Page 7 of Taken by the Icy Duke (Marriage Deals #3)
Chapter Seven
V ictor waited until the door clicked shut before turning to Gilbert, his eyebrows raised. “You do realize,” he said carefully “that your wife is not a ghost, do you not?”
Gilbert stiffened. “I fail to see your meaning, Camburn.”
Victor took a step closer, clasping his hands behind his back. “You are about as welcoming as a locked door, Rivenhall. The poor lady attempts to engage you at every opportunity, yet you continuously give her clipped responses. Even I can sense the rejection in that.”
Gilbert’s jaw tightened. “I have responsibilities, Camburn. This estate, these matters, they do not manage themselves.”
Victor tilted his head, his tone mild. “And does not an attractive young bride demand some level of your attention?
Gilbert did not answer immediately. He drew a measured breath and forced his tone to remain low and firm. “You know very well why I chose this course. It was never meant to be anything more than a means to an end.”
Victor’s eyes narrowed in amused disbelief. “I must note, however, that your duchess does not seem to be resigned to existing as a mere fixture.”
Gilbert allowed himself a quiet exhale. He found he could not meet Victor’s inquisitive gaze, so he eyed the vacant chair Diana had occupied.
“That is precisely why I must be cautious,” he said finally. “I have no desire to stir emotions that would ultimately prove to be…unhelpful.”
“Unhelpful, indeed.” Victor let out a short, knowing laugh. He paced a few steps, tapping a finger idly on the mantel. “Tell me, Rivenhall, do you think you can maintain this stoic posture indefinitely? The lady is your wife. She is here, in your home, willing to speak, to meet your eye, to share more than mere pleasantries. If I were you, I would be more than willing.”
Gilbert’s shoulders tightened, annoyed with Victor’s implication. “I will do what I must,” he said flatly, “just as I have always done.”
Victor smiled thinly, glancing at the door through which Diana had departed. “Yes, I am certain you will. Though I suspect it will not be quite the victory you imagine.”
Gilbert refused to reply to Victor’s barbed remark. He would manage this as he managed everything else—by maintaining order, distance, and control. It was the only way he knew.
Diana reentered the parlor with a composed smile, though she paused upon sensing the charged atmosphere between the two gentlemen. She glanced at Gilbert, then at Victor, searching their faces for some sign of what had transpired in her absence.
Victor broke the silence first, clearing his throat and addressing her in warm, polite tones. “Your Grace,” he said, “I came today wishing to inquire if your husband had any fresh news of Lord Leopold. It appears there is nothing new to report. However, it has been a pleasure to meet you and see how well you are settling into your new home.”
Diana smiled. “You are very kind, my lord,” she said gently.
Victor cast Gilbert a deliberate look. “I merely wished to ensure that all matters were proceeding as they should. I am pleased to see that you are quite…determined in your new role, Your Grace. If I may say so, you are making an admirable attempt under difficult circumstances.”
Diana’s cheeks warmed at his praise, though she sensed a subtle tension in his words. “Thank you, Lord Camburn.”
Victor offered a slight bow. “I shall now take my leave, and allow you both to enjoy your afternoon.” He addressed Gilbert with a formal nod. “Rivenhall.”
Gilbert returned a stiff nod, saying nothing. Victor departed, the sound of his footsteps fading, leaving husband and wife alone beneath the watchful eyes of ancestral portraits.
Diana drew a slow breath, turning to face Gilbert. “Your Grace,” she began, her voice quiet but firm. “I must ask. Why do you insist upon this…this distance between us? Have I offended you in some manner?”
Gilbert lifted his chin and raised an eyebrow Although he tried to keep his expression composed, her boldness lit a slow burn under his skin.
“Offended me?” He queried as though puzzled by her question. “I am not certain what you mean, Your Grace. I have been nothing but polite.”
She pressed her lips together and clasped her hands before her. “Indeed, quite polite. You avoid me at every turn. You excuse yourself abruptly, you are curt, and you barely look at me unless pressed. Have I done something to displease you?”
He stepped away, moving toward the window as though admiring the landscape. His heart ticked faster than he would ever admit.
