were happy and had found peace with one another.That was the entire point of tonight, after all. To make it seem that we are blissfully in love. That there is nae ill will shared between us. A scandal that was never such a thing because we both wanted this marriage…
And Margaret had done her best to promulgate this lie, as she had promised to. They had arrived arm in arm, smiles and well wishes for those who stopped to talk to them. Margaret laughed at his jokes. She stayed close by his side. She did as he had ordered her, behaving, because if she did not… well, she wasn’t sure what the duke would do, but she did not wish to find out.
Besides, she told herself that to do so was to her own benefit also. If this Season continued without any drama, she would be allowed to return to Scotland at its end. And wasn’t that what she wanted?
A shame that it was all a lie. That she and the duke had not spoken properly since their first supper together. That she had been avoiding him, and he her.And for guid reason!
“It is fine,” she said to her sister. “A marriage like any other.”
“It sure sounds like it,” Catherine laughed.
“It is!” Margaret insisted. “The duke is… kind. And he is a good father to his daughters.”Perhaps his only positive trait.“And where I thought this marriage would be a burden, it is…” She considered as she watched her husband across the ball room. “Nae nearly as bad as I was expectin’.”
Again, Catherine and Sampson shared a look between one another, neither appearing to believe what she said. But she refused to give them an inch, needing them to believe as everyone else did that this marriage was going along perfectly and wonderfully and happily to boot.
I almost thought it would too. For a short time there, I had dared to wonder if there might be more to this marriage than whit was promised. Only, the duke made sure to dismiss such hopes. And then some.
She still could not get past the conversation they’d had at supper. The signals he had been sending her until that conversation were mixed, but he had been sure to clear them up for her. This marriage was a convenience only; it had an end date attached, and all she needed to do was behave herself until it arrived.
Behave meself and avoid him as much as possible. Me feeling is he will be more than happy that I do.
“I suppose we will learn the truth soon enough,” Sampson said with a knowing smirk. “For here comes the man himself.”
Margaret looked over to see her husband moving through the crowd toward them. Even though he vexed her beyond belief,she still felt a tremor in her chest every time she looked at him. How handsome he was. How powerful and in command. The crowd seemed to part for him as he walked, as if the world itself moved at his beck and call.
She swallowed and forced a smile, ignoring the way her heart began to race… and how his kiss still lingered on her lips.
“There you are,” Lysander said with a warm smile as he reached them. “I was looking for you, dear wife.”
“And ye have found me.”
“Lysander…” Sampson patted his friend on the back. “Enjoying yourself, I see. I know how much you love to socialize.”
