Page 38 of His Scarred Duchess
“Indeed, Lady Beatrice,” he said, his voice cool. “Though I daresay Lady Isabella’s charms will be more than sufficient to secure her future. Now, if you’ll excuse us.”
As Lady Beatrice moved away, Adeline shot Edmund a grateful look. But he had already turned back to his conversation with Lord Rutherford, leaving her feeling more alone than ever.
As the wedding breakfast began to wind down, Adeline saw their grandmothers approaching, both women beaming with satisfaction.
“My dears!” Lady Alderton exclaimed, embracing Edmund and then Adeline. “What a beautiful ceremony. Everything went off perfectly, didn’t it, Miriam?”
Lady Gillingham nodded enthusiastically. “Oh yes, absolutely splendid. You both looked magnificent. And now, to think of the future…” she trailed off, her eyes twinkling mischievously.
Edmund’s jaw tightened almost imperceptibly. “Yes, I’m sure you’re both very pleased with yourselves,” he said, his tone sardonic. “I don’t suppose this little scheme has been in the works for long?”
“Edmund,” Lady Alderton chided gently, though her smile never wavered. “Don’t be ridiculous. We merely provided the opportunity for you two to get to know each other better. Everything else was entirely up to you.”
“Indeed,” Lady Gillingham agreed. “And now that you have, we can only hope that you’ll waste no time in providing us with some great-grandchildren to spoil.”
Adeline felt heat rise to her cheeks at the implication. She glanced at Edmund, but his expression remained impassive.
“We’ll certainly take that into consideration,” he muttered dryly. “Now, if you’ll excuse us, I believe it’s time we prepared for our departure.”
As they made their way through the crowd of well-wishers, Adeline caught sight of Isabella. Her sister’s eyes were bright with unshed tears, but she managed a brave smile as Adeline approached.
“Oh, Bella,” Adeline said softly, pulling her into a tight embrace. “Promise me you’ll take care of yourself. And write to me often, won’t you?”
Isabella hugged her back fiercely. “Of course, I will. But it’s not really goodbye, is it? After all, you’ll be much closer now than if you’d gone to Scotland. We can visit each other often.”
Adeline nodded, blinking back her own tears. “You’re right, of course. Still, I’ll miss you terribly.”
Her farewell to her father was far less emotional.
Lord Brenton shook Edmund’s hand formally, then turned to Adeline with a stiff nod. “Remember what we discussed,” he said, his voice low. “Comport yourself with dignity, and do your duty to your new family.”
“Yes, Father,” Adeline replied, dipping into a small curtsy. “Thank you for everything.”
At last, it was time to depart.
As the newlyweds settled into the luxurious carriage that would carry them to Holbrook Manor, an awkward silence fell between them.
Unable to bear the tension, Adeline decided to make an attempt at conversation.
“The ceremony was lovely, wasn’t it?” she ventured. “And the breakfast… Everyone seemed to enjoy themselves.”
Edmund merely grunted in response, his gaze fixed on the passing scenery outside the carriage window.
Undeterred, Adeline pressed on. “I… I wanted to thank you for what you said to Lady Beatrice. It was very kind of you to defend Isabella like that.”
That, at last, elicited a response.
“There’s no need to thank me,” Edmund said, his tone brusque. “It was the truth. And I won’t have anyone insulting my family, even indirectly.”
“Your family,” Adeline repeated softly. “I suppose that includes me now, doesn’t it?”
Edmund’s eyes finally met hers, and for a moment, she thought she saw a flicker of something in their gray depths. But then it was gone, replaced by the now-familiar coolness.
“Yes, I suppose it does,” he said. “Though I hope you don’t expect some grand romance. Ours is a marriage of convenience, nothing more.”
The words stung, even though Adeline had been half-expecting them. She thought back to that heated moment in the stables, the passion of their kiss. But clearly, that had meant nothing to Edmund—a mere moment of weakness, forgotten as soon as it was over.
“Of course,” she uttered, fighting to keep her voice steady. “I understand perfectly, Your Grace. You needn’t worry about any unwanted attention from me.”
