Chapter 12
“ D o you remember the time you convinced me that your governess’ spectacles could see through walls?”
Oh, now that was a memory that she had not thought about in quite some time! Cordelia could hardly contain her deep amusement as her smile widened. She could not will herself to stop laughing. It was so nice to finally be allowed to catch up with people again.
Matthew had come to call upon her a handful of hours ago with a lovely housewarming gift. And, thankfully, he had not asked too many probing questions about her married life or anything about the duke. He seemed to be perfectly content to sit there and reminisce with her. It was exactly what her lonely heart needed. The lightness and companionship were such a welcome distraction from constantly trailing after her mother and attempting to make things better with her. For however long her cousin’s visit would last, she could just let her heart be light.
Now she was laughing until her face ached. What a perfect way for her to spend her afternoon.
“How could I forget? You avoided her for a week! You were so terrified she might catch you sneaking into the kitchens.”
Matthew laughed, seeming to relive the memory in his mind’s eye. “I was convinced she would somehow see the crumbs in my pockets before I had even had a chance to eat them. Your powers of persuasion were dangerously effective, even then.”
Cordelia’s cheeks were starting to hurt from laughing as much as she was. “Oh, but I only did it to protect you! You were always too bold for your own good."
“Ah, and now you wield that same power over an entire household as a duchess. I daresay the duke has no chance at all.”
And that was about as effective as water doused over her head. Her smile flickered. It was hard enough to relive the feeling of the duke’s hands on her every time she had to think about him. Even just the slightest passing glance of the man was enough to set her aflame. It was humiliating if she was being honest. Her only relief was knowing that the probability that he knew about how he affected her was slim to none. “Perhaps not, but I assure you, I use my influence far more judiciously these days.”
She did not honestly feel as if she had any influence these days, actually.
It was almost as if every choice that she attempted to make in this house was the wrong one or that she was disturbing something that she ought not. Lord knew that her husband did not care for her mother being here. Even Mary seemed to be slightly vexed over the influence that Lavinia might have over young Georgie.
The small clock on the mantel chimed the hour. It would not be long now before she would have to track down her mother and force her to have tea with her. If she did not watch the older woman through the entirety of the day, then she would simply have wine for all her meals. It was not a habit that she could allow to continue. It seemed almost impossible to dry Lavinia out, but she needed to at least try. Cordelia tried not to be resentful of her mother or the position that she was continually put into because of her, but it was certainly much more difficult whenever it meant that it also made her position with the duke more complicated.
“Oh, is that the time? I have dominated far too much of your afternoon,” Matthew continued as he pulled his pocket watch from his vest to verify the hour. “I had hoped to perhaps see my aunt before I left. How is she?”
Cordelia attempted once more to force a smile. Her shoulders shrugged softly, and she shook her head. “You know that my mother is a woman of her own mind. I shall be sure to send her your regrets for not meeting with her.”
Matthew stood, understanding the implications of her words, his gaze lingering on her in a way that made her somewhat uncomfortable. “It was absolutely lovely to see you again, Cousin. We truly ought to spend less time apart. I always find your company so very enthralling.”
“Of course.” Cordelia’s smile tightened. She could not get Dorian out of her mind. Something in her gut told her that he would not care for the way that Matthew was speaking to her. Then again, he did not seem to care for many things at all.
“Well then, I suppose I should take my leave before I tempt fate, and you send me scurrying off like those poor gardeners you terrorized with your royal commands,” Matthew added with a knowing wink.
Cordelia could not stop herself from playfully shoving her cousin’s arm. “I never terrorized anyone! Look at me, I am tiny. And harmless.”
Matthew grinned impishly. Most of her memories of him were from their childhood, back when things had been so simple. “Oh, of course not. Though I distinctly recall your ability to strike fear with nothing more than a raised finger. Truly, a talent.”
Cordelia scrunched her nose, poking at his ribs as she spoke and teasing him right back. “And yet, you still risked visiting.”
Matthew laughed and moved evasively from her sharp fingers. “Only because I have spent years honing my skill in strategic retreats.”
“Honestly, Matthew, you make me laugh more than anyone. I had missed this,” Cordelia snorted; a very unladylike noise that she swallowed so quickly she almost choked when the duke walked into the room.
He eyed the pair of them curiously and moved to stand beside Cordelia. His hand warmed her waist as he pulled her toward him possessively.
“I see you have found a way to entertain my duchess. Quite the talent you have, making light of things, Mr.…?” Dorian said, his expression and tone flat.
