Page 12 of Wedded to the Deviant Duke (Duke Wars #2)

CHAPTER 12

H e’d never wanted anything as badly as he wanted Thalia Sutton in that moment. Gracious, but this woman; someone who was both delicate and robust, demure in her speech yet so quick with a witty retort.

His appetite was ravenous, demanding to devour her here, in this field, with the wildflowers and the bright, springtime sky as their only witnesses. And he was certain she had felt the same, if only for a moment. But he had quickly snuffed whatever flame had begun to build between them, and the pair walked back to the park grounds without another word spoken.

Thalia was quick to rejoin Charlotte and the other ladies, and he could hear her excitedly share news of the flower field. His sister, expectedly, took the bait and chatted about how romantic a spot that was, how special and secret it was; how clearly, her brother truly cared for Thalia in every conceivable way. Every way, of course, aside from reciprocating any physical affection she tried to give him.

Grow up stronger than me, Gabriel.

He shook his head, rubbing his temple as his father’s words echoed back like a cold specter.

Protect yourself, your sister—don’t be so easily swayed by emotion.

“Gabriel, are you alright?”

He blinked, Christian suddenly by his side and wearing a slight look of concern. Gabriel sighed, lowering his hand to fish out the old pocket watch from his vest—people were sneaking up on him far more frequently than he’d like, as of late.

“Fine, Christian. Just lost in thought.” He concentrated on the sound of ticking machinery, counting the seconds between Thalia’s laughter.

Sometimes, it took ten before she let out a chuckle. Sometimes it was as short as three. But every time, it rang in his chest and pulled at his heart, urging him to join the small party. To stand beside her, settle a hand against her hip. To claim her as his own; his little rabbit, with a kick in her step and a bite to her teeth.

Don’t be so easily swayed by emotion.

“Thinking about all the ways you’ll end Lord Tilbury’s existence?”

Gabriel scowled, closing the watch with a loud snap before glancing Christian’s way.

“Louise told me a little about your… guest,” Christian began carefully. “Thalia Sutton, isn’t it? Cheated out of her life by her wormy little cousin?”

“Awfully interested in the affairs of others, aren’t we?” Gabriel asked, his brow slightly raised.

“Interested in club affairs, you mean,” Christian corrected. “Lord Tilbury has made moves to join the Devils, and is doing so rather loudly. Making an awful amount of grandiose claims about his wealth and standing—gets a bit under the skin, wouldn’t you say?”

Gabriel allowed himself a dark chuckle, arms crossing loosely as he continued to passively observe the women at the tea table. Again, Thalia’s laughter caressed his ears, with Charlotte and Louise looking just as pleased to be in her presence. “I have plans of extracting the splinter, as it were. Did you know Miss Sutton had a younger brother?”

“Does she, now?”

“Stepbrother, technically. Been hiding away in Whitechapel.”

Christian stroked his chin, clearly interested. “Must have picked up a lot of useful skills, living for as long as he has.”

“So he says.”

A smirk crossed Christian’s face, and he gave a slight wave to his wife, who replied with a warm smile of her own. “Should I let my wife know that we’ll be late at the club? She’ll be awfully cross, you know.”

“I’m sure you’ll determine some way for me to pay you back,” Gabriel said. “For now, enjoy the picnic. The young man still needs to prove his skills to us, after all.” He cleared his throat loudly, gesturing a hand to Charlotte as she approached the pair. “And are the ramps to your approval, dear sister?”

She pursed her lips and huffed, playfully setting her hands against her hips. “Very funny, my loving brother. Just so you know, Christian, Louise very much enjoyed the concoction, and she’s positively pleased you thought to ask for it.”

“Did she, now?” Christian laughed, offering Charlotte a dramatic wink. “I suppose I owe you for getting me in my wife’s good graces, Lady Charlotte.”

“Then, perhaps I can convince you to let her come shopping with us?” Charlotte asked innocently.

Gabriel’s expression deadpanned slightly.

“I made my rounds to the nobles we discussed while you were on your walk with Thalia,” Charlotte pleaded. “Please, can I be released from this boring event? I woke up early to go with you, didn’t I? And,” she added, jabbing at her brother’s chest. “You owe Thalia a new dress.”

“How so, Sister?”

“It’s positively filthy, Gabriel!” Charlotte gawked. “I don’t know if you two rolled in the mud during your little rendezvous, but stains like that are going to be nearly impossible to get out.”

Gabriel highly doubted his sister’s claim, given how many of her own gowns had been rescued from permanent grime marks. Still, the sun had begun to settle into an afternoon daze, and even the more important families had left to continue their day elsewhere.

“Promise me you’ll find a gown for your Season’s event, then.”

Now it was Charlotte’s turn to make a face.

“You swore we would host a proper one this year,” Gabriel began.

“I know, I know.” She huffed, rolling the proposition in her head for a moment before extending her hand forward. “Fine; I accept your terms, loving brother of mine.”

“Don’t I get a say in where my wife goes?” Christian asked.

Gabriel shook his sister’s hand firmly, patting his friend awkwardly on the back as she skipped happily back to their table. “When Charlotte is involved, no one has any say in anything. Best to simply learn flexibility.”

Christian sighed loudly, giving one more longing glance at his wife as Charlotte gave her invitation out. “Well… if they’re going to be out and about, we could go for a few rounds down at the lot? I’m a bit rusty with my right hook, and you make for the perfect, slow-moving target.”

Gabriel could feel the insult boil in his blood. “Since you are such a tidy man, Christian, I’ll do you the favor of giving you a matching pair of black eyes.”

* * *

“Oh, come on, Thalia, it’ll be fun!”

