Chapter 13
Thirteen
“Well, you will need to pretend to be in love of course.” Cora sipped on her tea as she fanned herself.
Adele choked on her tea in her effort not to spray liquid all over her friend.
It was the day after the ball, and Cora had dropped in to check on Adele.
She had listened in thoughtful silence while Adele had shared everything that had happened the night before, finally concluding with accepting the Duke’s proposal.
“What?” Adele shook her head. “Cora, we cannot do that. It will just make the rumours worse.”
She thought of the wild look in Warner’s eyes the night he had proposed. She remembered the feel of his muscles as she tried to restrain him from the Bow Street Runners.
Because you owe your cousin a debt? Yes. There had been something in his words as he said it, a catch in his voice. You are imagining things, Adele. Not that she wanted him to want to marry her.
“There will be rumours no matter what you do, Adele. This way you control what those rumours are.” Cora helped herself to a scone.
“But surely this will make everything worse?” Adele folded her arms across her chest. “If the ton sees me all moon-eyed over Wa–— the Duke, then they will just say that proves my guilt.”
“That is why you must both appear in love. You must make your love the loudest thing in the room.” Cora tapped a finger on her lips thoughtfully. “It was your grief that drew you together, and though you tried to fight it, your heart could not help but call to his.”
“Goodness, you make it sound like something out of a novel.” Adele could not help but laugh. “It is hard to imagine Wa— the Duke like that.”
She mentally kicked herself. Ever since that night, she had struggled to think of the Duke as anything other than Warner. It was as though she had broken something when she called his name.
And if I had not, goodness only knows what he would have done to the men. She ran a hand across her arms, remembering the feel of him as she had wrapped her arms around him, struggling to hold back his fury.
“Because that is what will capture their attention.” Cora’s voice brought her back to the present. “The ton will be desperate to curry favour with their latest duchess, but they will resent you if you do not appear to be in love with the Duke. They will call you a social climber.”
“Better than a murderer.” Adele scowled.
“They will probably call you both.” Cora pointed out and Adele winced.
“The Duke is a powerful man, and if the ton have any reason to doubt his love for you, they will tear you to shreds. If they think he loves you, and that you love him, that will give them pause. They will fear what he will do to them. And more importantly, their own resentment will fade, for they will see that you and he are choosing one another.”
Except that we are not. A lump formed in Adele’s throat, and she shook her head. “It seems that whatever way I move, I cannot escape the ton’s judgement. At least as a widow, I did not have to rely on anyone else.”
“We all have to rely on people sometimes, dear Adele. That is what friends are for. I have no idea what I would do without my dear friend, Lucretia.” Cora’s eyes softened, and she squeezed Adele’s hand. “I know this is not what you thought, but this wedding will be different.”
“How?”
“You will have us.” Cora gave her an impish smile. “And you cannot think we would allow you to give up widowhood without a proper party.”
Adele laughed and felt some of the tension in her chest ease. Before she could say anything to Cora, the butler appeared. “His Grace is here to see you, Lady Kidlington.”
Adele looked past the man and saw Warner walking down the steps towards them. His strides held that same commanding grace, the same certainty that his eyes had held when he had told her that marrying him was her only option.
She could not help but wonder what it would feel like to have that certainty turned on her, to have him choose her. Her cheeks flushed. I do not want that.
“Your Grace, I had not expected to see you.” Adele was relieved that her voice was steady.
“We have much to discuss, Lady Adele.” He inclined his head towards her and then to Cora. “Lady Cora. A pleasure to see you as always.”
“And you, Your Grace.” Cora smiled up at him before turning to Adele and saying. “Think on what I have said, dear. Your fiancé may well have a similar opinion.”
Adele’s cheeks flushed as Cora sauntered away, leaving her with Warner, who was looking at her with a puzzled expression on his face. Curse him for looking so handsome.
“What was that about?” Warner asked as he moved to stand beside her.
“It is silly.” Adele made a dismissive gesture with her hand. “She… Cora thinks we should pretend to be in love. Ridiculous I know, and I told her as much. It is one thing to get married, quite another to… It is silly. Preposterous. As though anyone would believe that you and I… that we are…”
She trailed off as the Duke arched an eyebrow at her. She swallowed as his blue eyes searched her face. “As I said, I know it is ridiculous. You would never agree to such a thing. Forget I even mentioned it.”
“Do not presume to know what I would or would not agree to.” The Duke stepped towards her, his eyes flashing in the sunlight.
“If the ton thinks that your heart is mine, they will not dare trifle with it. If they believe that you have my affection, they will understand that my retribution will be swift and without mercy. No one will dare touch you.”
