Page 38 of The Duke's Impossible Deal
“Not the bedroom?” he teased.
“The bedrooms seem to be the only places you have kept properly furnished, thankfully.” She felt a blush creep up her cheek and ignored it. “The drawing room, on the other hand, is practically empty.”
Her eyes fell on a pretty sofa made of mahogany, with thick green velvet upholstery. It was stunning, the kind of thing she had dreamed of owning. She could just picture it in the drawing room, light hitting it, and her friends sitting on it and laughing.
And there will be matching armchairs, and a chaise as well.
She moved towards it, but then her eyes fell on the price tag. Her stomach dropped.
That costs more than all the furniture in my house.
She looked at a plainer sofa, with decent cushions and no woodwork. Even that was more expensive than she had expected, but it was better than the other one.
“You are not serious,” Tobias scoffed.
“Perfectly serious. What is wrong with it?” Rowen tilted her chin up.
“Nothing, if you are happy to be mistaken for someone’s maiden aunt.” Tobias pointed at the plush, beige fabric and shook his head. “It looks like something my great-grandmother would have owned. It is like something out of the last century.”
“Then she clearly had excellent taste. Besides, it is comfortable and has a good price.” Rowen crossed her arms over her chest. “And you said that you did not want unnecessary frills.”
“I do not. But as you seem determined to force furniture upon me, it may as well look decent.”
Tobias gestured towards another sofa that was well-cushioned and made of dark wood. There were heavy carvings in the woodwork and a lot of ornamentation.
Rowen tried to suppress the panic rising in her chest at the thought of just how much such a piece would cost.
She pursed her lips. “It is twice the price and looks about half as sturdy.”
“And why do we need a sturdy sofa, Duchess?” Tobias drawled, looking her up and down. “What are you planning to do on it?”
To her immense relief, she managed not to blush, instead rolling her eyes as she tucked a lock of hair behind her ear. “It is not what I plan on doing on it, but the fact that I have two rather rambunctious children. Trust me, we will want something that can withstand their tomfoolery.”
“Fine, but not that one.” Tobias grimaced at the beige sofa.
Rowen was not about to admit that she was a little relieved that he hated it. She had not relished the thought of buying something so plain and dowdy.
She gestured to another sofa, doing her best to avoid looking at the first one she had seen. “Very well, what about this? It is madeof cherry, which is nice and strong, but also beautiful. And the cushions are nice and plush. The carvings are simple, which is no bad thing.”
Tobias looked at it, stroking his chin thoughtfully. “That is an improvement, though a little plain, considering you do not want to live in a house that feels soulless. And that sofa has about as much life in it as Aunt Gertrude, and she died five years ago.”
Rowen could not keep the smile off her face and hastily turned away, hoping that he would not see it. When she turned back, Tobias was looking at her with eyes that made her feel like an open book.
“If I did not know any better, Duchess, I would say you are only looking at the cheapest pieces.” He took a step towards her. “And that simply will not do. You will pick the furniture you like, and not think about the price.”
“And I am to believe that you will simply let me choose anything my heart desires?” Her heart fluttered at his proximity.
“No. But it will not be the price that guides your choice, but the style.” He gestured around the shop. “Now, choose something that you actually want, and we shall see what your taste is really like.”
Rowen nodded, wondering what game he was playing.
She moved to the beautiful sofa, the one that cost more than she had ever spent on anything in her life, and sat on it. It was more comfortable than she had imagined, and she could not help but lean back.
“This is the one that I want.” She closed her eyes, reveling in the feel of the fabric against her skin. “It is beautiful and comfortable, and will look perfect in the drawing room.”
“Then that is the one we will buy. As long as it passes my test.” There was amusement in his voice.
Before Rowen could ask what test he meant, she felt the cushions dip as he sat down beside her.
