Page 9 of The Duke and the Temporary Bride (Duchesses of Convenience #4)

Chapter Nine

T he carriage ride home went exactly as Hannah had expected—mostly silent. Frederick spent the entirety of it sitting across from her, staring out the window. Oh, she had tried to speak with him, of course, but he had rebuffed her in a way he wouldn’t have dared if they weren’t alone.

“I never had a chance to ask you earlier,” she began once the carriage took off, their next stop being Thorne Estate—her new home. “What do you think of my dress?”

Frederick, still staring out the window, stiffened. But he did not turn back to look at her. His jaw ticked, and his hands clenched in his lap.

“My mother and father did not like it…” She purposefully shuffled forward, pushing her chest out and running a hand lightly down her front. “I cannot imagine why. Can you?”

“I know what you are doing,” he said, still not looking at her. “And I will not fall for it.”

“Doing?” she asked innocently. “I have no idea what you?—”

“Stop it,” he snapped. “Just stop it.”

Finally, he looked at her—but her eyes only, holding them with a sense of frustration, not once looking down at her low neckline.

“When we spoke two weeks ago, I had hoped that we’d come to an understanding. And that you had accepted it—that you had made your peace with it.”

She frowned and tilted her head. “You may have to elaborate, for I do not know at all what you?—”

“You will not bait me,” he said warningly. “As I explained—and I will explain one more time so that there is no misunderstanding—what we have here is a marriage of convenience only, in which there is no expectation for…” He swallowed. “For intimacy. What I had hoped for was that we could still be friendly, that we might find some sort of middle ground so that this marriage is not an awkward, unlivable situation. But if you insist on behaving this way…” He shook his head and turned back to look out the window.

That little outburst might have upset Hannah, if she hadn’t been expecting it. What was more, the words were not what she chose to focus on. Rather, it was that look in her husband’s eyes that told her his true feelings. His refusal to look at her properly. His hunger for her. His self-loathing because he feared what might happen if she continued to ‘bait’ him, as he put it.

He wanted her. She knew that he did. If he did not, he would not treat her like a pariah, as if touching her might see his hand bitten. Oh yes, she did not doubt the Duke’s true feelings. She did, however, wonder about her own.

Hannah smirked to herself as she shuffled back in her seat, content to continue the rest of the journey in silence. There was no rush, she decided. They did, after all, have the rest of their lives to spend together. The rest of their lives to figure out what this was. So, let him have the carriage ride.

Tonight was to be their wedding night, and she would see then just how self-controlled the Duke was. Not to mention, finding out once and for all what potential this marriage might have.

“Amelia!” Frederick called as soon as he walked into the foyer. “Amelia!”

Hannah was right behind him, hurrying to keep up as he strode ahead, doing her best not to look annoyed by the way he was acting. It was one thing to try and set boundaries, but this was bordering on rudeness and discourtesy. As soon as the carriage pulled up, Frederick climbing out of it, striding ahead of her without so much as checking that she was following him.

And then there was this ‘Amelia’ whom he called. A name that she had heard several times before but still had no idea to whom it belonged! Initially, Hannah had wondered if it was a woman who held his heart, and if she might have been the reason that he didn’t wish to touch her.

But surely not. Was she a maid? Why did she live here? And why was Frederick so eager to see her?!

“Amelia!” he called again, looking around the foyer expectantly.

“Do not trouble yourself,” Hannah huffed angrily. “I am right behind you. Not that you cared to check.”

Surprisingly, Frederick grimaced as he turned back to see her coming toward him. Even looking embarrassed.

“I am sorry,” he offered. “I did not mean to—I should have helped you down from the carriage and shown you inside.”

“It is a little late for that.”

Again, he grimaced. “My mind is elsewhere, I am afraid. I haven’t seen her the whole day, and surely she is eager to meet you.”

Hannah could not have been more confused. “And who is it that you are speaking of?” She did her best not to look or sound worried.

“Amelia, of course.”

“And who is?—”

Her words caught in her throat when a woman walked into the foyer.

