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" Y ou look beautiful. Really, truly beautiful."

"Thank you," Alethea said, offering the smallest of smiles. It didn't quite reach her eyes, but she tried.

The day of her wedding had finally arrived. It had been a whirlwind, from start to finish. The duke had kept his promise and arrived to ask for her hand the very next day. She had agreed.

"You are very calm," Daphne noted. "It is rather unusual. I am still trying to understand the manner in which you react to things, and learn from it, too. A lot of young women are a nervous wreck or just very anxious."

"I see no use in either," Alethea said. "It changes nothing."

"Still, I can't help but feel this is happening too quickly," Joyce said softly. "You haven't known him long."

"I would have had to marry at some point," Alethea said. "Better a duke who seems kind than a stranger with worse prospects."

"That's not the same as marrying for affection," Felicity pointed out.

"No one forced me," Alethea said. "He asked, and I accepted. That is the entire story."

"Is it, though?" Daphne raised a brow. "Because the story he told us is somewhat different."

"Oh?" Alethea felt her curious perk up. She had not spoken to the duke since that day, nor did she have much idea of what he had told her family.

The only thing she knew that they had been worried for her when she returned home early the next morning after being taken and that she had to offer them a great deal of reassurance in return for them to calm own again.

"He said he had seen you with us at a walk," Joyce said, hesitating. "That he'd been taken with you since then, but didn't know how to approach you properly."

"Indeed," Felicity added. "He said Theodore only wished to assist by creating an opportunity."

"Yes. That is what he told me as well," Alethea looked down at her hands.

"It seems very romantic," Joyce said, unsure. "In a chaotic sort of way."

"It isn't so unusual," Alethea replied. "There are stranger courtships, I'm certain."

"You're being awfully agreeable about all this," Daphne said. "And I don't mean to sound suspicious, but it is perhaps not the reaction I had expected. Especially as you had been so hesitant about being reintroduced to society."

"I simply don't see the point of fretting," Alethea said. "It happened. I cannot change it, and I would rather not make anyone feel worse about it than they already do."

Joyce looked away, guilt plain on her face. Alethea had not mentioned to her about Theodore, but there was an unspoken sort of understanding them that the other sisters were unaware of.

In earnest, the reason that Alethea had accepted the proposal was because she thought Oliver seemed like a nice enough man. She did know whether she would get a chance to get another match, and so it would be best if she marries now, rather than burden her family.

"He also said," Felicity continued slowly, "that the plan had been Theodore's idea, yes, but only because Oliver couldn't stop thinking of you and was too honorable to act on it openly."

"He said that?" Alethea asked. Oliver had surely put in a great deal of his imagination to craft this story. She felt grateful for that. It was better than the alternate, where she would be the one who had to answer all these questions.

"He did," Daphne confirmed. "You don't seem surprised."

"I suppose I am not," Alethea said, "If that is the story he chose to tell, then let it be told."

"And what is the truth ?" Felicity pressed.

"The truth is simple," Alethea said after a pause. "He came to me with an offer and I accepted."

It was not a lie, Alethea told herself. It would be wrong to lie, of course. But she was merely bending the truth. Still, she could sense the guilt in Joyce's every glance. She must know the truth, Alethea thought. Theodore must have told her.

"Are you certain about this?" Joyce asked her. "I do not wish for you to get into something that you do not want to be a part of."

"I have made my decision," Alethea replied. Daphne looked between the two of them with great curiosity. "You need not worry about me, in the slightest."

"Well, still as your sisters, it is our responsibility to make sure," Felicity said. "I suggest you to be careful, though."

"Careful of what?" Alethea asked.

"Careful of your husband," Daphne said. "The duke is known to be a charmer and he can flirt, on occasion."

"I suppose he will not be flirting with anyone else now that he has a wife," Joyce added.

"Well, one can hope, of course," Daphne nodded. "Though we are not trying to scare you. It is only a natural concern, given how short the courtship period between the two of you had been."

Alethea fought the urge to scoff at that. There had been no courtship period. But she decided to instead keep to the version of the story that Oliver had told them. It was easier that way.

"He's never made me feel uneasy," she admitted.

"He wouldn't," Daphne said. "That's what makes men like him so dangerous."

"Then I shall be cautious," Alethea said. "But I will not be afraid. He is hardly the most frightening thing I have encountered in my life, far from it, really."

