Page 25 of The Duke’s Cursed Virgin (Cursed Brides #3)

Chapter Twenty-Four

“ F or better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love, cherish, and obey, till death us do part…”

Sophia bristled at the vows. Perhaps in another life, she wouldn’t have been so opposed to the idea of obeying the man she was marrying. There was only one place in which she’d be willing to be submit to him, and that was the bed.

And that was something she only discovered not too long ago.

The Duke of Wolvesley, however, was not marrying her for love. So, why should she be expected to obey him?

What did she expect from him? From her life, which had gone down a path she’d never imagine?

When she was a young girl, she had fantasized about this moment. She’d be married to a dashing lord, someone who cared so much about her feelings. He wouldn’t be the wealthiest man in England, but he would have enough property to keep them comfortable.

He would love and cherish her.

It would be like a fairytale come true. Except she had already lost all rights to get one. She was gone after the tragedy. Nobody wanted her.

Theo had promised to use his name to protect her. What he didn’t say was that things would change drastically between them once they were married. Things were already shifting during the vows—his mood, for one. He seemed to have a perpetual tic in his jaw.

The ceremony was brief and businesslike. Even though it lasted only a few minutes, she could feel the weight of what she did on her shoulders.

Her chest felt tight, like it was holding a million things inside of it. Bursting. Painful.

When was the last time she cried? It had been a long time ago. Six years ago when the dam broke and all the tears had to be let out. These days, there were moments when she was on the verge, but she wouldn’t allow herself.

Aunt Mary dabbed her eyes with a handkerchief in an aggressive manner that had Anna gaping at her. Philip had an uncharacteristic frown on his face. When Sophia looked in his direction, he only gave a little nod, but his lips were pressed into a thin line. Again, not quite like him.

Only Lord and Lady Holton looked pleased with the turn of events. They would exchange whispers, though, and cast occasional admiring glances in Theo’s direction.

The Holtons were understandably glad to host the small gathering in their home. Lady Holton would have wanted something grander.

“I wish you had given me more time to plan. This is supposed to be grand, Sophia! You are marrying the unattainable Duke of Wolvesley! Many will wonder why they were not invited!”

“Some young people do not know the good fortune that they have,” was the only thing that Lord Holton muttered. He was starry-eyed about the Duke being ‘part of his family’ and how they could converse more about the health benefits of fox hunting or shoemaking.

“It is a wedding between two people, Father, Mother! They can decide who to invite and whether they want to keep their vows intimate,” Anna scolded her parents, who did not look the least bit embarrassed.

To be fair, they also didn’t argue with her.

“I am so happy for you,” Anna finally said to Sophia, embracing her tightly, at least making her chuckle.

“Thank you, Anna. I appreciate you being here,” Sophia replied, her throat feeling raw.

Even during the gathering, where Lady Holton ensured only the best catering, Sophia had no appetite. She could barely look in the direction of her new husband except to give him a polite smile here and there, so Aunt Mary would not demand an annulment on the very day of the wedding.

Even the older lady should be suspecting something was amiss, for the marriage was rushed. The possibility of scandal. Were there many reasons for a marriage of convenience?

Only Sophia would have danger as part of her repertoire. Only she would be getting married because she needed protection.

“You are an intelligent young woman, and you will make the best of your marriage, my dear,” Lady Holton said, patting her hand. “Your strength will help you navigate the complexities of marriage.”

“Thank you,” was all Sophia could say.

She was truly grateful for the Holtons, but they had a different view on life and love and wealth.

Was she really that strong? Sophia tried to swallow past the lump in her throat.

All her dreams had shattered. All hope of a normal life was gone. She had married a duke like her friends did, but she did it for protection. If the carriage she was in had not fallen apart, Theo would not have offered to marry her.

The pathetic truth nagged at her.

Anthony and Daphne were also in attendance. The invitation was sent out to avoid questions. Why would you not invite your closest relative?

She nearly breathed a sigh of relief when Daphne asked to be excused from the gathering.

“I must go,” Daphne had said apologetically. “My boys cannot stand not having me for long hours.”

“You could have brought them with you,” Sophia replied.

“I’m afraid that is not possible. They would have made a fuss. Perhaps if they were older,” Daphne explained with a wry smile.

