Page 26 of A Bride for the Cruel Duke (Claimed by Regency Devils #1)

Chapter Twenty-Six

C aroline and Anthony met her family in the foyer of their manor. It was early evening, the sun still setting but close now to disappearing entirely, and Anthony was still struggling to come to terms with how he was feeling.

A part of him wanted to embrace this romance entirely because he knew that he was falling in love with Caroline. The other part worried about what that might mean for him, because where he did indeed care for Caroline, he did not enjoy what this emotion did to him. How weak it made him feel. How shrunken. How dependent he was now on Caroline’s happiness, and what would become of him if something went wrong.

Tonight, he knew, would be the ultimate test. Caroline’s family were a tempestuous bunch, sure to bring out the worst in Anthony. Could he weather the storm for the sake of this marriage? Or would he break, likely reminding Caroline who it was that she had married and how unfit he was for such a thing. And did he want that? To scare her away so that there was no risk of this marriage going further?

I am a mess. Emotionally drained. As unsure as I have ever been. I want happiness. I want to be with Caroline. But I also fear what that will make me.

“How are you feeling?” Anthony asked as they waited.

“I might ask the same of you,” she joked. “Are you prepared for the mayhem that is my family.”

“I will be fine,” he said a little too sharply. She frowned at the response and he forced a smile. “I am looking forward to it.”

She snorted. “Liar.”

“They are difficult,” Anthony agreed. “But they are your family, which means that they are my family also.”

She smiled at the comment, taking his hand and squeezing it. “It won’t be that bad. My family can be troublesome, but they are not without their positives.”

He raised an eyebrow at her. “Are we speaking of the same family?”

“They will behave,” she said with a grimace. “They know better than to…” She trailed off then, seemingly unwilling to defend her family as she must have known that with them came mayhem.

“I am sure they will be fine,” Anthony said, more for his own sake than Caroline’s. “I mean, how bad can they possibly be?”

Anthony had spent all day mulling over this exact question. More importantly, he had considered deeply how he was to behave tonight. He needed to be calm. He needed to be reasonable. He needed not to give Caroline a reason to question this marriage and the man with whom she would be spending the rest of her life.

This, Anthony knew, would be easier said than done.

They were still holding hands when it was announced that her family’s carriage was approaching, and Caroline took the moment to squeeze his hand tighter as if to tell him silently that she was here for him.

The door to the foyer swung open and through it swept Caroline’s family like a hurricane. Her mother came first, trailed by Aurelia who was bickering with Eveline, behind which dragged Iris, and then Daniel who wandered into the home with a sense that he would have preferred to have been anywhere but there.

“Caroline!” Caroline’s mother came for her, arms outstretched. “We heard what happened!” She took Caroline by both arms, pulling her into a kiss before holding her back to study her. “Honestly, girl, what were you thinking!”

“Good evening, mother,” Caroline said with a wince. “It is good to?—”

“I thought you said that she fell from a horse!” Eveline cried out from behind their mother. “She looks fine to me!”

“What were you expecting?” Aurelia said.

“I dunno,” Eveline shrugged. “More bruises, I suppose.”

“Do not sound so upset.”

“I did not say I was!”

“Girls!” Their mother turned and raised both eyebrows at them in warning. “What did we speak of? Aurelia, I expect you to keep you sister under control.”

“Me!” Aurelia gasped. “I did not do anything.”

“Exactly!”

“If Violet was here—” Aurelia started.

“Which she is not,” their mother cut them off again. “Which you will have to start getting used to.” Violet was with Roderick tonight, which Anthony had taken as a blessing as it was one less family member to deal with. “Your Grace...” Caroline’s mother curtsied deeply before extending a hand to Anthony. “Thank you so much for inviting us into your home. It is an honor, I assure you.”

Anthony took her hand and gave the back of it a kiss. “You are most welcome.”