“I do not believe I have given cause for such accusations. If my days have been occupied by more pressing matters, that is hardly a personal slight. Surely you understand that I cannot wholly devote my attention to household chatter or pleasantries.”
Diana blinked. “Household chatter? I only wished to assist with matters regarding the estate, as I am now your duchess.”
Gilbert turned, a calm expression smoothing over his features despite the ache he felt each time he looked at her.
“Your Grace, you are imagining slights where none exist. I have attended to all matters requiring my presence. You must not take offense simply because I prefer efficiency and order.”
“It is more than you wish me to believe,” she insisted, a fire sparking in her emerald eyes. “You will not speak with me unless I force the matter. You vanish when I approach. I must ask, what have I done to make you treat me so…coldly?”
He cocked his head, his voice soothing yet strangely distant.
“Coldly? You mistake reserve for rudeness. We are newly married and still adjusting to one another’s presence. Perhaps you feel I should be more demonstrative. Yet I have already shown a willingness to grant you authority over certain household matters. I have permitted you to host visitors and allowed you full freedom of the rooms. Is that not enough?”
“I see,” Diana stammered, her cheeks flushing. “I…perhaps I overstepped.”
“I advise patience,” he insisted, carefully. “In time, we shall find our rhythm.”
Instead of bowing her head and conceding the point, Diana stood a bit straighter. He noted the high flush that now bloomed on her cheeks and heard the quickening of her breath. She refused to submit to his polite evasions, and oddly, that impressed him even though it infuriated him.
“Patience? Is that not what I have given you since my arrival here?” Her voice rang in the stillness. “Am I to be forever patient while you decide whether or not I merit more than a handful of words each day?”
Gilbert clenched his jaw as a flicker of annoyance surfaced. She was pushing him, testing his control. He took a deliberate step closer, enjoying the sudden look of surprise in her eyes. “Your Grace,” he said, “it seems you assume a great deal. Are you certain you wish to press this matter?”
“I do,” she replied, lifting her chin as if daring him to prove otherwise. Her determination—so unexpected—sent a current of heat through his veins. She did not budge, though he now stood close enough to sense the subtle catch in her breathing. A sudden electric current flowed between them. She lifted her chin another notch. “I will not be ignored. Your Grace.”
He studied her for a moment, intrigued by the stubborn tilt of her head. How had he not anticipated this persistent boldness? He should have known that a woman who weathered scandal without crumbling would not flinch from a little confrontation. And as she stood there, defying him outright, he realized he could not talk his way out as easily as he had expected.
He considered his options.
Words only seem to provoke her, and our every exchange pokes a raw nerve inside me. Her mouth is once again ready to utter another demand. I wonder if kissing her will finally quiet her…or, better yet, allow me to reclaim some measure of control.
The idea was reckless, but the thought of her, silent and breathless, astonished by his very touch... Gilbert experienced a rush of satisfaction at the very notion.
“In that case,” he breathed.
Without preamble he moved closer. Close enough to catch her heady rosewater scent; to see the tiny pulse at her throat quicken; to be just close enough that their lips nearly brushed.
She took a sharp breath, surprise widening her eyes. To his delight, her surprise transformed into something determined. The moment her eyes drifted shut, her cheeks flushing with anticipation, he felt a surge of victory.
I will not give her what she wants this easily.
Gilbert angled his head and pressed a deliberate kiss to her cheek. Her breath caught, and he savored the faint tremble he felt beneath his lips. He then trailed lower, letting his mouth find the warm curve of her neck, lingering where he could taste the dewy softness of her skin.
He grazed her ear with a gentle nip in a small show of dominance and teasing. Her soft gasp sent a vibration of dark satisfaction through him. He leaned away slowly and took in her flushed cheeks and parted lips.
“Do not be impatient, my dear wife,” he murmured in a voice so low that it was nearly a whisper. She looked at him, stunned and wanting, and he felt power bloom in his chest. “In time, you may find that some answers are worth waiting for.”
He stepped away, leaving her caught between indignation and intrigue, and for the first time since their union began, Gilbert felt the scales tip slightly in his favor.