Page 34 of Stolen By the Cruel Duke
“You really think he’ll allow it?”
Phineas cocked his head. “I’m a duke, Iris, in case you haven’t noticed. I won’t take no for an answer.”
Despite her panic, Iris couldn’t help but laugh. “You’re really not scared of him?” she asked.
Phineas shrugged. “I’m wary of him. I don’t underestimate him. But no, I’m not scared of him.” He frowned, and she could sense that he was less optimistic than he let on. “These documents, however… if they’re as airtight as the bill of sale he forged, they may be harder to fight.”
“Do you think they’re legitimate,” she asked, “or forged as well?”
“They have to be forged… There is no way your father’s mines are as safe as these say they are. Human suffering is evident to anyone who visits. It can’t be legal, let alone acceptable. But he is excellent at forging legal documents, as we know… I’m not sure how we would prove that these are forged, especially if he has paid off prominent solicitors to certify the legality.”
“Don’t give up,” Iris said at once, placing a hand on his arm.
The touch thrilled her, and all of a sudden, the memory of their kiss the previous night flashed in her mind. She blushed and removed her hand. The arrival of her father this morning had pushed the memory of the kiss out of her mind, but now it was difficult to think about anything else. It was her first kiss, after all, and it had been everything she had ever hoped for. It was romantic and sweeping.
It had also meant more to her than she could express that Phineas had stopped after the kiss. After all, there was still so much to learn about one another, and she didn’t want to rush anything. But when he’d kissed her, she had felt something she had never felt before—pure contentment and happiness. She had never believed that someone could ever make her feel that way, but with Phineas, she felt sure that he would always protect and respect her. And his kiss had said that perhaps he could do more than respect her… perhaps he could even love her.
“I won’t give up,” Phineas vowed, pulling her out of her thoughts. “But if we can’t shut down the mines, we’re going to have to turn to your mother. Do you think you’re prepared to speak to her again after all these years?”
Iris swallowed. The idea of speaking to her mother after so long brought up complicated emotions. There was dread and fear, of course, and also anger. Worse still, part of her was also excited and hopeful at the thought of seeing her mother again. But this only made her more angry—her mother didn’t deserve it, after all this time.
“I know,” Phineas said gently, and she felt a rush of gratitude. “I know it’s scary, the thought of seeing her again. But you’re brave, Iris. Even after years of your father trying to scare you into submission, you still found ways to fight back against him. And you don’t need to be afraid anymore. Not of seeing your mother, and not of your father. Things are different now.”
“How are they different?” she asked, although she thought she already knew the answer.
His eyes sparkled, and he reached down and cupped her chin, angling it up so that she was looking directly into his eyes. “Because you have me. And I will never let anything happen to you. Now, what do you say we get back to London before your father has us arrested.”
She laughed, despite herself. “I suppose I should reach out to my mother,” she said with a sigh.
“Yes,” he agreed. “But before that, there’s something else I want to do with you.”
She looked at him curiously. He was grinning, a mischievous look in his eyes. “What?” she asked cautiously.
“I want to take you to a ball.”
“A ball?” She gaped at him, completely shocked by his idea. “Do you think we have time for a ball, when we have so much to do to bring down my father?”
“Iris, you deserve to have a little bit of fun. We’re the Duke and Duchess of Eavestone, after all, and the tonis expecting us to make our debut in Society—especially after the scandal of our marriage. And more importantly…” Phineas’s eyes glittered, and she felt herself redden again. “I want to show you off.”
Five days later, Iris and Phineas attended Lord and Lady Southerby’s ball at their large townhouse in Grosvenor Square. As their names were announced, Phineas couldn’t help but reflect on the fact that just a month ago, he had been at another ball with Iris, although back then, he had barely even been aware of her existence. But because of that ball, he had been linked to her forever.
While a month ago this had been a horrifying prospect, he was now more grateful than he could ever say for the chance encounter that had brought them together. Accidentally ending up married to Iris was the best thing to ever happen to him.
The Southerby Ball was well-attended. All of London’s most fashionable ladies and gentlemen were there. Phineas had been a little nervous that Lord Carfield would be there, but he needn’t have worried. The Viscount rarely attended balls.
While Phineas sometimes attended balls, he wasn’t particularly comfortable at them. He usually went only to meet with business partners in the back rooms, where gentlemen drank scotch and played poker to avoid dancing. Never before had he danced with a young lady at a ball. More than a few marriage-minded mamas had tried to coax him into asking their daughters to dance. A few had even tried to entrap him. But he had always avoided dancing—and young ladies in general. Marriage had never been something he thought about.
Which is perhaps why so many heads turned in their direction when they were announced and glided into the hall. The entire hall fell silent as people stopped their conversations and turned to stare at them. Then a low buzz broke out again as the onlookers began to whisper to one another.
Next to him, Iris looked nervous. “They’re all talking about us,” she murmured through her polite smile.
“Naturally,” he responded with a chuckle. “We caused quite the scandal in the ton, if you remember, and then married quickly and suspiciously. Of course, we are the topic of many conversations.”
“I was hoping there would have been another, more salacious scandal since then,” Iris said. “And that everyone would have forgotten about us.”
“They’ll grow bored of us, once they realize we aren’t as interesting as they thought.”
Phineas directed his wife over to the lemonade stand. The people around them nodded politely but didn’t approach. If anything, they seemed to be giving them a wide berth.
