Page 26 of A Duchess for the Mysterious Duke
Marina paused, all too aware of the small space between herself and him—of the tiny effort it would take to bridge the gap. The part of her that reminded her that this mood of his—these extravagant and romantic speeches he gave—could be just as fleeting as the last, and it squashed the temptation to run to him. If he wanted her, he would need to start meeting her halfway.
“Forgive me,” she began, stifling a giggle, “but I believe that what you mean to say, Your Grace, is that you are new to marriage and no longer wish to take the lead on all matters by your lonesome?”
Phillip tilted his head to the side, and Marina thought that he looked very much like a country dog learning his tricks for the first time.
“What is it about this that you find humorous?” His tone was curious, not accusatory.
Marina could not hold her laugh, then, and bowed her head to chuckle before collecting herself to speak. “It is just that…I suppose it is not what you have said nor the situation. It is only that I believe I have learned something new about you, Your Grace, which you have not yet learned about yourself.”
“What could that be?”
“It must be true that you believe yourself to be the responsible party for all which surrounds you.”
Phillip furrowed his brow, pressing towards her as if what she said was the most intriguing sentence he had ever heard. “Doesn’t it? I am a duke who has duties to my land and to parliament. I have duties to the King, to this Estate, and to you, Marina and your happiness. I brought you into this life, and I intend to make it a comfortable one. More—a fulfilling one.”
His sincerity struck her, and she put her hand on his shoulder.
“Yes, Your Grace. You are a many-faced pillar who carries a heavy load. I do not mean to deny you this. I only mean to say that, in the future, you may seek me out and rely on me as well. Even the grandest pillar requires support. And, if it is not too bold for me to say, it seems as though your uncle?—”
“It is.”
“It is?”
“It is too bold for you to speak of my uncle.” Marina watched as the Duke straightened his back, squared his shoulders, and fixed his eyes on hers. They had been so close, and she had once again managed to close him off somehow. “You could not know the intricacies of our relationship, Marina, for you have not been privy to them. I would prefer that it stay that way. I beg of you—I have shared with you the injury my mother’s passing and my father’s demeanor have caused me. Do not force me to further dredge up my past.”
Marina nodded though she felt perplexed. It was evident that Emmanuel loved his nephew deeply, and she thought, the night that she met Phillip, that they seemed on good terms despite Phillip’s outburst when he first arrived at the ball. What had changed between the two Hayward men since then, and why was Phillip protecting it as if this secret could ruin him?
“I understand,” she answered him coldly. “Allow me to apologize for my intrusion tonight. I will retire to bed, now.”
CHAPTER 20
The next morning at breakfast, Marina was surprised to see her husband. They ate together in awkward silence, and he did not attend dinner, but she still felt hopeful. Their conversation in the library had not gone smoothly, and Marina turned it over and over in her head the entire day—perhaps she had yielded too swiftly. It was almost as if, she thought, Phillip expected her to be the one to make changes. As if he felt he was not the one in the wrong, and although he wanted to mend things, he did not seem to be taking responsibility for the injuries to their connection.
His behavior at breakfast was even more peculiar. Was he waiting for her to bridge the gap? Had he chosen to appear to show that he was doing his part while she continued to neglect hers?
After dinner, the Duchess trudged up the stairs of her home and knocked lightly on her husband’s study. There was no answer. She knocked again, but again, nothing. Gingerly, Marina pushed the door open and looked about the room, but the Duke wasnowhere to be seen. She shut the door tight and hurried down the stairs to find the steward.
“Where might my husband be at this hour?”
“He is taking dinner out.”
Marina gasped softly, taken aback. “Out? And when will he return?”
“I do not know, Your Grace. He took the carriage, so I suspect not for some time.”
“The carriage?” The steward did not answer her this time. The Duchess’ eyes were glossy—she was not speaking to him but to herself. Where could Phillip have taken the carriage so late in the evening without telling her? She had all but gotten to her knees to beg him to go out with her in the evenings, and now, he had gone without her and not so much as announced that he had plans, much less disclosed them to her.
She ran upstairs to fetch her coat. As she was leaving, Mathilde caught her at the door.
“Your Grace—where could you be going?” She seemed shocked and appalled, but Marina smiled eagerly at her.
“To see my dear friend.”
“At this hour?”
“Indeed.”
“His Grace has taken the carriage.”
