Page 24 of Stolen By the Cruel Duke
Iris’s heart fluttered again, and she cleared her throat. “Thank you, Anna. That will be all.”
The lady’s maid curtsied and left the room.
Very quickly, Iris shed her dressing gown so that she was just in her nightshift, then scurried over to the bed. Throwing back the covers, she got underneath as quickly as possible and pulled the blanket up to her chin.
Several long minutes passed, during which she anxiously watched the door. At last, there was a soft knock.
“Come in,” she called out, her voice hoarser than she had anticipated.
The door opened, and Phineas entered.
The moment she saw him in the warm glow of the candlelight, her stomach fluttered. Her husband looked so handsome illuminated by the soft orange glow. His chestnut-brown hairlooked even richer and more lustrous than ever, and his pale blue eyes reflected the flames.
“Good evening,” he said, his eyes sliding over her.
Iris’s mouth went dry. “Good evening,” she managed to reply.
After a short hesitation, Phineas went to the screen she’d changed behind, and she heard him remove his clothes. When he reappeared, he was in his shirt sleeves and breeches. Iris had never seen a man in such a state of undress, and it made her heart hammer painfully in her chest. He crossed to the chair at his dressing table and sat down on it, then turned to gaze at her.
“Don’t be nervous,” he said, his voice as soft as velvet.
“I’m not nervous,” she lied. He raised an eyebrow, clearly not believing her, and she laughed. “Well, all right, maybe I’m a little nervous. We have never shared a bed before, after all.”
For a moment, his eyes swept over her, and she saw something sharpen in his expression, almost like a primal hunger.
Then his jaw tightened and he shook his head. “That changes nothing,” he said tightly. “Our marriage is still a business transaction.”
“Of course,” she said, trying to sound as if she hadn’t been wondering exactly this. “I know you are an honorable man.”
He opened his mouth as if to respond, then closed it again. The look on his face was… touched.
“That is a true compliment,” he admitted quietly. “Especially coming from you.”
“From me?” She let the covers slip down from her chin as she gazed at him.
“Yes. The way you protect and look after your sisters is very honorable.”
“Well, I’m all they have.”
“Still.” Phineas’s eyes blazed. “Family is everything, and I admire your commitment to yours.”
“I’m not committed to my father,” Iris pointed out, her lips quirking up.
“No,” he said with a small snort, “I suppose not. Speaking of which, the solicitor seemed optimistic when I spoke to him today—before you arrived in such a dramatic way and cut the conversation short, I might add.”
His expression was difficult to read, but Iris could tell from the slight amusement in his eyes that he was teasing her.
“That’s wonderful.” In her fear and panic over her sister’s betrothal, Iris had quite forgotten the reason why Phineas had been meeting with the solicitor. “What did he say, exactly?”
“Well, apart from admiring your legal knowledge of contracts, he agreed that there may be a case to fight the legitimacy of the bill of sale. Not only was it not notarized, as you pointed out, but he is hopeful your mother could testify that it was forged.”
Iris nodded but said nothing. She had a feeling she knew what Phineas was going to ask her next.
He leaned forward, resting his hands on his knees as his eyes continued to study her face. “He did worry that your father would be able to intimidate your mother and convince her not to testify. I had to assure him they do not live together.”
“Was he shocked by the realization?” Iris asked, unable to keep a touch of bitterness from her voice.
“Perhaps at first,” Phineas replied, smirking slightly. “But then he remembered to whom he was speaking, and he adjusted his reaction.”