“Sister.” Daniel came in behind their mother. His expression was cold, which had Anthony glaring because he did not appreciate a guest in his home behaving this way—and to his wife, no less. “And Your Grace,” he then greeted Anthony. “As my mother has said, thank you for your invitation this evening. It is most generous.”

“Of course,” Anthony said stiffly.

“Iris...” Caroline stepped around her brother and crouched down to get a better look at her youngest sister. “Look how big you are! You have grown at least a foot this past week.”

Iris blushed furiously and spoke into her chest. “I have not, Caroline. You are being silly.”

“Must be the accident,” Eveline chided. “How hard did you hit your head, sister?”

“Eveline!” her mother snapped. “And Aurelia...” She widened her eyes at Aurelia. “What did I tell you?”

This is going to be harder than I thought…

Anthony’s lip curled, and he did his best not to survey Caroline’s family with venomous frustration. Oh, how hard they made such a thing to do.

“So, Your Grace, a tour is in order, I expect,” Caroline’s mother began.

Anthony’s jaw tightened at the presumptuous tone. “We?—”

“Supper first, Mother,” Caroline spoke up. She took Anthony’s hand again and eyed him; telling him silently that she had this. Anthony frowned, not entirely certain he wanted such a thing. He appreciated her trying to ease the burden of her family, but this was his home and he was the one who should have been in control. “The food is ready, and I would hate for it to get cold.”

“Oh...” Her mother looked between them. “Your Grace, that sounds perfect. Which way is?—?”

“I will show you,” she spoke again, before Anthony needed to. She squeezed his hand again and smiled at him, which had Anthony frowning further, again not sure what to make of this shift in their power dynamic.

Caroline let go of Anthony’s hand and directed her family through the foyer and toward the dining room. There, she was sure to tell each where they were to be seated, starting with Anthony at the head of the table, her to his left, her mother to his right, Daniel next, Aurelia across from Daniel, and then Eveline and Iris at the end.

Seated, the staff poured them all a glass of wine, announcing that their meals would soon be plated and brought to them. This allowed for a few moments of idle chit chat before eating would begin and Caroline, seemingly determined to steer her family down a companionable path, took control of the conversation.

“So, Daniel,” she began. “How goes everything at home?”

Daniel seemed surprised by Caroline’s question. “Excuse me?”

“It must be quieter now, what with me and Violet no longer living there.” She smiled at her brother, likely hoping he would see that her question was not supposed to be antagonistic.

He scoffed. “Hardly. Violet was a voice of sanity, as I am sure you know well enough. And it is not as if you were ever the center of drama.” He looked pointedly at Eveline.

“What is that look?” Eveline cried out.

Aurelia snorted. “As if you do not know.”

“Girls!” their mother hissed down the table.

“I do not appreciate the implication,” Eveline continued, scowling at her brother. “As if he has been so easy to live with this past week.”

Aurelia laughed. “That is a fine point, Eveline. Daniel, have you stopped to think that perhaps you are the one who is the cause of mother’s headaches?”

“What headaches?” Iris asked, albeit quietly.

“It is fine, dear,” their mother assured Iris before glaring at her daughters. “And I will ask the two of you to not embarrass me.” Another scowl before smiling at Anthony. “I do apologize, Your Grace. The girls are a little pent up with energy, following the ride over.”

Anthony did his best to remain unfazed. “I?—”

“We are not children, Mother,” Eveline spoke over him. “There is no need to speak of us as such.”

“Then start acting like it!”

“Do not hold it against them, Mother,” Daniel sighed as he sipped on his glass of wine. He wore a cold smirk which he held on Aurelia. “Jealousy makes green-eyed monsters of us all.”

“Jealous!” Aurelia shrieked. “Of who? You?”

“I think you know,” Daniel said with a chuckle.

“Oh, please,” Aurelia rolled her eyes. “You wish.”

