Page 13 of Bound By the Duke

Standing still under his unreadable gaze, Aurelia took a moment to process his words. Her lips were parted slightly, her mind caught somewhere between understanding and surprise.

Then, after what seemed like an eternity, she said slowly, “You wish me to be her mother.”

“I wish for her to be raised properly.”

“And marriage is the most convenient way to ensure that.”

“Yes.”

There was no shame in his tone. There was no tenderness either. All he offered was fact, nothing but plain truth. But beneath all of it, something swirled in Aurelia’s chest.

Something else was being left out, and the realization caused a sinking feeling in her stomach.

Her brown eyes rose to him, taking in the sharp angle of his jaw and his unreadable blue eyes that gave her so little and yet somehow… kept her looking.

“You must know that I’m not without experience,” she said at last, lifting her chin slightly. “I helped raise my younger siblings. I’ve changed more nappies than I care to count. I once spent three days trying to convince Louis not to swallow buttons.”

That earned her a twitch at the corner of his mouth. Once again, it was barely there, almost invisible.

“But…” she hesitated. “Is there nothing else you wish from a wife?”

His silence was not immediate this time. He looked at her properly now. In his eyes, she saw conflict, as though her question had knocked on a door that he did not want to open.

“I require very little,” he replied, eventually. “A lady with dignity, a wife with discretion.”

Aurelia paused. There was no hint of joy or affection in his words. Just service. Just duty.

“Of course.” She nodded once, trying her best not to look disappointed.

She remained silent for a while, and it seemed he took that to mean the conversation was over because he turned to walk away.

But she wasn’t done.

Without a second thought, she grabbed the hem of his coat with her fingers.

She wasn’t sure what had given her such courage, but her fingers were on him. She didn’t pull; she simply touched him enough to make him stop.

When he turned back and his gaze settled on her hand, she immediately dropped it like it had betrayed her.

He didn’t speak, and neither did she.

For a moment, they just stared at each other. Aurelia wanted to look away, but she could hardly do so. She was the one who made him stop, and he was standing, waiting for what she had to say.

But somehow, the space between them, so fragile and tense, made it difficult to speak properly.

When her voice finally came out, it was a lot quieter. “Your Grace… you mentioned having a daughter. But you didn’t mention anything about… heirs.”

There, she had said it, and she immediately looked away.

However, out of the corner of her eye, she saw him go still.Painfullystill. The silence became even heavier, as though it had been covered by fog.

Suddenly, he took a step closer, and before she could even flinch or retreat, his gloved fingers reached for her chin.

The duke tilted her face up gently yet so firmly that her eyes were forced to meet his. Her breath caught, and heat rose to her cheeks.

He had always acted so aloof, and now he had invaded her personal space to touch her. With him standing so close, she could almost taste his scent—a mixture of earth, leather, and something old. Strangely, it felt like something sad.

“You have no idea what you are asking of me,” he whispered, his warm breath against her hair.