Page 36 of The Duchess and the Beast
“Per—perhaps it would be more effective if you were to relay your message personally, Your Grace?” The maid could not have sounded more terrified.
“Pardon?” he snarled.
She swallowed. “When I attempted to relay the message earlier, she... she did not heed me. But perhaps, coming from you—”
“Igaveyou a command,” Sebastian muttered carefully.
“Yes, yes, and I understand!” She swallowed again. “But I know Virtue—Her Grace,” she quickly corrected. “I know Her Grace well enough to know that she will not heed my words. It will have to come from you.”
Sebastian's temper simmered just beneath the surface. It was the last thing he wanted to do. His sense of feeling slighted only grew as he mulled over the situation, but at the same time, he knew if he went to confront his wife... it might undo all thehard work he had put in this week. That was all it took, a harsh word, a moment of anger, a confrontation that could spiral out of control. Not something he wanted to do but if he found her sitting in the library reading, and if she dared to tell him that she would rather read than join him, Sebastian couldn’t be sure how he might react.
He glanced at the table, taking a deep breath, trying to steady his nerves. When he looked up again, the maid was nowhere in sight.
Perhaps he should just leave Virtue alone tonight? If she wanted to read, so be it. It might be wise to let the matter rest for the night, to approach her in the morning when his temper had cooled.
Yet, he hesitated.
It was weak and cowardly, and not a precedent he cared to set. At the end of the day, she was his wife, after all, and dining together should not be too grand a request.
No, if Sebastian wanted her here, she should be here. It was as simple as that. After all, he would undoubtedly do the same for her, or at the very least, have the decency to explain his decision in person before reneging on a commitment.
Taking a deep breath, he rose from the table and started across the dining room. His steps carried him through the foyer and down the empty halls toward the library. The sound of his footsteps reverberated off the stone floors, bouncing against thewalls before being swallowed by the castle's pervasive silence. The flickering lanterns cast dancing shadows on the walls in time with his each step, and his heart thundered as his breathing quickened. And all the while, he reproached himself to remain calm.
He noticed the library doors standing wide open from down the hall. Beyond, a soft glow of light hinted at a presence within. Now, he was certain—she was there.
And indeed, when Sebastian rounded the corner and walked into the grand library, he spied his wife immediately. Although, not in the way he might have anticipated.
There she was, not nestled in a chair with a book, but rather, seated seductively on the floor. A blanket was elegantly spread beneath her, arranged with an assortment of inviting foods—meats, breads, perhaps cheeses—and a bottle of sweet brandy, its aroma faintly mingling with the scent of old books. A three-pronged candelabrum stood nearby, its light casting its surroundings in an ethereal glow. But that light was nothing compared to that which lit up her visage as she spotted him and beamed.
“There you are,” Virtue sighed. “I was beginning to wonder if you might come.”
Sebastian paused at the doorway, momentarily taken aback. “Wh-what is all this?”
“What does it look like?” she chuckled, rising to her feet. She was draped in a breathtaking gown of pure white, the fabric so sheer it resembled a whisper against her skin. The gown hugged her curves languidly, flowing around her body like mist. As she faced him, the candelabrum illuminated the delicate material, rendering it almost translucent. Its ethereal light traced the sumptuous contours of her hips, breasts, and thighs in a daring display, leaving outstandingly little to the imagination.
Sebastian found himself at a loss for words, coyly hiding the bulge growing in his breeches, and managing only, “It looks like a picnic.”
“Close enough,” she giggled, extending her tiny hand toward him invitingly. “I thought we might do something different tonight. If it pleases you?”
“Something... different?” he repeated, trying not to stare.
She rolled her eyes playfully and gestured for him to join her. “Yes, something different.”
These past five days had seen a change take over Sebastian when speaking with his wife. Although he remained cautious about his temper, he was no longer the tense, uneasy man that he had been. Spending ample time with Virtue, he had relearned how to engage comfortably with people, and the two had developed a repartee that he was used to by now, as her jibes and jokes did not spike his anger as they once had.
Only, now, taking Virtue in as if seeing her for the first time, Sebastian found himself regressing back to the early days of their relationship.
Thatdamneddress. The way it hung from her curves, it was as if she wore nothing at all! The thin material outlined the gentle swell of her bosom, her nipples subtly pressing through its fabric. Her scent wafted towards him too, sweet and intoxicating, making his mouth water with a visceral hunger. His blood surged, a heated rush flowing intensely through his legs and loins, as his eyes refused to behave themselves.
“What do you think?” she smiled, her voice a soft enticement.
Sebastian swallowed. “I think... I think the dining room might be a more comfortable setting.”
She looked at him flatly. “I suspected you might say that, so...” She glanced over his shoulder and subtly nodded, which had Sebastian turning around just in time to see the large doors swing shut.
His eyes widened in astonishment. He rushed to the doors, hauling at them, only to find them immovably sealed. “What is the meaning of this?!”
“You fell right into my trap.” She placed a hand elegantly on her hip and lifted a brow in amusement. “And quite frankly, it was easier than I had conceived.”