Page 23 of A Virgin for the Beastly Duke

After dinner, Lander came to say something to Harry, and he had to leave them. Later, Bridget lay in her bed, thinking of him, hoping he would visit her. He did not.

When she fell asleep this time, however, he walked into her dreams and fulfilled her every desire.

Chapter 10

“The villagers are refusing employment in the brewery,” Gerard said, and Harry’s hand froze, ink dripping from the quill he had just dipped into a well and onto the parchment.

“Why?”

“They are angry, Harry.”

“They will refuse an honest wage because they are angry with me?” He could not understand their reason. No reasonable man would behave thusly, and he began to suspect there was something deeper happening that he was unaware of.

“It would seem,” Gerard said, a worried frown painted on his features. He had invested in the brewery and was as concerned about its success as Harry was. “I cannot understand why work in the brewery is progressing very slowly despite the availability of funds.”

Harry thought of something. “Do you remember what happened last year?” Harry asked, setting his quill down.

“Squire Carlton? Do you think he has returned?” Gerard’s frown deepened.

“I do not know, but he could be discouraging the villagers from cooperating.”

His father had owed the squire, which was discovered after his death. The man had first asked Harry to marry one of his daughters as payment, and he refused, electing to pay every last shilling. After the payment had been fully dispensed, Squire Carlton became spiteful and caused damage to the brewery after turning some of the villagers against Harry with the lies he told.

Harry had sent him out of Suffolk, but he suspected the man had returned.

“You have repaid the debt, Harry,” Gerard said, his voice revealing his anger. “What more could he want?”

“I do not know,” Harry admitted, deciding that he would have the matter investigated.

“Perhaps he is to blame for the villagers’ agitation. We must do something. What occurred yesterday must not repeat itself.”

“Yesterday? Did something happen?”

“The duchess did not tell you?”

“Tell me what?” Harry’s nerves tightened, and his heart began to beat faster. A hundred questions flooded his mind at that instant.

“There was some unrest when she visited Daventon,” Gerard revealed, “The people were demanding to see you and refusing the gifts she offered them. Some began to get, well…physical.”

Harry shot to his feet. “Why did no one tell me about this?” Gerard did not respond. “We will continue this conversation at another time.”

Harry stalked out to find Bridget, angry that she had kept something this serious from him. He had wanted to prevent her from going to Daventon but he did not want her to think him strict.

More importantly, he was angry with himself for placing her in danger. If he had gone with her as she had requested, perhaps she would have been safer. They had been married for less than a week and he had begun to fail her. If he could not protect her from the wrath of the people he had wronged, then he was unworthy of her.

If his father had— Harry shook his head as he walked down the hallway. He will not waste his time with thoughts of his father. The man might have caused him too much grief to ignore, but he wanted his thoughts clear for when he saw his wife. He had kept his temper from her, and it was important to never allow her to see the reason he was called the Beast of Grayfield.

She was not in any of the drawing rooms, and he asked Lander where she was when he reached the front hall.

“She said she would be out walking with Cato, Your Grace,” the butler said. “She left toward the stream.”

With a nod, Harry went to find her. She was in possession of an adventitious soul, he understood after watching her from his study window playing with Cato earlier. She did not sit in a drawing room embroidering or playing the pianoforte like most ladies.

He found her in the stream, her frock tied at her knees and barely above the water that was splashing about her. He watched her for a moment, feeling something stir in his chest, which he was reluctant to consider.

A moment later, he called, “Do you know the source of the stream?”

She started, and in trying to face him, she slipped and fell into the water. Unfortunately, Cato thought she was playing and jumped atop her, drenching her completely. Harry thought of intervening, but the spectacle was far too entertaining to bring to an end.

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