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He pushed those thoughts aside and smiled at her instead. “It is a surprise,” he said simply.

Phoebe did not even look at him suspiciously as she stood up and allowed him to lead her out of the parlor, her soft smile warming the coldness of his soul far more than the afternoon sun ever did.

His Duchess was determined to fall in love before she gave all of herself to him, while he was just as resolved not to fall into that all-consuming madness that had afflicted his father before him.

Phoebe was convinced that he was not the monster his sire was, but Ethan was all too familiar with the kind of darkness that lurked beneath his skin.

Whenever he looked at Phoebe, heknew.

The only difference between him and the man who sired him was that Ethan would rather cut off his arm than subject Phoebe to the kind of torment his mother had succumbed to.

He would much rather the world be relieved of his existence than for him to hurt her in any way.

Never trust a Wolf when he tells you he has something to show you.

Those words had been drilled into her countless times from the moment she had learned how to be a young lady in Society. It was the sort of thing mothers told their daughters all the time, warning them of the dangers that men posed to their reputations.

Unfortunately, men were all too willing to lie, and women were all too willing to believe them.

Phoebe had been determined that she would never be one of those hapless women when she chose spinsterhood over a loveless marriage.

But shedidget married, and truthfully, she was finding it far more enjoyable than she had initially thought.

She turned her face up to the sun with a soft smile, feeling it warm her upturned nose, her cheeks, her lips as Ethan led her out into the gardens.

It was indeed embarrassing to admit that as the lady of the house, she did not even know her own gardens as well as she should. If her mama ever heard of it, she would be horrified.

“What are you smiling about, sweetheart?”

She tilted her head to find Ethan regarding her with some confusion.

“Should I be concerned?” he asked her.

She laughed lightly. “I am the one being led by a Wolf to the gardens. I should be the one more concerned, would you not say?”

“This Wolf just happens to be your husband.” He grinned at her. “You have nothing to fear.”

All the more reason I should be cautious.

“I was just thinking that if Mama ever heard that I do not even know some parts of the estate, she would be sorely disappointed in me.” She shrugged.

“Well, you are no longer just her daughter. You are my wife now,” he declared. “And I amimmenselysatisfied with you.”

She felt warmth blooming in her cheeks, which had nothing to do with the afternoon sunshine.

“Not so satisfied yet,” she mumbled under her breath, looking away.

He chuckled softly. “Now, that is something that is entirely up to you.”

“I know.”

Any other man would have demanded his rights from the moment the vows left her lips, but Ethan had conceded to her requests and taken time out of every single day for the past five days to spend time with her, when she had been expecting him to merely charm his way under her skirts.

Sometimes, she did wish she was not quite as adamant as she was, especially now that she seemed to be running out of dresses to wear for these charming afternoons with her equally charming husband.

“Well, here we are.”

They stopped before a pond where water lilies bloomed in the water and colorful fish darted lazily beneath the lily pads. A stone bridge covered in blooming roses connected one side of the pond to the other.