Page 29 of Duchess By Accident
And you are not worried you might fall in love with me?Lady Natalie’s words floated to the forefront of his mind. Fora moment, he wished he could write his own vows, but he was hardly the first person to shirk from the promises made to God.
The smell of roses filled his mind, but he pushed it violently away. Love was the least important part of a marriage vow anyway.
“I will.” Adrian answered, his voice clear and defiant.
“Lady Natalie Rokesby,” the bishop continued, “wilt thou have this man to thy wedded husband, to live together after God's ordinance in the holy estate of Matrimony? Wilt thou obey him, and serve him, love, honour, and keep him in sickness and in health; and, forsaking all other, keep thee only unto him, so long as ye both shall live?”
There was a moment’s pause, and Adrian found himself looking at his wife-to-be once more. A slight tightness to her muscles belied the smile on her face.
“I will.” Lady Natalie said, and Adrian had the suspicion that she was deliberately not looking at him.
He felt something stir in his chest, almost disappointment. He frowned. For her to refuse to obey him would invalidate the vows and the marriage. So why did her compliance seem so anticlimactic?
“Who giveth this woman to be married to this man?” the bishop called.
“I do.” Duke Emberly stood once more and placed his sister’s hand in the bishops.
Adrian followed the movement, wondering absently how soft the woman’s hand was. His eyes tracing the lines of her fingers, to her wrist, her arm and then to her neck. And then he realised what he was doing and clenched his fist.That dress is dangerous.
Then her hand was in his, and he felt the warmth of it spread through him. Her fingers were long and delicate, her skin soft against his. He swallowed, but as he did so, noticed a flush to Lady Natalie’s cheeks.
The bishop was speaking and Adrian finished the rest of his vows, his voice catching on the wordlove.
His eyes met hers, and he saw a hint of amusement in them.It is a marriage in name alone.The promise hung between them, comforting in its truth, even as she echoed the priest’s words to him. Even as she was pronounced his, till the end of their days. As the ceremony drew to a close, the gathered crowd erupted into cheers. Adrian held out an arm, and felt Lady Natalie slip her arm through his.
“I am surprised.” Adrian murmured to his new wife as they made their way down the aisle.
“That I could look this good?” Lady Natalie muttered back, her eyes sparkling with amusement.
“I knew you were fetching, Lady Natalie. That has never been in question.” He gave her a wolfish grin. “No, my surprise comes from our vows.”
Lady Natalie arched an eyebrow at him, her lips pursed. “Do not tell me your memory is so poor you forgot from your last wedding.”
Adrian felt something stir within him, and his smile dropped a moment, before he caught himself and forced a languid shrug. “I expected you to balk at obeying me.”
For a moment, her expression darkened and then she shook her head. “You know as well as I that I could not refuse. Even though I almost did. I agreed to this marriage, and it must be binding.”
“And so it is.” Adrian’s voice was low, his eyes full of steel as he muttered. “And you will obey me.”
Lady Natalie met his gaze and smiled with the dangerous sweetness of a viper about to strike. “You vowed to love me, and I to obey you. Your promise is as true as mine.”
She slipped from his grasp. “I shall see you at the ball.”
He watched as she disappeared into the house, the dress gently swaying in the breeze. “It seems my wife delights in playing dangerous games; I wonder how interesting things will be when she loses?”
Chapter Nine
“Thank you, Mrs. Hawthorne. You have been a most wonderful help.” Natalie smiled at the housekeeper. “I am sure I shall rely most heavily upon you as I step into my role as mistress of the house.”
They had arrived at Blackwood Castle earlier that morning. Natalie had half expected the Duke to delay their departure given the length of the wedding revelries, but a maid had bounded into Natalie’s room at six in the morning to tell her that she had an hour to get ready.
As soon as she had arrived, the Duke vanished and left her in the hands of Mrs. Hawthorne who had spent much of the day introducing Natalie to the rest of the staff and giving her a tour of the estate.
“The previous Lady of the House, God rest her soul, did not take an interest in such things, she preferred to focus on her own hobbies and indulgences.” A look flashed acrossthe housekeeper’s face that Natalie could not quite recognise, and Natalie wondered why the previous Duchess had been so uninvolved in the running of the house.
Perhaps the Duke did not let her.Natalie almost said as much aloud, but before she could, Mrs. Hawthorne said, “I have grown accustomed to managing things in my own way. With His Grace’s permission, of course. Ensuring everything is done to the highest standard.”
Natalie saw a slight tension to the woman’s shoulders, heard a cold edge beneath the professional veneer of her voice.
