Page 26 of Her Cursed Duke
“I do, Grandmother. I do know that. Thank you for telling me, still. It really means a lot.”
Martha nodded curtly and then shifted her gaze away from Prudence as she said, “You are welcome, child. Be sure to keep those words in your mind and as close to your heart as possible, forever. Because, while your capabilities will appeal to suitors, they will not aid you in preserving a marriage. The only thing you can use a darning needle for during a conflict is to pluck out your husband’s eyes.”
“Grandmother, please.” Prudence sighed, feeling weary again. “Let’s not talk about this. There is no husband, so there will be no conflict.”
“Not yet.”
Prudence almost said, “Not ever,” but held her tongue in time, remembering the role she had been asked to play.
Carefully, she told her grandmother, “We are not sure how things might end between us. It is all so new, still. There is still a possibility that we might change our minds, down the line.”
Martha hummed thoughtfully. “That is true. Do what you will, dear. Just make sure that you are not left with any regrets at the end of the day.”
Prudence wanted to dismiss the older woman’s concerns over that, to tell her not to worry that there was no possibility of the courtship between her and the Duke ending in a way that would leave any unsavory feelings behind.
But for some reason… she could not.
Chapter Ten
Aiden could not stop thinking about Prudence.
He felt guilty over their arrangement, suddenly overly aware that it benefited him and him alone. She was the one who seemed to be putting more effort into this, and she had practically nothing to gain. If she were actively looking for a suitor, having the attention of a duke would make her irresistible to other men.
But as far as Aiden knew, that was not the case. She was doing him a favor and had been put through quite a bit of trouble on his behalf, and he had done nothing to repay her. At this point, it appeared as though he had taken advantage of her. And that upset him for some reason, even though he had known that would be the case from the start.
“She does not seem to mind, so why do I feel so bothered?” he wondered aloud, pacing about in his study.
Perhaps he could do something nice for her. A small token of his gratitude to show his appreciation, something that she would not feel burdened to accept. The ruse had only been going on for less than two weeks, and they still had a long way to go and things to do to solidify their relationship before it ended.
A gift would be an excellent incentive to encourage Prudence to bear with him until their six weeks of courting ended.
Having made up his mind, he headed to the door, opened it, and came face to face with his godmother, whose hand was poised mid-air as though she had been about to knock.
“Heavens! You gave me a fright.” She sighed, resting her hand over her heart. “I came to ask if you would like to join me for a game of cards.”
“So you can reduce me to tears in half an hour? No, thank you, Godmother. Besides, I have somewhere I must be.” Aiden stepped out of the study when Beatrice moved away from the doorway.
“You do? Where could you be going so late in the day? Appointments should be handled early on, Aiden.”
“I do not have an appointment. This is… an impromptu meeting. Do not worry, I shall return in a few hours.”
His godmother had begun to nod, but then she paused as he started walking away. “Why would I be worried? Are you going to cause trouble somewhere, after all? Aiden!”
Prudence did not think she would see the Duke of Serpenhood so soon after the afternoon she had spent entertaining him and his godmother, but she was surprised when Aria came to tell her that her suitor had arrived to call on her the very next day.
“The Duke? Are you sure?’ Prudence asked, confused.
It was not strange. Now that their families seemed to have approved of theircourtship, the next step would be to keep up the ruse and play the part. They needed to keep meeting and spending time together, but they had not discussed plans or a schedule, and she had not expected him to show up at her home than a day after they had last met.
“I am fairly certain. The other servants are whispering about his devastating good looks and his curses, so I am sure he is the one.”
Prudence frowned, a little annoyed at the way the servants perceived him. “He is not cursed. People need to stop saying that,” she muttered under her breath, not wanting to cause a fuss.
Aria smiled sympathetically and reached for Prudence’s hand. “People will always talk, my lady. As long as we do not let their words have power over us, all will be fine. In any sense, he does not look cursed. More like… trouble—the dangerously enjoyable kind. Now, please go and see him before he attempts to charm someone else with those stunning eyes of his.”
Aria’s words confused and flustered Prudence, and she quickly left her chamber, hurrying to the drawing room where the Duke was waiting for her. The first thing she noticed when she walked in was flowers. The bright colors and sweet scents caught her off guard for a moment.
She found herself drifting closer to the person holding the bouquet, unaware that she had been reaching out to lightly run her finger over a pink petal until a voice asked, “Do you like them?”