“He has a point,” Eveline chided. “You were saying just yesterday to me, how you could not believe that there were as many as two women who would even consider our brother as?—”

“Eveline!” Aurelia snarled. “I told you that in confidence!”

“Please do finish,” Daniel sat up. “Consider me as what?”

“Nothing,” Aurelia said quickly, widening her eyes at Eveline. “Nothing at all.”

“That two women would consider you worth marrying,” Eveline said with a wicked grin. “She was quite emphatic that you would die alone, a boon to the female population of the entire ton, as she said it.”

“I did not!”

The evening had only just begun, and it was already threatening to implode. Caroline looked desperately between her family members, no doubt beyond upset with the way they were behaving. And as for Anthony? He was very quickly losing patience.

He was not a cruel man by nature. Nor was he as quick to temper as so many expected of him. But he had his limits, they were being pressed, and he knew that if things did not redirect soon, they would be well and truly reached.

Control yourself, Anthony. Do not become that man. You must prove to Caroline that you are capable of dealing with her family, as difficult as they are making it.

“Two women!” Caroline spoke up before her mother could say anything. “Daniel, I had no idea you were in the process of courting.”

He blew through his lips. “Why would you?”

“It is not something I had known you to be interested in,” she continued, ignoring the jibe. “Who are these lucky women?”

“You mean unlucky,” Eveline added.

“Nobody you know,” Daniel said.

“Try me,” Caroline continued politely. “Perhaps I know their names.”

“And how would you?” Daniel said with a sneer that set Anthony’s teeth on edge. “It is not as if you were of that world. Before you went and embarrassed yourself, we thought you might never wed.”

“What did you say?” Anthony growled.

“I will ask that you not speak that way of me,” Caroline hurried to interject. “Regardless of what you think happened, it is irrelevant. I am married and the past is just that, the past.”

“Irrelevant, is it?” Daniel continued, lip curling. “That is easy for you to say, locked away here as you have been.”

“Daniel!” their mother warned.

Anthony stiffened and he felt his blood begin to boil. Hands clenched, jaw set, he glared in Daniel’s direction, trying his best not to erupt or say anything which he would not be able to take back. “I would ask that you watch what you say,” Anthony warned him. “While you are in my home, speaking to my wife, it would behove you, boy , to mind your tongue.”

“I am sorry, Your Grace,” Daniel continued, glaring at Caroline. “The evening is young and already I find myself sick to death of this charade. We have been invited here so my sister can parade her false happiness before us as if we are fools. As if we are not the ones who must deal with the consequences.”

“You tell her, Daniel,” Eveline goaded him.

“Eveline...” Aurelia groaned.

“I might have two ladies that I am considering,” Daniel continued as Anthony’s body began to shake. “But it should be twice that! And it would be, had you not gone and shamed us with your...” His lip curled. “Your wonton behavior. Filth, is what is was.”

Caroline leaned back as if she had been struck. “Excuse me?”

“Everybody knows what happened,” Daniel hissed. “Everybody knows that this marriage is a farce; nothing more than an effort to explain away your actions. Actions which I am now forced to suffer as a result!”

“Enough!” Anthony roared and thumped his fists on the table, causing everyone to jump. “I warned you to watch how you speak of my wife. I warned you—and you took my warning, boy, and threw it in my face. I will not have it.”

“Offense was not meant,” Daniel said simply. “I am but a messenger.”

“You are but a fool,” Anthony snarled, which saw Daniel wince. “Thinking that you can come into my home and speak of me and my wife as you have. Although perhaps ‘fool’ is too generous a word. It suggests intelligence enough to understand the mistake made. Are you a fool, boy? Or are you so stupid that you think you can speak this way and get away with it?”

Anthony did not know Daniel well, but he’d got the measure of him by this point. Not brave by any means, but clearly stubborn and pigheaded and the type who thought a little too much of himself. What was more, having only seen the best of Anthony, he likely did not fear him as he once might have—and as he should do!

That will be the last mistake that he makes.

