Page 29

He smothered a yawn, crossing one leg over the other. “Wedding ceremonies shouldn’t be lengthy, in my opinion. It’s the wedding breakfast everybody cares about, once they’ve gotten a look at the bride’s dress.”

“What… What about my family? And Kitty?”

“Martha will take Kitty home, and the carriage that brought you here will take your family to my house. The wedding breakfast is ready, and I believe there’ll be dancing. Oh, by the way, you and I will be expected to dance. I hope you don’t mind.”

“Of course, I don’t mind. I just…” She paused, shifting on her seat. The carriage was remarkably well sprung, and she could hardly feel a single jolt as they bowled down the streets. “I’m just a little out of sorts. It all went by so fast. I’mmarried.”

“Indeed,” he agreed. “And a month from now, you might be with child, looking forward to a life of freedom. Nine or ten months from now, you could be a proud mother, a beautiful young duchess, ready to embrace true freedom. I envy you, actually.”

For some reason, his speech made Anna shiver. It felt strange, being alone in a carriage with a man, let alone a man like theDuke, but they were married. They would be doing more than sitting in a carriage together, and they would be doing it that very night.

Something fizzed in her gut, and she couldn’t tell whether it was excitement or panic. Maybe a bit of both.

What if it’s awful?

What if it’s wonderful, and he doesn’t want to do it with you?

She swallowed hard, trying to force down the lump in her throat, and shot a quick, nervous glance at her new husband.

The Duke seemed almost unaware of her presence. He rested his elbow on the window sill, watching the raindrops trickle down the glass. When he spoke again, Anna nearly jumped out of her skin.

“I want to introduce you to the housekeeper today if we have time,” he said abruptly. “Mrs. Haunt. She’s been with me for years. She’s eager to meet you. I can’t imagine you know how to run a household like mine, so if I were you, I’d let Mrs. Haunt deal with it. Concentrate on Kitty.”

Anna bristled. “I’m not a fool, you know.”

“Aren’t you? Forgive me, I just assume everybody around me is an idiot. It’s simpler.”

She folded her arms tight across her chest and sat back with athump.

Awful man. The sooner I give him his son, the better it will be for everybody.

It wouldn’t be that simple, though, would it? Anna was fairly sure most people had to try a good many times to conceive, and then there was the business of childbirth and being with child…

She shuddered, deliberately not thinking aboutthat.

She knew plenty of women who had delivered children easily, though. The trick, as far as she could tell, was not to listen too hard to haughty physicians who didn’t know much about female anatomy, and instead talk to the experienced midwives.

That was what the Dowager Viscountess had done, and she’d delivered Anna and the trickier twins without much trouble. Anna did not particularly fear dying in childbirth, at least.

The carriage took a sharp turn onto a familiar driveway. Through the rain, she saw Langdon House approaching.Herhouse.

“Here we are,” the Duke said, smothering another yawn. “The servants have come out to meet you, it seems. I do hope you remember the rules.”

It took her a moment to understand what he meant, but once she did, she shot him a scowl.

“Certainly, as long as you remember mine.”

He smirked, infuriatingly unflustered.

The carriage gently rolled to a stop, and a pair of footmen came hurrying out with umbrellas.

The Duke extended his hand. “Shall we?”

“If you say so, Your Grace.”

He frowned at that. “You no longer have to call meYour Grace. We’re married. My name is Theodore.”

Before Anna could reply, the carriage door opened.