Page 25 of The Duke’s Replacement Bride (The Wild Brides #6)

“ S o many guests today,” Charles Membury said as he made his way through the foyer to the sitting room. “You didn’t tell me you were having a party, Levi.”

Caroline couldn’t help but take note of the scowl on her husband’s face. “This is not a party,” he said. “My wife’s family is here, nothing more. At my invitation, I might add.”

By which he meant, Caroline was sure, that Mr. Membury had not been invited.

She suppressed a smile. She didn’t know this man well, but she didn’t much like him.

He had a way of walking about the place as if it belonged to him.

His presence always put her in a foul mood.

The fact that he had the same effect on her husband, of course, only made matters worse.

“I’m delighted to meet your family, Caroline,” Membury said.

Caroline had never cultivated the habit of telling people to call her by her proper title, but with this man, she felt the urge to insist upon Your Grace .

“My family is not taking visitors,” she said instead.

“My sister and my cousin are furthering their education at the moment, and my mother is resting.”

“Education! What do young ladies need with that? They ought to be working on their socializing, if you ask me.”

“But I don’t believe anyone did ask you, Charles,” Levi said. “If you’d like to come in for a drink with the duchess and myself, we’re more than glad to have you. But what she said is true. Her family will not be joining us today.”

“Well, I find that appalling, personally,” Charles said.

“You’ll never get those ladies married if you keep them locked away like that, you know.

Besides, I saw them on my approach, leaning out of an upstairs window and waving at my carriage.

That’s how I knew they were here! You aren’t doing a very good job at hiding them away from the world. ”

“Would you like a drink or not?” Levi asked.

“Oh, you know I would. I’m really only teasing you! You can’t get upset about it, Levi. You’ve changed so much since you inherited this land.”

“I don’t believe I’ve changed.”

“You have.” Charles strode past him into the sitting room. He walked over to the most comfortable chair in the room and dropped into it, slouching, legs splayed. “Ahh, that’s more comfortable.”

Caroline couldn’t help staring at him. What sort of man walked into someone else’s home and behaved this way? She couldn’t imagine doing this in her own home, never mind as a guest somewhere.

Levi took the seat opposite him, leaving the second-best seat for Caroline. She sank into it.

“So,” Charles said. “Are the rumors true?”

“If you came here to verify rumors, you can go now,” Levi snapped.

“What rumors?” Caroline looked from one man to the other.

“Pay this no mind.” Levi’s jaw was set. “He’s talking about the gossip that’s been spread about the two of us and the state of our marriage. You already know all about it, Caroline, and that it’s a bunch of errant nonsense. I’m not going to address this for every curious party that comes knocking.”

“Why are you being like this, Levi? You and I are friends, aren’t we?

” Charles adopted a pout. “You know, when you inherited this place, I was nothing but happy for you. I still am! But I hate to think your title might have changed our relationship. I truly thought our friendship could survive almost anything, but lately, I feel as if I hardly know you anymore.”

That hurt Levi. Caroline could see it in the way he winced, ever so slightly, though she wondered whether anyone but herself would have noticed. If Charles noticed that his words had struck a nerve, he gave no sign of it. He leaned forward, braced his elbows on his knees, and waited for a response.

“You know perfectly well how little store I set by a title,” Levi said at last. “Whatever you may be perceiving, it has nothing to do with that, and if anyone should know I would think it would be you, Charles. You know this was nothing I ever anticipated or asked for.”

“I know that,” Charles agreed. “But better men than either of us have been seduced by money and power, by social standing. Maybe you’ve spent enough time as a duke that you’ve forgotten what it is to be a commoner.”

“What it is to be a commoner is living life without having someone gossiping about you at every turn,” Levi said. “I suppose no one ever comes to your house and asks you about your relationship with your wife.”

Charles laughed. “Haven’t got a wife,” he pointed out.

“You know what I mean.”

“You’re right. No one comes to my house and pries into my business, and I wouldn’t let them if they did.

I see where you’re coming from. But even so…

you must understand, people are curious, Levi.

Like it or not, care about it or not, you are the Duke of Mowbray, and people are going to pry into your affairs.

That’s simply what’s going to happen. You can’t do anything to prevent it. ”

“Well, that doesn’t mean that I have to indulge it,” Levi said firmly. “And I don’t intend to. Is that the only reason you came here today, Charles?”

“Oh, of course not. This is a social call first and foremost. I’m sure you know that. How long has it been since we’ve spent time together, after all? I’m not sure I even remember when the last time was, you’ve been keeping to yourself so much!”

