Page 3 of The Beast’s Duchess (Duchesses of Inconvenience #1)

Chapter Two

T he room was silent. The echo of Christopher’s words, despite their relatively low volume, were still echoing in everyone’s ears.

Christopher clenched his hands into fists, nails biting into the inside of his leather gloves. He needed to keep his temper under control if he had any hopes of getting this over with swiftly.

“I beg your pardon sir! She is bound to marry me. The banns have been read, the papers drawn up, and she belongs to me!” The pudgy lord trying to marry his bride took a step towards him.

Christopher clenched his jaw and was about to try and deescalate the situation in front of the guests and instead speak privately... but then his eyes locked with hers.

A beam of sunshine poured over her pale yellow dress, making the golden embroidery glimmer with every one of her fast, unsteady breaths. Her eyes were round with shock and her parted lips...

He shook his head. He could not afford to get distracted by her, not when she betrayed him.

She might look like an angel, heaven-sent and glowing with that very fire that drew him to her. Yet, he had to remind himself, that she was a devil in disguise.

But mine nonetheless.

“You dare to speak to me after trying to steal what is mine?”

“Good sir! I must insist you leave us be at once!”

“Not without my wife, not without taking that which was promised to me. And it’s ‘Your Grace,’ not that I expect a man of your social ineptitude to know that.”

“Perhaps we should step away for a moment,” the Archbishop said. “If we all sit down and talk, I’m sure we can figure this out.”

“I don’t see what there is to discuss,” Christopher said. “We never annulled our engagement, so Lady Hale isn’t able to marry anyone else.”

Rage flashed in her eyes. “You were the one who_”

“Yes,” her father stepped forward with a tight smile on his face. “I think that would be wise. Please allow us to go to the sacristy, Archbishop.”

They were all herded from the main chamber into a small room behind the altar. It was more than a little crowded Between Christopher, Veronica, her parents, Lord Gallmore—and, of course, the Archbishop—it was more than a little crowded.

“So,” the Archbishop said, folding his hands. “Duke Ashton, I assume you have a very good reason to interrupt the ceremony instead of dealing with everything beforehand. I do not appreciate such theatrics in my own church.”

“I regret whatever disturbance I may have caused, but I was not made aware of the situation until very recently.”

“That is a lie!” Veronica stepped forward, her head held high. He did not meet her eyes. “I sent you letters, that you ignored. For several years in fact!”

The Archbishop studied her before asking, “is she telling the truth?”

“I wouldn’t know, I have not read her letters,” he lied.

“The gall! And now you expect_” Veronica started before she was interrupted once more.

“Please, my Lady,” he said before turning back to the duke. “The banns have been read, even a man of your stature needs very solid proof if I am to even consider calling off the ceremony.”

“I would never have come otherwise,” he produced the contract folded carefully in his pocket, setting it on the table. “Our families signed this when we were young, and it has never been resolved. It wouldn’t be proper—or even legal—for Lady Hale to marry anyone else.”

“May I?”

“Of course.”

The room was so quiet he could all but hear his eyes move as he read the pages. He tried not to look at her, but her sweet floral scent did not offer his mind the same grace.

It hurt to be in the same space as her. He remembered how his hands burned when he freed her. He could feel the smoke choke him as he told her to go ahead and he turned back. How it stung his eyes as he strained to see.

He clenched his fist, focusing on the physical sensation instead of the memories haunting him.

Because when he looked at her he saw more than the beautiful, smart and charmingly feisty woman he was to marry.

He saw the person responsible for the most painful day of his life.

And he would not let her marry anyone else. Not when he sacrificed everything for her. Not when saving her meant losing what little he had left.

Veronica’s eyes strayed to Christopher. His jaw was set in a hard line, making him more intimidating than she remembered. Why was he here? Why now, after all this time?

She thought he would be relieved to hear she was finally married off and he was free from her.

“Well,” he said, setting the contract aside. “I would say it looks like you are correct. This contract was never resolved. Legally, you are still engaged to Lady Hale.”

“So dissolve it!” Lord Gallmore snapped.

“If that is what everyone here wants I can do that with Duke Ashton’s-”

“Absolutely not.”

Veronica’s eyes snapped to him.

“She is my betrothed and I intend to marry her.”

“You should have thought of that a few months ago!” Veronica cried.

“Veronica!” her father hissed low. “He is a Duke. you should feel honored. Just stay quiet and let us talk.”

“Am I to have no say in my own husband? My own future?”

Her mother laughed while addressing the room. “Please excuse my Veronica, it is the nerves before a wedding, I remember that from my own wedding day!”

Her mother promptly took her by the wrist and swiftly escorted her to a more quiet corner of the Archbishop’s office.

“I would have thought you would be happy about this,” her mother whispered. The nervous glance she cast over her shoulder suggested that she feared Lord Gallmore overhearing and taking offense.

Veronica just shook her head.

This couldn’t be happening.

"I don’t want to marry Lord Gallmore, if I am honest. Of course I don’t.” How could she? When his touch made her skin crawl and her heart fill with a sense of wrongness. She was not his and never could be.