She was about Hannah’s age, dark of hair, light of skin, and pretty with big blue eyes and pixie-like features. The way she was dressed suggested that she was a maid, and this, paired with her relief at the sight of Frederick, made Hannah’s stomach churn.

So… Amelia was a maid. More than that, she could only be his paramour. It was almost ridiculous to consider that this man, who seemed to pride himself on self-control and propriety, might see fit to marry while also having a mistress he was happy to parade in front of his new wife!

Hannah had been wondering to herself how she felt about her new husband, if this urge to seduce him was anything more than a mere desire to be proven correct, or if she actually had feelings for him. But at the sight of this gorgeous woman swaying her hips as she made for Frederick, she had no choice but to admit to the jealousy that rose up within her.

“Your Grace,” the woman, presumably Amelia, greeted with a smile. “You’re back.”

“I might have been back sooner,” Frederick said. “But the wedding breakfast lasted a little longer than I had hoped. How is everything?”

“Oh, she is becoming restless.”

Frederick chuckled. “I am not surprised. She wasn’t at all happy that she could not come today.”

She?

Hannah started, looking between the woman and Frederick, not entirely sure what was going on.

“I tried to explain to her why that was, but…” The woman sighed and shook her head. “She is stubborn.”

Again, Frederick chuckled. “Like her father, so try not to hold it against her. Where is she?”

In answer to his question, a shrill cry suddenly rang out through the foyer.

“Daddy!” The cry was followed by the sound of footsteps, and then by the body of a little girl hurtling itself across the foyer and right into Frederick’s arms. “You’re back!”

“Wow!” Frederick took the brunt of the impact, effortlessly lifting the little girl into the air and then spinning her around. “There she is! My little angel!”

“What took you so long!” The little girl, Amelia, pouted. “You said you would be home by noon!”

“I said I would try to be,” he explained as he put her down. “It is not the same thing.”

Amelia pursed her lips, seeming none too pleased by his explanation. “Miss Temperton said I need to be patient.” She kicked at the floor.

“She is a smart woman…” Frederick looked at the maid, Miss Temperton, and gave her a grateful smile. “And I hope that you have been listening to her.”

“I have been…” Amelia gave a wicked smile. “Sometimes.”

Through all of this, Hannah stood back somewhat awkwardly. Shock was what she was feeling. Immense surprise because not once had anybody bothered to mention to her that Frederick had a daughter! Oh, she knew that he had been married once before—he had told her as much. But a daughter? That changed everything.

The little girl looked about six years old, with the same coloring as her father, and with similar facial features too. Hannah had little experience with children, and she suddenly felt extremely uncomfortable at the thought of having to live with a man who wanted nothing to do with her, and his daughter, who was likely going to despise her on principle.

“Amelia…” Frederick took his daughter by the hand and led her to Hannah. “I would like you to meet someone. This is Hannah, my new wife and your new mother.”

Hannah tried to look excited. “Good day…” She bent down so she was at eye level with the little girl. “It is wonderful to finally meet you. Your, ah… your father has told me so much about you.”

She glanced at Frederick and glared at him.

He grimaced. “She is eager to meet you, Amelia. And what do you say…?”

Amelia was looking at her feet, pouting, behaving in the exact same way Hannah had expected.

“Amelia,” Frederick prompted. “We spoke about this.”

“I do not want a new mother,” Amelia said.

Again, Frederick grimaced. “Amelia, what did we talk about?—”

“I do not care!” She pulled her hand free, turned around, and then sprinted to Miss Temperton. She threw her arms around the woman’s waist and shoved her face into her stomach as if to hide.

“I am sorry, Your Grace.” Miss Temperton winced. “I tried to prepare her better, and she promised that she would behave, but?—”

“It is fine,” Frederick sighed. “Perhaps you might take her outside for a short walk? Give my new wife and I a moment to talk?”

“Of course,” Miss Temperton agreed. “Come on, Amelia.”

She shuffled out of the foyer with the little girl, who still clung to her without so much as looking in Hannah’s direction.

It was only once they were gone that Hannah spoke.

“So… you have a daughter.”

Frederick frowned at her. “Did you not know? I had assumed you did?”

“And why would you assume such a thing?”