“I’ve been staying at home to tend to my own affairs.”

“And what of you, Caroline?” Charles asked.

This time, it was Levi who intervened. “Address her properly or not at all,” he said firmly. “She is Your Grace to you.”

“Well, for pity’s sake. Aren’t we family?” Charles asked.

“In what way do you imagine that the two of you are family? You and I are only distantly related. I know we’ve been close—like brothers sometimes.

But she doesn’t know you yet, and you’ll give her the time to decide for herself what sort of relationship the two of you share.

You won’t presume to simply address her by her first name without so much as asking her permission first! ”

“It’s all right,” Caroline said quickly, not wishing to create any further discord. “Caroline is just fine.” She turned to their guest. “I don’t mind a bit… Charles .”

She meant to show him that she would be just as informal as he was determined to be, and she saw at once that it had worked.

“I like her,” Charles informed Levi. “She’s got spirit.

You’re lucky in love, I see, just as you are in so many other things.

Truly, it boggles the mind how anyone could ever question your devotion to this fine lady—but I see the truth of things now.

Of course, your marriage is in no peril. I should not have asked.

“I’m glad you see it,” Levi said.

“Tell me, Charles, how is the season treating you?” Caroline asked him.

“Oh, it couldn’t be any better,” Charles said.

“With all the members of the ton preparing for their various balls and festivities, business is positively booming right now. Of course, you’re well aware of that, Levi.

How many seasons have you and I gone through together. We used to be quite the team.”

“That’s right, we did,” Levi murmured. “It will always be a significant part of my life, even though it’s behind me now.”

“Nothing lasts forever, I suppose,” Charles said.

“Well, I for one am pleased to hear you’re having such a successful time of it,” Caroline said.

In fact, she had no strong interest in Charles’ financial affairs, but she hoped to tell him things he wished to hear so that he might go away quickly.

She could see that Levi was a bit bothered by his presence, and she wanted to do something to make him feel more at ease.

It seemed to take forever, but at last, Charles did go, wishing them both a good day as he departed.

Levi and Caroline stood in the doorway as he took his leave.

The weather had turned, and a misty rain was beginning to come down, just light enough that it wouldn’t be a problem for Charles to ride home in it.

“I don’t remember him being like that,” Levi said, watching him go.

“Being like what?”

“So aggressive. He really was a pleasure to be around when we were younger.” Levi sighed.

“I would like to think that things might be like that between us again one day, once he gets over the fact that I inherited this dukedom neither one of us ever expected to have. I don’t know how to make him see that it was never something I wanted. ”

“You think he’s angry at you for it?”

“He isn’t angry at me, I don’t think, but there’s an unspoken tension, certainly.

Why did I inherit and not him? I’m sure it must feel unfair to him.

After all, he is my cousin, even if the connection is very distant, and it’s easy to imagine that the late duke might have selected him for this life instead of me.

I still don’t know why he made the choice he did. ”

“He must have thought you would be better for the title,” Caroline suggested.

“Perhaps, but I’ve never had aspirations of improving my rank. Even when I was a commoner, I was more than happy with my lot. Charles was always the social climber of the two of us, and when an opportunity arrived, he was passed over—it must be difficult for him. That’s all I mean to say.”

“Well, it’s good of you to have him to visit.”

“It’s not as if he gives me a lot of choice in the matter.” But Levi was smiling. “I don’t know what I would have done without you around today, Caroline. You kept me sane while he was here.”

“I’m just glad I was able to help,” she told him. “Besides, I owed you one, after all you’ve done for me with my family.”

“Nonsense. You don’t owe me anything. Neither of us owe each other anything—or maybe we owe each other everything,” he mused.

“The point is that we don’t exchange favors as husband and wife.

We rely on one another We know that we’ll take care of one another, no matter what may be going on around us. ”

“That hardly sounds like something you would have said when we were first married,” she teased him gently.

“Well, I’ve gotten to know you better. I’ve come to rely on you more.”

“Don’t worry,” she told him softly. “I feel just the same way.”

She wondered if he was going to kiss her again.

In fact, she would have liked to kiss him , and she seriously considered just doing that.

But it felt too forward, too risky. She had no idea how to force herself to take a chance like that with a man, to trust him with her heart.

It was one thing to stand here and to have feelings for him. But to be so forward?

No, it was too difficult. She couldn’t do it.

She turned and walked back into the house, heart pounding madly, wishing that she was a braver person and knowing that she never would be. Knowing that, for as long as she was married to him, she would rely on him to bridge the gaps that still existed between them.