But Christopher….

She couldn’t. Not after everything he put her through.

“But you know, more than even my sisters do, what his rejection cost me and the rest of our family.

So how could I be happy about this?” She looked at her mother then, willing for all the unseen emotion inside her to be bared to her. She sighed. “I wish this was not our life. That I could give that man a piece of my mind, that we did not need any of their money.”

“But we do.” Veronica finished for her.

Her mother always looked so sure of herself, but it was clear that the older woman had been doing for her children the same thing Veronica tried to do for her sisters. To be strong, to take upon her whatever burden necessary so that they could have a better life.

She squared her shoulders then, as if to better assume the role she always knew she would have to play anyway.

So what did it matter who she played that role with? Only that her loved ones would be taken care of.

She began walking towards the men.

They were still debating the issue when she coughed loudly. “If I may have your attention...”

“Veronica dear, not now_” began her father, but she was done being talked about and discussed without her having a say.

“We all know that my consent to is as crucial a step to this marriage as anything else.” Afterall, even with all the ton’s rigid rules, a forced marriage was condemned and frowned upon.

“And are you here to leverage your consent against this charlatan? How excellent!” Lord Gallmore looked triumphant.

“No, my lord,” she looked at the man who had almost become her husband, knowing she needed to handle his rejection very carefully. “While I hope you know I would have been honored to be your wife, I must abide by the promises made by my family.

“It was a terrible oversight, as this contract was signed when we were just children.” She leveled a quick glare at the duke, who stood just behind Lord Gallmore.

The man looking at her looked nothing like how she remembered him. There was no hope of softness in his expression, none of the curiosity that might have led them to build a life together. He was ice cold.

The temper she tried to stifle flared up once more.

“But before I grant my consent and we move forward, I need His Grace to answer one question.”

His eyes were still on her when he broke the silence. “And what is that?”

“I thought you would not care if I married, you have ignored me for years, and you have said that you didn’t trouble yourself with my letters. So, why have you come now? You could have been rid of me and any deal our fathers made would be void.”

His jaw clenched, deepening the shadows of his face.

“It is a matter of honor. I always keep my promises, even if they have quite a mouth on them.”

“If you want some demure, silent wife then you should reconsider your demands.”

His glare and resulting silence were answer enough: no.

“In that case we may proceed.” said the Archbishop.

“But after all he has caused you?” Lord Gallmore asked, likely in a desperate attempt to change her mind.

It pained her to say the next words. “As far as I am concerned, His Grace stepping up now and making good on his promises makes up for any past grievance.”

“It seems as though everything is settled here,” the archbishop smiled. Something in her chest contracted.

Lord Gallmore glared. “It would seem everyone has their mind made up. I suppose there’s nothing more I can do, but if he mistreats you in any way, you can always come to me, my sweet.”

Christopher glared at the retreating man until he left the room.

“So,” the archbishop clapped his hands. “Now that that’s out of the way, why don’t I help file you forms to begin the process of your wedding? We can arrange for the banns to be read and your wedding can be as soon as a month away!”

“I want you to marry us now,” Christopher said.

“What?” Veronica gasped. The momentary relief she felt in knowing that she would have more time with her family before she had to live with him, now dissipated.

Her father shot her a look. “Veronica, don’t be rude.” He turned back to the others. “Don’t mind her. Though we are all surprised you want things to move so fast.”

“It hardly seems fast. We’ve been betrothed for close to seven years.”

“You’d need a special dispensation for that,” the archbishop trailed off, shifting under Christopher’s intense gaze.

“Which I believe you are authorized to grant.”

“I suppose I am, but still this does feel rather sudden.”

“My fiancée's family was expecting a wedding. It feels like quite a waste to send them home without one. Wouldn’t you agree?”

“I suppose…. It’s just… well…”

Christopher’s eyes remained locked on him, expression unchanged.

“I suppose I will go make the preparations. Please, excuse me.”

Veronica sat there, hand clenched on her lap. “May I have a few moments alone with the man I am about to marry?” she forced out, her voice tight.

“Are you sure that’s appropriate?” her mother gasped.

“I’m sure it will be fine,” her father said. “They are about to be husband and wife after all.”

Her mother gave her one last look, then the couple was alone. Veronica didn’t speak for a moment.

“Are we here for a reason or can we get on with it?” Christopher scoffed, breaking the silence.“I don’t know where to start!”

“Well, try to. We don’t have all day.”

“I haven’t heard from you in two years.”

“And?” he said, offering no explanation.

“Why are you here?” she snapped.

“Isn’t it obvious? To marry you.”

“Yes, but why? Why come back now after all this time?”

“Because, you were about to marry him ,” he growled.

She shrank back, shock filling her.

How could he speak to her like that? Her heart pounded in her chest. He wasn’t the man she remembered.

The air was so heavy one could cut it with a knife.

He got to his feet turning away from her.

“Now, let’s go out there and get this over with,” he snapped before stomping from the room.

All Veronica could do was sit there, trying to catch her breath.

Just what had her family gotten her into?