“Lord Debonaire, Your Grace.” To his credit, Matthew did not seem intimidated in the slightest, which was a talent in and of itself.
“We were merely sharing a few fond memories with my cousin, Your Grace. Lovely to see you again,” Matthew answered with an easy, comfortable smile.
Dorian tensed beside her. Was there something more to this conversation that she was somehow missing? Why did her husband seem so vexed?
“Ah, but surely, some memories are best left in the past, would you not agree?” Dorian said, and every word somehow managed to sound like a threat.
“Do-Your Grace, we were just having a bit of fun. You are more than welcome to join us,” Cordelia added, softening deliberately under his touch and turning into his side as if that would make him soften as well.
“No, thank you. Some of us have actual work to do on a weekday afternoon.”
Matthew bristled under the slight but said nothing.
Cordelia could not breathe. The very last thing that she wanted was for her husband and her cousin to start arguing right here. It would ruin her whole morning.
Dorian leaned in to kiss the top of her forehead, something that he had never done before, and walked out of the parlor. She could tell how angry he was from the tension to his shoulders alone, even if she did not have the faintest clue as to why he could be angry. She had not done anything wrong. He could not think that she was going to spend the rest of her time here, never hosting her friends, did he?
Or, was it merely the fact that it was Matthew?
“I apologize for overstaying my welcome. I…”
Something in the room next to them shattered—something large smashed across the wall that connected to the parlor that they stood in. Loudly and abruptly enough that Cordelia flinched and scooted away from the offending wall as if it would somehow open up and lash out at her.
“Was that… did the duke do that?” Matthew asked, all earlier brightness gone from his expression.
“I am not sure…”
If it was the duke, it was something new. Was she supposed to have gone after him? She had never thought of him as the sort of man to throw things when he was angry or anything of the sort. He seemed far more like the sort of man to isolate himself until he had calmed down.
Well, apart from their brief moment in the library.
“Cordelia, please do not take offense when I ask you this, for I only ever want the best things in life for you.”
“Of course, I know that you do.”
“Has the duke… has he harmed you? Is he terrorizing you or even making you sad?” Matthew asked as he closed the distance between them. “I have heard what people say about him. If he has been violent, then–”
“No, Matthew. That is not… His Grace is not a violent man.”
Her reflexes told her that she ought to step back from him, to create space, but the question caught her off guard. It would be so nice to have somebody that she could confide in fully. Somebody that she knew would be on her side and would only truly want the best for her in all things. Surely, Matthew could be that person for her, but to tell him anything somehow also felt like a betrayal of her husband’s trust.
Matthew placed a hand on her upper arm and bent down to make himself more level with her eye as he captured her gaze. “You can tell me anything, you know? I am here for you, Cordelia.”
It felt too intimate. Bells of warning chimed in her head. The way that he was looking at her felt… far too much. It was heavy and she did not know how to process it. At the same time, she wanted to cry.
“You look unwell, my dear cousin, if anyone is harming you—I do not know what I would do,” he confessed.
“N-no. Nothing like that. His Grace has been nothing but kind to me,” Cordelia said quickly to reassure him.
“I know what sort of man that he is rumored to be, Cordelia. I should hate for a beast like that to–”
“My husband would never harm me, Matthew, I am certain of that. I am merely having some difficulties adjusting to life here away from the city. All of my friends are back in London, and you are the first to have made the trip to come and visit me.”
It almost seemed like Matthew was going to call her out on what was likely an obvious story, but he did not. “Perhaps you ought to throw a party then. Something that will give you the social outlet that you crave and allow everybody to properly celebrate your new marriage.”
“Oh! What a lovely idea!”
“I am rather known for those sorts of ideas,” Matthew said with a hint of playful arrogance to relieve the tension. “You are quite welcome.”
Her smile faltered for a moment, the words touching a deeper nerve than he perhaps realized. She quickly masked it with a brighter expression. “You are right. I think I could arrange something grand. Something fitting for a duchess.”
He leaned back in his chair, nodding approvingly. “Exactly. And I will gladly attend, of course. You shall need someone to keep the conversation lively, after all.”
He softened at her admission, reaching out to take her hand gently. “Cordelia, you are more than capable of handling this. You always have been. And… if you ever feel lost, I will always be just a letter away.”
Her heart warmed at his words, and for the first time in days, she felt a sense of comfort settle over her. “Thank you,” she said, squeezing his hand. “I truly do not know what I would do without you.”
Matthew smirked, the mood lifting again. “Well, it is a good thing you will not ever have to find out.”