Page 22 of A Virgin for the Duke of Scars (Ton’s Beasts #1)
“Nor would I think so,” Theresa said softly. “But it is a reminder that you are not the beast you wish me to think you are. A beast would not return to save his friend.”
“All the same, you know now why I do not remove the mask.”
“And if it is all the same, you know why I wish you to allow me to see you for the man you are.”
She paused and looked meaningfully at the decanter of whiskey on the table, as if she could sense that he wished to pour a third glass. His hand itched to grab the bottle and drain it of its contents, but he would not do so in front of her.
“I should take my leave,” she said instead. “You seem as though you need time to yourself, and I must prepare for the party tomorrow. Thank you, dear husband, for sharing your art with me.”
“Do not tell Juliette and Grandmama,” he said with a smile. “They will be jealous, as I have not shared it with them.”
“Your secret is safe with me,” she promised, opening the heavy door. She turned and said more softly, “All of your secrets are safe with me.”
And then, she was gone, and Aaron was left to drown his memories in a glass of whiskey.
When Aaron found Theresa before the garden party, he noted that she looked even more ravishing than usual. Her long hair was tied up in delicate braids. Her dress revealed more than he wished it to reveal to the ton , but not enough for his tastes.
Her smile was bright, forcing Aaron to return her sense of good cheer, though he dreaded the event of the afternoon.
He did not wish to share his wife with anyone in the ton , but it was her duty as a Duchess to spend time with the people of the city. They might be able to forgive him many things, but they would not forgive him for denying them access to his new wife.
He struggled to find the words to express his feelings for her, so he settled on simple honesty. “You look beautiful in that gown, almost too good for me to want to share you with the rest of the ton .”
“It is because of your generosity that I have gowns that fit me,” she said with a laugh. “You have only yourself to blame if I am well-dressed.”
He offered her his arm, which she accepted with the gentle placement of her hand on his bicep.
“Shall we?”
He took her to the back door that led out to the gardens and the stables. When they entered the dank building, Theresa immediately spotted two horses, saddled and waiting for them. The carriage was nowhere to be seen.
“I thought Juliette and Grandmama could use the carriage,” Aaron explained. “Would you like to ride with me?”
“I thought you said it was not befitting of a lady to ride on horseback through the streets.”
Theresa was teasing him, but he did not miss the surprise and mischief in her eyes.
“I figured that since you married a beast, people are already talking about you. You might as well have what you like and ride beside me so that you can see people’s faces for yourself.”
“I would never call you a beast,” Theresa said softly.
Tentatively, she reached for his face and hesitated at the edge of his mask. Aaron did not stop her from touching him, but he flinched at her nearness. He trusted her not to remove his mask, but was still surprised by her tender touch on his good cheek.
She leaned in and kissed him on the cheek, which instantly reignited his desire for her.
He looked around and saw only servants scurrying from one part of the manor to another. There was no one around to see, so he leaned in, tilted his head to the side, and pressed his lips to hers.
It was not an exploratory kiss, nor was it the heated, passionate one they had shared last night. It was short, sweet, and chaste, but he realized Theresa had leaned into his touch too much when he pulled back and she stumbled.
“Are you sure you are ready to ride a horse to the party?” Aaron teased as she steadied herself.
“It’s just that your kisses, your touches… they do something to me that I’ve never experienced before. It’s like my whole body gives in to your touch.”
Oh. Aaron liked the sound of that.
Theresa was so innocent and pure that she had never had strong feelings about a man. Had never leaned into a kiss too hard or wanted too much.
He was grateful that he was the one she got to experience her firsts with.
“Shall I help you mount your horse?” He offered, giving her his hand.
“I do not need your help.”
She slid her foot into the stirrup and hoisted herself over the back of the steed in one fluid motion, just as graceful as she was when Aaron had found her practicing her curtsies in front of the mirror.
He slowly clapped his hands, so as not to spook the horse, and then climbed atop his stallion.
They were off to their first party as a married couple, and their mode of transportation was sure to set tongues waggling. What kind of husband would allow his wife the freedom to ride? He hoped Theresa was prepared for the backlash that came with being married to a beast.
