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“And the same will be said of our marriage. If I require that we dine together or attend any social events, I expect you to acquiesce without causing a situation.” He looked pointedly at her.

“That is fair.”

“But outside of that...” He shrugged. “I do not expect you and I to spend hours gazing into one another's eyes like lovesick puppies. Nor shall we be joined at the hip. The one thing you need to know about me is that I do not appreciate drama. We had ourdifferences recently. My hope now is that we can move past them. Without incident.”

“That sounds perfectly agreeable.”

“Good.” He actually looked relieved. “Now, if you do not mind...” He indicated the bathtub.

Isabella very nearly breathed a sigh of relief and left. He had, after all, confirmed what she needed to know and assuming that he was being truthful, it sounded like a better set of circumstances than she could have hoped. Only, as she went to leave, she realized something.

He hadn’t answered the one question that she needed an answer to most of all! She cursed inwardly and did not leave.

“Was there something else?”

“Yes...” She swallowed awkwardly, her face turning bright red. “It is... as a husband and wife, there are expectations. Ones that I had... that I assumed... that I was assuming you would... that tonight especially, it is said that...” Her mouth began to turn dry, and embarrassment flooded her.

Worse, the Duke’s eyes flashed recognition. “Ah, I see why you are here.”

“It is not like that!”

He chuckled. “Are you sure? Duchess Fangsdale, for all your complaints about married life, one might assess this situation and be right to think that you are trying to take advantage of --”

“I am not!”

“-- your husband, naked in the bath on your wedding night.” He continued to chuckle to himself. “Is that why you’re here? Upset that I did not come to your room instead?”

She widened her eyes at him. “Relieved is the word you are looking for.”

“Is that right?” he said disbelievingly.

“I came here to make certain that you and I would never – that you had no intention of trying anything of that sort.”

“Of what sort, exactly?” he tilted his head.

“You know well what!”

“You know...” He shrugged and leaned back in the tub, putting his arms up on the sides, sticking his chest out and exposing the waters beneath which lurked his member. “As your husband, it is my right.”

“I am aware,” she said, making sure that the disgust was present.

“And it is expected that we produce an heir. Sooner, rather than later.”

“Hopefully later, if not at all.”

He looked at her from the bathtub. Amusement gone. A sense that he was trying to see through her; whether to believe her words or searching for the exaggeration in them.

“You really do hate me, don’t you?” he asked finally.

“What was the giveaway?” she responded before she could stop to think of a more tactful response.

“And there is that tongue again. I thought I warned you about that.”

Her heart began to race at the implication. Good sense told her to apologize, but that feeling inside of her that roared at the sight of his naked body would not allow it. “I have always been a slow learner.”

“Yes, you are, aren’t you.” The humor in him was gone and the look he gave her sent a shudder up her spine. “I thought I warned you about that.”

“I--” She swallowed. “I just want to know what is expected of me. You wish for me to be obedient? Then...” Her body was shaking, and her tongue felt swollen in her mouth. “Then tell me what to do.”