Page 24 of Married to the Icy Duke (Duke Wars #3)

T here was a tense sort of silence on the carriage ride home. Tommy was asleep, thankfully, and oblivious to any sort of atmosphere.

Isaac was glad of that. Charlotte was right about her warnings.

A man could let his moods take charge. He’d known men who made their whole households suffer with their foul moods and bad tempers, and then turned around and congratulated themselves on being fine husbands and fathers on account of the fact that they did not beat their children and wives.

I will not be the same, I swear it.

Charlotte sat opposite him in the carriage, tucked into a corner with Mary sitting beside her with the sleeping Tommy on her knee, and Thalia beside her.

Sybella sat beside Isaac, and she was uncharacteristically quiet. That was not a surprise, considering that she knew more than most about the situation regarding Matthew and his brother. It was a tragic tale, and in Isaac’s opinion, nobody was to blame.

Clearly, Matthew did not share the same opinion.

The carriage clattered to a halt in front of the house. Isaac sat still, letting the ladies climb out first. When he finally exited the carriage himself, he found Perling waiting for him, anxiety written clearly on his face.

He lifted his eyebrows. “Problem?”

The butler swallowed. “The Duke of Stonewell is here, your Grace.”

What on earth is Gabriel Harding doing, calling without an invitation?

“I imagine he’s here to see his wife or sister,” Isaac responded.

Perling shook his head. “No, Your Grace. He was most clear. He is here to see you , before he sees Lady Charlotte or her Grace. He was most insistent. I … I was unsure about granting him access, but he was so …” There was a pause while Perling groped for the word. “Firm,” he managed at last.

Isaac winced. “I can imagine. Those Orions are fiery creatures, you know. Perhaps they ought to be called devils , rather than us.”

“If you are trying to provoke Thalia and I,” Charlotte said, her voice quiet, “you are wasting your time.”

Was that a joke? Was she trying to lighten the mood? He glanced sharply over at her and was surprised to find that he could not quite tell. She stared back at him, cool and placid, and her face betrayed nothing.

Clever girl, Isaac thought, biting back a smile.

“I showed him into the library, Your Grace,” Perling continued. “Since I thought the parlor would be wanted when you all returned.”

“Very good, Perling.”

“I’ll come in with you to speak to him, if you like,” Charlotte offered.

He glanced at her and pursed his lips. She was trying to help, he realized.

She thought that her brother was angry, for whatever reason, and was trying to mediate whatever anger would flare up.

It was kind of her. Kinder than he deserved, considering how thoroughly he’d ignored her no-touching rules.

Just the memory of the kisses they’d shared, and the soft, breathy noises of pleasure she’d made at the touch of his hand, made Isaac’s chest tighten and his groin flare with heat.

Steady, now, he warned himself. Now is certainly not the time.

“No, thank you,” he responded. “I shall manage this myself. Besides, you ladies have several bandboxes to pore over. I shan’t keep you from such amusements. I imagine I shan’t be long.”

“Good luck,” Thalia murmured, sounding very much as if she were trying to choke back a laugh.

Isaac chose to ignore it and strode inside.

There was absolute silence as he approached the library, and Isaac couldn’t help but wonder whether Gabriel had slipped out when Perling was not looking. That would make things easier, to be sure.

Then he pushed open the door and was greeted by the sight of Gabriel Harding sprawled in his favorite chair, arms folded tight, and face white with anger.

“There you are,” Gabriel responded coolly. “I was starting to think you weren’t coming.”

Isaac smiled grimly and pushed the door closed behind him. “I am ready to guess that you’ve had me followed all day, so it should be no surprise to you when I return.”

Gabriel sniffed. “Of course, I had you followed. Did you think I’d allow you to take my wife and my sister out for a day without my tracking your every move?

The wretched fellow lost you for a few minutes or so after you and Charlotte left Gunter’s—unchaperoned, which I need hardly remind you will not happen again—but he found you a while later exiting a park.

I’ll request a full explanation of that from Charlotte later. ”

Well, you won’t get a full explanation, Isaac thought wryly. Also, it seems that your eyes and ears aren’t as good as Tristan’s. One of Tristan’s little watchers would have never let us lose him, not even for a moment.

“I imagine he was quite bored, following us around on a shopping trip,” Isaac shot back, hooking an ankle around a chair leg and pulling it forward to face Gabriel.