The garden party was far more magnificent than Theresa thought it would be. Juliette and the Dowager Duchess had told her that the garden parties of the ton were elaborate affairs, that she would need to learn much before she was ready to navigate them.
This vastly exceeded her expectations.
The lawn was far nicer than any she had seen so far, with the exception of the lawns at Blackwell Manor. She took in the fresh blooms that surrounded them, enjoying their fragrance. It was almost enough to make her overlook the ton’s judgment of her entrance.
While she had enjoyed the freedom of riding to the party, she now understood what Aaron meant when he said that all eyes would be on her. From the moment they cantered into the stables, all eyes had been on them.
“Your husband has always preferred riding on horseback,” the Duke of Hiverville said upon seeing them. “Though I am surprised to see that he sent Juliette and his grandmother in the carriage and let you ride alongside him.”
“Like my husband, I vastly prefer riding on horseback,” she revealed with a smile. “Perhaps we are well-suited for one another, after all.”
Hiverville gave her a charming smile and then turned to Aaron, launching into a conversation about the Duke of Devishire and his search for a suitable bride.
“Perhaps you know a thing or two about suitable matches,” he smiled.
Theresa tuned out their repartee so that she could observe her surroundings.
She saw now why Aaron insisted that they go to the dressmaker’s. The dresses the ladies were wearing here were more flattering than the gowns she had dreamed about in the convent. And all of them fit better than the ones that had been made for her before her arrival.
It was clear these women took the latest fashions seriously—and she would have to learn to do the same.
“You will have to excuse us, Morgan,” Aaron said, just as Theresa tuned back into their conversation. “I fear my wife must make the acquaintance of some of our friends.”
“Be fearful, indeed, Duchess.” Hiverville nodded. “There are wolves on the prowl at this garden party, though they are draped in finery.”
“I will take heed, though I doubt I have much to fear from the aristocracy,” Theresa said with what she hoped was a confident smile.
If she could handle her husband and his friend, surely she could handle herself at a party.
Aaron led her through the crowd until they were standing beside Juliette and the Dowager Duchess, who had arrived ahead of them. As they wound their way through, he stopped her several times and introduced his friends.
Juliette reached for her as Aaron turned to speak with another of his friends. She linked their arms, as if she could sense Theresa’s unease at being adrift in a crowd full of strangers.
“You did not prepare me for how extraordinary this party would be,” Theresa whispered to her.
Juliette threw her head back and laughed. “This is not the most lavish party you will attend as the Duke’s wife. Consider this a precursor to the rest of the Season.”
“If this is but a taste of what the ton has to offer, I am not sure I can handle the rest.”
“You will adjust to the extravagance,” Juliette assured her. “This is your life now, as different as it may have been from your upbringing.”
“This is where you have always belonged,” Aaron chimed in.
He had finished his conversation with his friend and was once more attentive to Theresa. It was as if he could sense that she was overwhelmed by the party, so early after their arrival.
“I will do my best not to embarrass any of you,” she promised.
“I could not care less what the people here think of me, you, or even Juliette. As much as that pains Grandmama, high society has never been particularly important to me.” Aaron cast a glance at his grandmother, who was busy speaking with Lady Sophia, yet still kept an eye on Theresa.
“I should not want to disappoint her. Not after all the effort she has put into teaching me decorum,” Theresa said, following his gaze.
“She will learn to live with it,” he assured her.
They stood there for a moment, watching the guests mingle. For a moment, she was not embraced by another person or pulled into a conversation. It was an opportunity to simply breathe and enjoy the party.
Until she sensed Aaron tense up beside her.
She followed his gaze to the front of the property, where two people walked toward the party. An older gentleman with a young woman on his arm seemed to raise no immediate cause for alarm. The young woman seemed around the same age as Theresa, but was obviously raised among the ton .
The way she moved gracefully into the crowd was Theresa’s aspiration brought to life.
Certainly, the woman seemed more put together than Theresa feared she was when they had arrived at the party. While her maid had styled her hair, the wind must have mussed it on the way over.
For the first time, she wished for the mirrors that were all over Blackwell Manor. Perhaps the nuns were right to always criticize vanity.