“I do not appreciate being called stupid, Your Grace,” Daniel began, sticking his chin in the air. “And I ask that you apologize.”

“Daniel!” Caroline cried.

“Get out,” Anthony snarled before he could stop himself.

“Excuse me?” Daniel blinked.

Anthony was done. Done pretending. Done trying to be someone who he was not. He had wanted to prove to Caroline that he had what it took to make a decent husband, a life of peace and quiet, not a monster and certainly not cruel. And for so long too, he had thought it might be possible.

Having cut himself off from the world, rarely had he been forced to test the limits of his patience. Dammit, he had even managed to convince himself that he was kinder than people said.

I am not husband material. I am not fit to be around others. It is time I stop pretending otherwise…

“I did not stutter.” Anthony rose from the table, giving way to his anger like he never had before. “Nor am I in the habit of repeating myself.”

“I—” Daniel started to speak but did not have time to get his words out.

Anthony was on him, grabbing the upstart lord by the scruff of the neck and yanking him from his chair. “I said, get out!” Then, with Daniel on his feet, he tossed him across the room as if he were a ragdoll.

Daniel stumbled and tripped, barely keeping his balance.

“Daniel!” voices cried, all the women at once.

“Have you lost your mind?” Daniel exclaimed.

“No,” Anthony said. “In fact, I have very recently just found it. Now…” He took a step toward Daniel, taking a little too much pleasure in the way the boy scurried back. “Do I need to say it again, or this time will you listen? A first for you, I know. So I will not hold my breath.”

Daniel looked to Caroline for support, but she gave him none. She was in a state of shock and surprise, unable to comprehend what was happening. Her eyes were wide, her mouth hanging open. She glanced at Anthony. Their eyes met, and in them Anthony saw something that he had never seen in Caroline before when she looked at him: He saw fear.

“Go!” Anthony roared, giving in fully to his temper. “I will not ask again.”

“Caroline!” Daniel turned to his sister, but she looked away. Shame, it felt like, only not for her brother. Anthony had no doubt that shame was held for the man to whom she was married. “Fine!” Daniel snarled as he straightened up. “If that is the way it is going to be. Mother. Sisters. We are leaving.”

“Daniel…” Caroline’s mother began. “What are you saying?—?”

“Now, Mother!” he snapped. He widened his eyes in warning at his mother and then at his sisters, each of whom had no choice but to follow his example.

And, as Caroline’s family rose from their seats, Anthony continued to glare at Daniel, holding it on him until he and the others hurried from the dining room, without another word said.

It was only once they had gone that Anthony came back into himself, calming just enough to understand the magnitude of what he had just done. The exact opposite of what he had promised he would do. Worse than that, perhaps, as even he had not known he could go so far.

Caroline was still seated, looking down at the table, likely embarrassed, very likely ashamed. For the first time she was seeing Anthony as everyone else did, a man to be feared not loved. A man who nobody deserved to be trapped with for the rest of their days. Not husband material.

For a moment there, Anthony wondered if it might be worth apologizing, explaining himself, promising that he would not do it again—he hated seeing Caroline this way. He hated how it made him feel. But then again, wasn’t that the very reason he had begun to question this marriage in the first place?

He had spent a lifetime guarding himself from such feelings as this. For so long he had lived as the Cruel Duke that he had begun to believe that’s who he was. For a short time there, Caroline had eroded the facade and made him believe he could be more… that he could be happy. Tonight, however, this moment right here, proved the opposite.

What was more, it presented him a chance to end this marriage once and for all. Not because he wanted to, but because he felt he must. For his own sense of self-preservation. For Caroline’s too, as she deserved so much more than he could give. This marriage could never work, would only lead to heartache, and it was time that Anthony admitted this. No more lies.

I am a coward, I know. But a coward for the right reasons. It is because I care so much for Caroline that I must do this. And it is because she has made me see what it is to care, that I know it is the right thing to do.