He sat down with a thump. “I’m sure you aren’t here only to tell me that I spent an unchaperoned few moments with Lady Charlotte.

Unless, of course, the infamous Orion himself has descended from his mysterious perch to inform you that an Orion’s sister cannot marry a Devil? ”

Gabriel rolled his eyes. “This again.”

“I only mean to say that the founders of the Ton’s Devils are well known and not mysterious at all. This fellow should really show himself soon, or else we’ll all start to think that he’s entirely fictitious.”

“Enough,” Gabriel snapped, leaning forward. “No, I am in fact here on a different business. Correct me if I am wrong, but did you or did you not allow Lord Bentley to make a threat against Charlotte?”

Isaac stiffened. “So, you are eavesdropping on our conversations now, too?”

“Gunter’s is open to the public. My fellow is a member of the public. He entered. You didn’t even notice him, did you?”

He hadn’t. It occurred to Isaac that perhaps this spy had not lost sight of Isaac and Charlotte and had only chosen to say so to avoid reporting to his master that a Devil had been kissing his sister in broad daylight, in a public park, no less.

If so, he’s a sensible chap. Why did he do it, though? Out of fear of Gabriel? Or perhaps to protect Charlotte?

This was an interesting thought. With her brother as an Orion, the others must know Charlotte passably well. What did they think of her? Were they fond of her? Did they wish to protect her?

If so, they likely wish to get her away from me. Unless, of course, they have hopes there themselves.

A stab of jealousy tightened Isaac’s insides together. It was entirely plausible that one, if not more, of the Orions were secretly in love with Charlotte.

Unfortunately for them, she is mine. And I do not care to share.

Clearing his throat, he drew himself back to the present.

“Matthew did not threaten Charlotte,” Isaac shot back.

“He said—and I believe that this is a direct quote— Or what? Tell me, my dear Lady Charlotte. What will you do if I keep on speaking?”

“And you’d call that a threat?”

“I’d call it disrespect,” Gabriel snarled.

“I know that you and Lord Bentley have history, and the man certainly has seen his fair share of tragedy, but he cannot be allowed to treat Charlotte in this way. If you allow that kind of disrespect towards your bride-to-be, how will you treat her once you are married?”

Isaac clenched his jaw. “Have a care, Duke. I won’t be spoken to this way in my own house.”

Gabriel scoffed. “This is my sister we are speaking of. I’ll speak however I please.”

Isaac got to his feet, stepping towards Gabriel until he towered over him.

“Perhaps,” he murmured, voice low. “But not in my house.”

Gabriel held his eye for a moment, then growled, lifting his hands.

“She is my responsibility, Your Grace ,” Gabriel said, his voice clipped. “Mine.”

“And you think I would simply allow a man—even one with Lord Bentley’s connections to my family—speak to her in a disparaging way?” Isaac responded softly, his voice quiet and dangerous. “Without consequence?”

Gabriel narrowed his eyes, but before he could speak, Isaac continued.

“Perhaps this spy of yours failed to mention that immediately after this interlude, I took Lord Bentley outside and had a stern word with him.”

Gabriel gave a short laugh. “Oh, a stern word ? A stern word, you say?”

“Yes, a stern word, because the man is still grieving his brother. He is broken, can’t you see that? His grief …”

“His grief ,” Gabriel snarled, leaping to his feet and coming nose-to-nose with Isaac, “is no excuse to threaten my sister. If you allow such things to happen, I am afraid I will have to demand satisfaction some other way.”

“It was not a threat , man! Now, if you don’t sit down, I shall put your head straight through that window there. Now, that was a threat. Perhaps you’ll remember what a threat is in future, instead of bandying about a word you do not understand.”

Fury flared in Gabriel’s eyes, and he opened his mouth to say something that would have no doubt inflamed the situation.

Isaac was destined never to hear the man’s answering insult, because at that moment the library door was flung open and Charlotte came striding in, eyes blazing.

“What on earth are you two doing?” she cried. “You look set to come to blows. You are upsetting Thalia, brother.”

To Isaac’s amazement, the anger disappeared from Gabriel’s eyes at once, replaced by something wistful and a little regretful.

Heavens, he thought. Love really does change a man.

“Well, that wasn’t my intention,” he muttered. “I was here to defend your honor, sister.”

“Pshaw,” Charlotte snorted. “I defend my own honor.”

“By eavesdropping?” Isaac enquired sweetly. She narrowed her eyes at him.