Thalia did her best to give a grateful smile, but it came out somewhat strained. Meeting and mingling with Charlotte’s friends had been one thing—many were in their early twenties like her, and reminded Thalia of her impending march to spinsterhood—but to go shopping in boutiques felt like too much.

Not that she didn’t enjoy the experience; if anything, she thoroughly enjoyed observing the latest fashion and sampling the fabrics, ranging from impossibly soft velvets to a gossamer-like tulle. And Giles had failed to return any of her nicer dresses, likely because they were no longer in his possession. But going to the boutique usually implied one was a paying customer, and Thalia was the furthest from that.

Still, she hated to disappoint Charlotte after all she’d done for her. So, against her true desire, Thalia gave her an affirmative nod.

“Oh, perfect!” Charlotte clapped excitedly, turning to Louise next. “You must let me know if you start to grow weary. I don’t want to be known for bullying a pregnant duchess into early labor.”

Louise chuckled lightly, giving a meaningful look Thalia’s way. “I’ll keep you informed, Charlotte.”

This seemed to satisfy her, and Charlotte turned to the rest of her entourage expectedly.

“Oh, we would love to, Lady Charlotte, but?—”

“There’s an engagement I have to attend immediately after this, though–”

“My father has a meeting arranged with a possible suitor–”

Their words struck numbly against Thalia’s chest. She had been certain that, after living through her own social circle’s rejection, the comments of strangers wouldn’t have stung as much as they had.

Evidently, and with much disappointment in herself, her self-worth relied more heavily on the opinions of others than she thought. As she watched the ladies curtsy and wish Charlotte well, Louise’s hand found hers and gave it a reassuring squeeze.

“Ooh, they think they’re being so slick,” Charlotte huffed, sinking into her chair as she crossed her arms with a huff.

“Mind yourself, Charlotte,” Louise offered lightly.

“Oh, social etiquette be—be thrown away, Louise!” Charlotte suddenly sat upright, reaching across the table to grasp Thalia’s hands as well. “Well, don’t worry yourself with them, Thalia; they’re entirely missing out on a wonderful friendship. They’re absolutely uninvited to my seasonal event,” she added with a venomous side-eye.

“They are not ,” Louise corrected. “But you are welcome to give them a frigid reception during said event.”

Another angry huff escaped Charlotte, and Thalia couldn’t help but chuckle lightly. “She’s right, Charlotte; it will do you no good to make unnecessary enemies.”

“What if I want to make enemies, though?” Charlotte grumbled under her breath. “Gabriel does it all the time, and he hardly seems bothered by it.”

Thalia felt her smile tightened, and she gave Charlotte’s hand a gentle pat. “How does the saying go again, Louise? Keep your friends close…?”

“Keep your enemies closer,” Louise finished. “Sun Tzu, I believe. And your brother would agree that keeping those you don’t trust close by means you’ll know immediately of their treachery. And,” she added with a slight smirk, “when the time is right to cut them off entirely.”

Charlotte scoffed, though her frown eventually broke into a slight grin of her own. “I can’t have two mothering figures ganging up on me like this. It’s hardly fair.”

Thalia’s face flushed at the compliment, and Louise laughed in reply. “Entirely fair, I’m afraid. Now, let’s call the carriage; I’d hate to wait on my feet any longer than I need to.”

“Do you mind if I accompany you?”

The women turned their heads, surprised to find a startlingly petite young lady standing stiffly at the end of their table with her own maid as chaperone. Her flaxen hair had been tied partially up and adorned in springtime flowers, leaving waves of gold to tumble well past her shoulders and down the length of her back.

The floral pattern continued on her off-white dress, depicted in colorful beading that gave the impression of a garden in bloom. And her eyes—Thalia was certain she’d never seen such a warm shade of blue— flickered between the women nervously before eventually settling on something far more interesting on the ground.

“Madeline!” Charlotte immediately leapt to her feet, bounding around the table before embracing the floral figure in a tight embrace. “Oh, I knew you wouldn’t be taken by the societal tides. Thalia, this is my dear friend, Madeline; we’ve been absolutely inseparable since we were young.”

Thalia offered a polite nod of her head, surprised as Madeline offered a deep curtsy in return. “I’m glad to make your acquaintance, your Ladyship.”

“Oh, there’s no need for that,” Thalia insisted. “I’m no longer the daughter of a marquess in the eyes of society.”

Madeline’s head tilted, her wide eyes furrowed beneath her thick brows. “But, you are still a lady of society. And, no matter what, you deserve a level of respect.”

Thalia fought to keep her mouth closed, watching as Charlotte let out an audible gasp. “Gracious, Madeline. I don’t think I’ve heard you speak so much before to a stranger in my life!”

Madeline nervously curled her hair behind her noticeably-flushed ears. “Sorry. I don’t mean to be so chatty.”

“Not at all!” Charlotte beamed, giving her friend another hug. “You are absolutely welcome to come with us, Madeline.”

“I certainly don’t object,” Louise smiled. “Your presence will only add to this lovely ambiance we’ve been fostering between the three of us.”

Madeline nodded, making brief eye-contact with Thalia before once more glancing away. Something in her stirred with a sense of familiarity, and Thalia found herself rising to personally greet the young woman. “I would be honored if you were to accompany us, Madeline. To be seen beside someone as kind as yourself would please me greatly.”

Madeline looked ready to faint there and then. Instead, she nodded frantically and clung to Charlotte’s arm, as if she were a life preserver amidst the vast sea.

“Now that we have our little group put together,” Charlotte beamed. “I believe it’s time we left this place. Onward; to the boutiques!”

Boutiques. Thalia did her best to remain cheerful as she was led off toward town, though a small panic had begun to spiral inside her chest.