“I would have expected our dear Sophia to get married when they were older,” Anthony had commented, an unpleasant gleam in his eyes.

An accusation.

Why would Sophia suddenly marry when her tragedy had placed her in a difficult situation? She would have agreed with him, if not for the fact that she knew he was a scoundrel and, more likely, a murderer.

Perhaps it was merely her guilty conscience or her existing suspicion of his motives that made her think that. But perhaps it was more of an instinct.

Back in the present, Theo had left the table to converse with Philip in a corner. From what Sophia could see, it was intense. What could it be that could make jolly Philip frown?

When the two men returned to the table, Aunt Mary made a show of reaching for Sophia’s hands.

“If you should ever need anything, know that my obligations to you are far from over,” she said, making her voice loud enough for the whole room to hear.

“And mine to you,” Sophia reassured her.

“You are now a duke’s wife, my dearest. You can visit me whenever you want in Scotland, but you don’t have to be my companion. You can come and go as you wish.”

The soft voice was uncharacteristic, and it was making Sophia cry. She knew that Aunt Mary was making a veiled promise. If the Duke did something to hurt her, she would still be there for her.

“I know, Aunt Mary. Thank you for being there for me when nobody else was,” Sophia said with more feeling than she thought she could muster.

“She is now under your protection, Your Grace,” Aunt Mary said, turning to Theo. Her tone was gentle enough, but Sophia knew that both she and Theo could hear the warning. “Take care of her.”

Theo met the Dowager Countess’s eyes impassively. Sophia didn’t like it when he turned cold as ice. “Of course.”

The unspoken words between them seemed to be, “ Of course. It is what this marriage is for. To protect her.”

Sophia never thought she’d ever miss Lord and Lady Holton, but bidding them and Anna goodbye had a melancholy finality.

It was time to face a different life, one that she didn’t know how to navigate.

“We will live right here in London,” Theo declared, using his business voice—the one he used with his associates. Barlow sounded a hundred times more affable.

“Sounds perfect,” Sophia replied with false optimism as she viewed the townhouse in the daytime.

It was not as grand as his other home, but it was obviously built for someone with wealth and class.

It also felt cold and lifeless.

“Your maid will be Wilhelmina. She will be directing you to your bedchamber,” Theo continued, gesturing toward a woman in her late forties who looked at Sophia with blatant uncertainty.

“We will be living together, Sophia. That changes everything,” he said in a dull, even voice that she was not familiar with. “Therefore, we must set different boundaries.”

Wilhelmina glanced between them and retreated to a safer corner, giving the newly married couple some privacy.

“What do you mean by different boundaries?”

Theo stiffened, “Our relationship will be formal from now on.”

“Formal? What do you mean formal?” Sophia asked, truly confused.

“Do not expect us to share a bed for anything other than producing an heir.”

A quiet gasp left her mouth, “Now that we don’t have to hide it from anyone, you decide that we have to stop doing what brought us together in the first place?”

His face darkened at her question. For a moment, he regarded her silently.

“We won’t stop sharing a bed. We will simply do it with one purpose only,” he finally said.

Sophia frowned, her hands turning into fists, “So, that is all I am to you now? A mare to breed?”

“You are my wife, Sophia. That is your duty, which means we should keep our emotions in check.”

“Our emotions in check?” Sophia scoffed, shaking her head. “I can’t believe this. This marriage was your idea in the first place… Your Grace.”

His nostrils flared at the formality.

Sophia could not help but test her new husband. After all, he wanted boundaries. She would give him boundaries.

“You will only come to my room when I call you. We need to produce an heir,” he announced as he proceeded to ascend the steps. “It is the way of our world.”

“Understood,” Sophia said, masking the bitterness with a monotone.

Her ire rose when he did not even offer to let her ascend the stairs before him. How strange it was that he wasn’t the gentleman she knew during their midnight trysts.

That was Theo as her lover. This was Theo as her husband.

And that realization did not sit with her well. Not at all.

She glanced down to see that Wilhelmina was about to follow her, giving her some distance. She sighed.

Indeed, she was protected by Theo’s name, but she was also trapped in a passionless marriage.

In a loveless marriage .

And that hurt far more deeply than the first.

Because Sophia was falling for him.

Or she might have already fallen. Hard.