She flinched slightly as she said the words, but luckily, her sisters did not catch on. They were too busy worrying over her to notice. Alethea had not spoken candidly about her time in the nunnery, and decided that it was best that the stories from there stayed with her alone.

"And if he's not all he seems?" Felicity asked again.

"Then I will manage."

"And do you think he'll make you happy?" Daphne asked.

"I don't know," Alethea replied honestly. "But I think I will make myself happy, in time."

That was the truth of it, really. She was responsible for her own happiness.

"The carriage is ready, Your Grace," came the maid's voice from the corridor.

"I daresay I am ready as well," Alethea murmured. What need was there to wait? She was as ready as she could ever be.

"You don't have to do this," Joyce said finally. "If your heart is uncertain, say so now."

"My heart has little to do with it," Alethea replied.

"I wish you would admit it if you were unhappy," Joyce said, "I am your sister, after all. You may tell me.'

"I am not unhappy," Alethea assured her. That was true. She did not know what exactly it was that she felt, but unhappy would be the wrong way to describe it. "Let us go now. I do not wish to be late on the day of my own wedding."

The ride to the church passed by in a blur, and in no time at all she stood at the altar with the man that was to marry. It all felt a bit surreal, really. It came the time to read out their vows.

"I do," Alethea said, her voice as steady as she could manage.

"I do," Oliver replied. His voice was colder now than what she had remembered it to be.

Then, the ring was placed upon her finger. Alethea could scarcely remember the moment she was declared a wife. It happened in a blur.

"You make a beautiful bride," Oliver said as he helped her into the waiting carriage.

"And you make an excellent liar," Alethea replied beneath her breath.

"Only when necessary," he said.

The carriage ride passed in silence. Neither of them dared to broach it. It was only when they reached the duke's estate when someone spoke to her directly again.

"Your Grace, welcome," the butler greeted her at the door.

The words felt so foreign, as though he was referencing someone else entirely. But she had little time to ponder over it as two young girls rushed over to greet her.

"Welcome to Redhaven. Oh, we have been waiting for you," a young woman exclaimed before pulling Alethea into an unexpected embrace. "My name is Clara."

"And I am Eleanor," the other young explained.

"It is good to meet you," Alethea smiled, and then looked towards her husband for an explanation.

"My two young sisters," he explained. "They've been nearly insufferable with anticipation. I expect you'll forgive them their excitement."

"Of course," Alethea murmured, feeling a rush of warmth. "It is kind of you to receive me."

"You must be exhausted," Eleanor said brightly. "There's so much to see, but rest first! Shall I give you a tour of the estate? I think you are going to like it here."

"That's enough for now," Oliver said gently, raising a hand. "My wife needs a moment of peace."

"But we have only just gotten the chance to speak to her."

"There will be plenty of chances later," Oliver chided, and they muttered something under their breaths as they walked away.

"Duchess," Oliver turned to Alethea, "A word before you go off to your chambers?"

"Yes, of course," Alethea followed him without complaint. It was what was expected of a dutiful wife, of course. He led into the study, where he stopped and surveyed her briefly.

"You have done well. I imagine this has all been rather overwhelming."

"That is one way to put it. But I think I have been dealing with it fine so far," she admitted. "And I hope that remains the case ahead."

"Well, I prefer clarity," Oliver said, stepping closer. "Which is why I must be frank."

"By all means," she said, though now suddenly aware that he was closer to her now. It made her feel shy, for reasons she could not explain. But it was not an entirely unwelcome feeling.

"You need only endure a month here," he murmured, leaning slightly in. "It will be our honeymoon, in the eyes of society."

"A month?"

"After that, you may return to your sisters if you choose," he continued. "I will not stop you."

"You presume I cannot bear your company longer than four weeks?" she said, startled by the statement.

"I am giving you an option," he said.

"I shall consider it," she said, her words clamping in her throat at the proximity of him.

"Good," he said softly. "Then we understand each other."

"Then please step back," she said firmly. "Your proximity is rather disorienting."

Oliver's brow furrowed, but he obeyed, retreating a step.

"My apologies, Duchess," he said, though his tone conveyed anything but. "Mrs. Pritchard will see to your things. She is the housekeeper. I shall leave you now."

Alethea watched him leave, feeling her heart flutter inside of her chest. It was not something she had ever felt before, but then again, this was their first conversation alone.

Over time, she suspected, she would grow used to it. But for now, she was left breathless and in anticipation of the time that they would get to speak again.