Loved by a Duke (The Heart of a Duke #4)(71)

Daisy’s head fell back and she moaned. “Auric,” she pleaded.

He teased the tip to awareness until she emitted desperate, panting gasps of air. The carriage hit a large bump and their heads knocked painfully together. They startled apart and then looked at each other, her soft laugh blended with his. Auric held her close and dropped his chin atop her brown curls. He rubbed it back and forth. He didn’t deserve this level of happiness.

As though sensing his thoughts, Daisy drew back. “What are you thinking?” She worked her gaze over his face. Before he could respond, she asked, “Are you regretful that you didn’t marry your Lady Anne?”

The greatest mistake he’d made in his life had been that reckless night with Marcus and Lionel. He took her face between his palms, forcing her gaze to his. “I love you,” he said simply. Wedding Lady Anne instead, and failing to see that which his heart had always known, would have been the second greatest mistake. “If I was one of those charming gentlemen, I would have the words and sonnets you deserve.” But he’d never been one of those affable gentlemen. Mayhap had life moved along differently?

“I don’t need pretty words and sonnets, Auric,” she said, pointing her eyes skyward. “How could you not realize what I wanted?”

“What was that?” he asked, his tone gruff.

She tweaked his nose. “Why, your heart, you silly duke.”

The carriage rocked to a stop before his—their—townhouse. The driver opened the front door and helped Daisy down. Auric lingered. Would she truly feel that way if she knew the truth?

Daisy cast a glance back at him. Her smile dipped and she cocked her head in that inquisitive way he’d come to know through the years. “What?”

He shook his head and jumped out of the carriage. “Nothing at all, Your Grace.” And placing his hand on the small of her back, he guided her to their home where they could together find the peace and happiness they’d both yearned for these years.





Chapter 18

Daisy sat at the edge of the bed. Nay, her bed. Her new bed, she amended once again. Staring as she’d been for the better part of the night at the wood panel of the door. She wasn’t altogether certain about this whole bridal bed business. Her mother hadn’t spoken to her much through the years and she certainly hadn’t spoken of such personal matters. But Daisy rather suspected that on a lady’s wedding night that the bridegroom wouldn’t do something as rude as to keep his lady waiting nervously since she’d retired for the evening.

The moment they’d arrived, a servant had rushed forward to show Daisy abovestairs to her chambers. Auric however had not climbed the grand, sweeping, Italian marble staircase to the living quarters. Instead, he’d stood at the foot of the stairs a moment, with that unnervingly distant expression in his eyes, before he’d quickly spun on his heel and continued down the corridor to…to…wherever it was bridegrooms went on their wedding days.

She folded her arms and a bothersome curl fell over her eye. Daisy blew it back. At the very least, she’d have expected he’d take the evening meal with her. Particularly as a tray had been sent to her chambers. Not that she had much felt like food. Her stomach still churned with nervousness and all the questions she had, questions that would be answered this night.

“Or questions that should be answered this night,” she muttered under her breath. With a growl of annoyance she shoved herself to her feet and began to pace a path upon the cold, hardwood floor. Surely, he intended to…to…well, visit her. By his kiss in the carriage, she’d expected he would, her skin warmed, at the very least be eager to see to the bridegroom business.

Daisy stomped over to the embroidery frame she’d abandoned sometime into hour one of being so forgotten by Auric. She swiped it off the vanity and studied the now tenth attempt on this particular piece. The red threads may as well have been an indecipherable, crimson blob. She’d worked on the dratted thing and she could barely tell what the blasted rendering was.

With another growl, she marched over to the door and yanked it open. She needed to be free of her new chambers for if she stayed here in silent wait for Auric, with only herself for company, she’d go mad. Daisy strode down the eerily silent corridors. The gold sconces upon the walls cast an eerie glow upon the mauve carpet. A shiver stole down her spine and she gave her head a shake. She’d never before feared ghosts and she’d not begin now. Daisy made her way down the stairs, holding the embroidery frame in one hand, trailing the other over the bannister.

How many times had she visited this very townhouse? As a young girl she’d delighted in escaping the not-watchful-enough eye of her nursemaids and sprinting through the long corridors in search of the trio of boys. Eventually, her proper mother had quelled such outward displays of enthusiasm. Daisy had instead taken care to sprint, just not with a watchful mama nearby.

She stopped at the base of the stairs and looked about the soaring foyer to the mural painted at the central part of the ceiling. She’d dreamed of becoming mistress of this grand home for reasons that had nothing to do with the lavish opulence and the revered title of duchess. She’d simply wanted Auric.

Now she had him. Not in this precise moment, necessarily, as she’d quite misplaced her husband. On her wedding night. Her lips pulled in a grimace. Well, misplaced might not be the correct choice. Abandoned. She’d been abandoned on her wedding night.