Page 45 of The Odyssean Duke

“I suppose we will have the wedding breakfast next,” His Grace said, putting some distance between himself and the others.

Evelina hesitated only a heartbeat before joining him. “I suppose we will,” she said.

“A pity,” he said, so quietly that she was certain the others would not hear. “I can think of somethingfarmore enjoyable than the wedding breakfast.”

Evelina feigned a light laugh, as if the duke’s words had not made her pulse jump. They would do it. They would really consummate the marriage and have a child soon after. His Grace would do what he had in the study with his fingers. The thought of his touch made her core ache, and Evelina pressed her thighs together to soothe the budding need.

“So eager,” she mused. “I am surprised, Your Grace.”

“Stephan,” he said. “You called me that when we met, and I think I would prefer that you use my Christian name now that we are wed.”

Evelina hummed. “I suppose I may agree to let you do the same.”

What could his motivation for the request be? Maybe he was trying to prove that they were going to be a unique marriage. If she pushed aside all her fears about what might happen next, Evelina found herself feeling vaguely as though she had entered a business arrangement, rather than a marriage. In a manner of speaking, she supposed that was true.

“How generous,” he drawled.

“Itisquite generous of me,” Evelina said. “Indeed, I am being beyond generous. I even indulged you and wore the gown you wanted to my own wedding. I am scandalized that you want me to remove it so soon.”

“It suits you.”

“Done!” Theodora declared.

Evelina looked to her sister and saw that she stood triumphantly beside the register, pen in hand.

“That is everyone,” Evelina’s mother added. “The marriage is finished.”

Evelina smiled. “Well, I suppose it is time for the wedding breakfast.”

And after that, she would remove that beautiful gown and those lace-trimmed drawers, and the Duke of Rothbury—her husband, Stephan—would consummate the marriage. At last, Evelina would know how that felt.

CHAPTER 19

It took considerable effort for Stephan to manage a moment alone with Evelina. After the ceremony, her friends seemed determined not to leave her with him for even a moment. At last, he managed to coax her into a small alcove just outside the dining hall. “Do you regret your decision?” he asked.

Stephan could not have said precisely why he asked. Maybe it was because he had decided that Evelinawasthe woman whom he wished to marry after all. As he had gazed at her in the church, he had thought only of how witty she was and how beautiful she appeared in that white gown. There was maybe a small, shameful part of himself that feared Evelina might not wish to marry him. Worse, she might believe him to be a bother.

He did not love her. He would not even say that he was herfriend. Still, there was something special about Evelina, and she deserved a consideration that Stephan did not often find it in himself to give.

“If I regret it or not depends entirely on you,” Evelina said.

Then, she was swept into the tide of gown-clad duchesses, all of whom clustered around her as if she were Queen Charlotte and they her ladies in waiting. Stephan took his place at the head of the table, conscious that three of the men who were present were dukes. Worse, they were dukes who had been raised properly, as far as he could discern. They had not fled to the sea as he had.

Stephan silently thanked God that he had decided to invite Murrayton and that his friend had not decided that he would rather not be bothered with the wedding breakfast after their disagreement earlier that morning.

“Shall we?” Stephan asked.

Without waiting for a response, Stephan took a large swallow of his tea. There was one benefit to a wedding breakfast, and it was that there was food. He could not speak if he was busily filling his mouth with jam and toast.

“This home is lovely.” The speaker was a young woman, who bore a strong resemblance to Evelina.

Stephan vaguely recalled hearing her name. What was it? Theodosia? No?—

Theodora, the Duchess of Hawthorne. Her husband was Alexander Kendall, the Duke of Hawthorne.

“Thank you, Your Grace,” Stephan said.

He and Evelina might have readily agreed to address one another informally, but Stephan decided it was best not to try that with the Duchess of Hawthorne. At least, not yet. The young woman was already glaring at him from across the table.