Page 24 of Claiming his Cursed Duchess
“So, my friend,” PhineasWilson, the Earl of Northam, began, a mischievous glint in his eye, “you have finally tied the knot. Quite the surprise, I must say.”
A sense of unease hung heavy in the air as Adam and Phineas sat across from each other in the dimly lit tavern.
Phineas, a man known for his sharp wit and even sharper tongue, couldn’t resist the opportunity to tease his friend.
Adam, his expression impassive, took a sip of his ale.
“Do not be dramatic, Northam. It was a hasty affair.”
“Hasty?” Phineas scoffed. “A hasty affair that has the entire ton abuzz with gossip. First, Miss Genevieve Sowden—formerly Mirfield—wed far better than expected, and now you have married a second one of the cursed ladies? It seems they are blessed with far more fortune than the ton credits them.”
Phineas’ tone was joking, but his laughter did not reach his eyes. Adam could tell his old friend did not want to believe the superstitions, but evidence of the supernatural was mounting.
Rosaline…Adam thought, a flicker of something akin to warmth passing through him.
She was unlike any woman he had ever met. Her wit, her kindness, her intelligence…it was all so unexpected. Still, he couldn’t allow himself to get too close. He had been burned before.
He leaned back in his chair, his gaze distant.
Adam’s eyes narrowed, his jaw clenching.
“Do not speak of that,” Adam commanded, his voice low and dangerous.
“But I must,” Phineas pressed, his voice laced with concern. “The ton is aghast. They are whispering about your bride, her scars, the tragedy that befell your family. Do you not care for their judgment?”
Adam leaned back, his gaze distant, a flicker of annoyance crossing his features.
“I care not for their judgment, nor their pity,” he replied coldly, his voice low and authoritative. “I married the duchess for reasons of my own.”
Phineas, intrigued, leaned forward. “And what might those reasons be?” he inquired, his curiosity piqued. “Love? Lust? Do you wish her to teach you how to treat with the devil, like she and the others did?”
Adam’s jaw clenched, his eyes darkening with a primal fury. He yearned to lash out, to silence Phineas’ prying questions.
He forced himself to remain calm, his voice steady as he responded, “It is none of your business, Phineas.”
Phineas’ eyebrows rose, his eyes narrowing.
“Clearly, as my dearest friend didn’t see fit to even announce his engagement to me, let alone invite me to his wedding,” he snapped, his voice sharp.
Adam could see the hurt in Phineas’ eyes, a pang of guilt shooting through him.
Swallowing his pride, Adam averted his gaze, his expression softening.
“I told you, it was a hasty event,” he admitted grudgingly, his voice barely a whisper. “Some important details escaped me.”
“Ah, I am an importantdetailthen?” Phineas teased.
Adam rolled his eyes, “Do not test me, Northam.”
“Come now, Adam. You can confide in me. I have known you since we were boys. You truly haven’t given this ‘curse’ a thought? Don’t you believe it still holds power over her?”
Adam’s expression hardened, a flicker of anger flashing in his eyes.
“What does it matter?” He leaned forward, his intense gaze boring into Phineas. “I was cursed long before I married the duchess. The moment I was born into this family, I was doomed.”
Phineas hesitated. He knew of the tragedies that had plagued the Duke of Oldstone’s family, the secrets that had been buried for generations. Secrets that Adam guarded with a fierce intensity, that had shaped the man he was today.
“Perhaps,” Phineas ventured, his voice cautious. “Perhaps Her Grace is the key to breaking your curse. Perhaps two curses will cancel each other out.”
