Duchess by Deception (Gilded #1) by Marie Force

Author:Marie Force [Marie Force]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781420147865
Publisher: Kensington
Published: 2019-01-29T08:00:00+00:00

Chapter Seventeen

As Catherine followed the diminutive housekeeper down long corridors, she wished she had bread crumbs to drop so she could find her way out again. The deeper she traveled into the palatial home, the more anxious she became.

Remembering Mrs. Langingham’s kindness during her illness, Catherine made an effort to keep up with the older woman’s nervous chatter.

Mrs. Langingham bustled into a warm bedchamber done in rose silks and burgundy velvets. This room was much larger than the one Catherine had been given the first time she stayed here.

The housekeeper yanked open the heavy drapes and threw open the window to let in the cool evening breeze. “We’ve sent one of the footmen to the village to see if Your Grace’s new gowns are finished. Of course, His Grace will want to take you to London to be properly outf itted.”

“That won’t be necessary—”

“I just had the staff up here day before yesterday to freshen the linens and dust,” she said. “Isn’t that a stroke of good fortune? Now, let me check on your bath.” She went into the attached bathing room, leaving Catherine alone with her thoughts. Her mind raced as she struggled to process her sudden change in station. Married to a duke , of all things. Thinking back to the first night, when she’d been so terribly ill, she realized the deception had begun then. Perhaps if she’d been in her right mind, she would’ve known to question how an estate manager had such authority in the home of a duke.

She thought of the luxurious coach that had conveyed her to Scotland and of their wedding night at the inn when the staff had fallen over themselves to tend to the newlyweds. They’d known who he really was and had given him the respect afforded a duke.

All the signs had been there, but she’d missed them. He’d succeeded in so completely dazzling her with his charm, wit and lovemaking that it had never occurred to her to question anything he told her.

Now she would question every word he uttered. She would always wonder if he was telling her the truth or some version of it. Surely there were laws on the books that would give her a way out of a marriage she’d been coerced into. Images of the blissful days and nights she’d spent in his arms at the cottage flashed through her mind, torturing her with reminders of what could’ve been.

When her legs would no longer support her, she sank into an armchair. Her hands trembled, and her stomach ached. It would’ve been better if she’d never known the bliss of his love. Then she wouldn’t have to suffer through this agony.

“Off we go,” Mrs. Langingham said when she returned.

Weary and overwhelmed, Catherine allowed Mrs. Langingham to take charge. Catherine was led into the bathing room, undressed and shepherded into the tub full of steaming water, which went a long way toward taking away the chill that had settled deep into her bones despite the heat of the evening.

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