Adele’s head swam, and she saw the echoes of the dark rage of the night before. She put a hand on his chest without thinking, wanting to soothe some of the storm within him. He looked down at her.
She could feel his heart beating against her hand, steady and insistent. Or is that my own.
“And it will save me from having to gouge out any eyes.” He smiled, but it did not bely the intensity of his anger.
“Then you think we should…” Adele licked her lips.
“Yes.” He nodded. “I meant what I said, Lady Adele; I will use all my means to protect you.”
“You should probably call me Adele, then.” The words slipped from her before she truly realised what she was saying. “If we are to do this, we might as well do this properly.”
“And you are so very proper.” The corner of his lips quirked upwards.
“You know me; I am the embodiment of propriety.” She rolled her eyes at him. “Unless of course, you do not think you can pretend such affection for me.”
“Is that a challenge, Lady Adele?” Warner took a step towards her. “And what makes you so sure you can pull off such a disguise?”
His amusement sent a prickle of irritation through her, and she closed the distance without thinking, placing a hand on his chest. She felt his muscles tense at her touch and took advantage of it, looking up at him from beneath her eyelashes the way Verity had taught her.
“Oh, I think I can manage. Besides,” she reached up and adjusted the collar of his shirt, ignoring the way her heart sped up at their closeness, “you cannot even call me by my name… Warner.”
He growled softly, and Adele’s eyes met his. Her lips parted. “You are playing a dangerous game.”
“I am proving a point.” Her heart sped up. “I can play my part — can you?”
He caught her face in his hand, tilting her chin towards him with the tip of one of his finger. His eyes sparkled, a blue ocean which seemed to drown her.
“What do you think, Adele?” His breath tickled her face.
The way he said her name sent a shiver down her spine. The world spun, and he stepped away. Adele’s cheeks were flushed, and she tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, scowling at Warner’s amused chuckle.
Irritatingly handsome man.
He clasped his hands behind his back. “We should discuss our arrangement.”
Adele began to walk, unable to stand the thought of sitting.
“I want you to understand that I do not wish to curb your freedom. You will be free to do as you please once the investigation is over and your reputation is restored.” The Duke ran a hand through his hair and fixed her with a sombre, earnest expression.
“If you wish, I can arrange for Kidlington house to remain in your name. Or another property, should you desire it.”
“Another property?” Adele’s heart tumbled.
“Do you doubt I could find something for you? I am a duke after all. The duchy may have less than it used to, but I am sure we will find something to your liking.” An odd look flitted across his face, too quick for her to see properly.
“And what if I decide I like Scarfield castle best?” Adele teased, wanting to break the tension that spread between them.
“Then you will be stuck with me.” His eyes glittered. “And I doubt you want that.”
“Because you are so desperate for my company?” Adele rolled her eyes. “Fret not, dear Duke, I am unlikely to fall in love with the castle. And even if I did, I would not leave you homeless.”
“How kind. Regardless, I want you to know that you will have somewhere to call yours.” He shrugged.
“Why? Are you already sick of my company?”
“Hardly. I simply know how much you value your freedom.” Warner gestured around them. “I know you will be itching to return to separate lives.”
Separate lives. She nodded, feeling a lump form in her throat. “Thank you.”
“It is my pleasure.” His eyes flicked towards her and then away again.
She could feel his fingers on her chin and hastily pushed the thought away, forcing herself not to touch the spot he had held. “The wedding —”
“I have applied for a special license. We can be married at my London house; that will allow us to keep the numbers down,” he cut in. “We do not need to make a spectacle.”
“But I will still be able to invite the widows?” Adele’s heart squeezed.
“I doubt I could stop you. They would probably storm the grounds if I tried.” He shook his head.
“Almost certainly.” Adele laughed, imagining her friends barging through the door.
“Is there anything else you would like at the wedding?” Warner asked. “Whatever you wish, it will be done.”
Adele laughed. “You sound like you are about to promise me the moon in the sky.”
“Is that not what young men in love do?” He gave her a mischievous smile. “I, for one, am determined to play my part.”
“Then I shall expect poems and roses daily.” She laughed.
“And what about me?” He moved towards her. “Will you grant me some token of your affection?”
His closeness stole her breath away, and she swallowed.
“I believe a lock of hair is rather customary.” She pursed her lips, thinking about all the women who had given their beaus such a gift. Her heart twisted. “Who knows, it might make people think you have tamed me.”
Bitterness crept into her words, and she made to turn away from the Duke, but he caught her hand in his and gently tugged her towards him.
“Only a fool would want to tame you.” His voice was like thunder in a storm, low and rumbling. “And I am no fool.”
She swallowed. “Then I suppose it is lucky that I am marrying you.”
It scared her just how much she meant it.