He shrugged. “Miss Gouldsmith knew it, and I thought it common knowledge.”

She huffed. “Perhaps if you had thought to ask.”

Frederick ignored the comment, looking to where his daughter had just left, a sense of concern now coloring his expression. “Usually, she is far more friendly than what you just saw. But she will come around, once she gets used to you.”

“It would have been nice if you mentioned something earlier,” Hannah said pleasantly, making sure he could see how annoyed she was. “But I suppose that would have required you to speak with me.”

The corner of Frederick’s mouth twitched, and she could literally see him doing everything in his power not to give a scathing response.

“You should know that Amelia is my world,” he spoke slowly and carefully. “Everything I do is for her, and I expect the two of you to get along. Is that understood?”

“Are you implying I might mistreat a six-year-old?”

“I am simply pointing out that this right here—” He gestured to her with a wave of his hand. “You enjoy antagonizing me. I know you do.”

“Not nearly as much as you enjoy shutting me down,” she shot back.

“When my daughter is around, I would appreciate it if you did your best not to purposefully frustrate or bait me. I meant what I said about us being friends, you know. But if you insist on using snark whenever we speak, especially around my daughter, I don’t see how even that will be possible.”

“And what about you?”

Frederick frowned. “What about me?”

She sighed and folded her arms. “You wish for me and Amelia to get along? Is that right?”

“Of course.”

“And how is she going to do that if every time she sees us together, you pretend as if I do not exist?” Hannah raised an eyebrow at him, and Frederick, about to respond, was forced to reckon with the reality of her observation. “I understand that sometimes I can be a little…”

“Immature?”

“Combative,” she offered instead. “But that is only because if I did not act that way, you would treat me as little more than a houseplant. If you wish for me and Amelia to get along, you need to make it clear to her that you don’t hold me in such disdain that you would rather I sleep outside with the horses.”

Frederick winced and looked down at his feet. “I do not hold you in such disdain as that…”

“Then prove it,” Hannah said sincerely. “It is still early, there is still plenty of time for Amelia and I to get to know one another better. If that is what you wish for, it’s going to fall on your shoulders.”

“And you?” Frederick asked, his head snapping up to look at her. “Do you promise to behave?”

She touched her chest as if insulted. “I do not know what you mean. But,” she added quickly when he opened his mouth to argue, “I will promise that when your daughter is around, I won’t try to…” She scoffed. “I cannot believe I have to promise this. But I promise I will not try to seduce you or whatever it is that you think I am doing.”

He chuckled at that. “There, was that so hard?”

“You tell me.”

She could see him visibly relax, only for his eyes to flick over her dress. “And about that dress?”

“What about it?”

“My daughter is six. She does not need to see you walking around in… in something so scandalous.”

“You did not seem to mind,” she shot back with a smirk and popped her hip out.

His eyes dropped to her hip, and he licked his lips, only to look up and shake his head. “What did we just agree to?”

“I do not see your daughter anywhere, do you?” A smirk next and she stepped closer to him, sensing a moment between them that she had to capitalize on.

He hurriedly took a step back, keeping his gaze fixed on her face. “Please, change, then meet me outside, and we will try again. How does that sound?”

Truthfully, it sounded better than Hannah had thought. In a way, it felt like a truce between them, a very strange step in the right direction of what was turning out to be a very strange marriage.

The Duke would treat her with respect when his daughter was around, even being nice to her and friendly! It was a chance for them to actually get to know one another better, and even Hannah had to admit that was sorely needed.

And when his daughter wasn’t around… well, she would cross that bridge when she came to it. Clearly, and despite what her husband claimed, he was having second thoughts about this so-called arrangement they had made. From the kiss to the way he could not stop looking at her, there was no doubt in her mind that his self-control was being sorely tested.

And as for her… She had not forgotten how she felt when she thought that Miss Temperton was the Duke’s mistress, and those feelings of jealousy and relief followed her as she headed upstairs to change her clothes. But then again, so did Frederick’s eyes.

She could feel them on her back, and she could not help but smile. This might have started as a marriage of convenience, but it was very quickly turning into so much more.