The Duke's Runaway Bride--A Historical Romance Award Winning Author by Jenni Fletcher

Author:Jenni Fletcher
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2020-11-25T18:37:09+00:00

Chapter Thirteen

‘Good morning!’ Quinton called out, dismounting beneath the front steps of Howden Hall with a combined sense of surprise and trepidation. He’d spotted his wife standing at the top from half a mile down the drive and she appeared not to have moved a muscle since, her hands clasped firmly at her waist while strands of dark hair billowed around her face like ribbons. There was something different about her, he thought, something he couldn’t quite put his finger on except to say that she looked resolute. Purposeful. And quite strikingly attractive.

‘Beatrix?’ He stopped two steps below her so that they were standing eye to eye. ‘Is something the matter?’

‘Yes. We need to talk.’

‘You’re right.’ He acknowledged the words sombrely. They were exactly what he’d been thinking for days, only he hadn’t known where to begin. He was simply aware that he’d been behaving badly, being distant and cold and generally doing everything possible to convince her she was right to want a divorce. Which was no doubt what she was about to tell him.

‘Beatrix, I—’

‘I’m tired of doing nothing,’ she interrupted before he could apologise. ‘And it occurred to me that part of the reason for my coming here was to learn the duties of a duchess.’

‘Um...yes.’ He tried not to let the relief show on his face. It wasn’t exactly what he’d been expecting.

‘So that’s what I’m going to do. I’m the Duchess and I want to start acting like it. In fact, I already have.’

‘Good.’

‘Good?’ she repeated, catching a lock of hair before it blew into her eyes. ‘Really?’

‘Yes.’ He moved towards the front door, gesturing for her to precede him into the house. ‘I just didn’t want to be the one to suggest it.’

‘Well, then...’ She threw him a suspicious look as they entered the hall. ‘In that case, maybe you could take a look at—’

‘What is this?’ His mother appeared at the top of the main staircase suddenly, waving a piece of paper in the air.

‘Good morning, Mother.’ Out of the corner of his eye, he saw his wife’s chin lift up a notch. ‘It looks like a letter to me.’

‘It’s an invitation!’

‘From?’

‘From us!’

‘It’s an invitation I wrote this morning.’ In contrast to his mother, Beatrix’s voice was completely calm. ‘I intend to send it to all of our closest neighbours and anyone else you’d care to invite. I also asked Mrs Hastings to give a copy to your mother in case there were any changes she wished to make.’

‘Yes!’ The lady in question came storming down the staircase. ‘I want you to tear it up!’

‘Wait!’ Quin lifted a hand in his mother’s direction, keeping his eyes fixed upon Beatrix. ‘What is it that we’re inviting people to exactly?’

‘A dinner party. I thought that now I was here, I ought to introduce myself. This way people will know that I’m not fictitious or an invalid.’

‘What on earth does it matter—?’

‘And I think it will be good for Antigone, too.’ She spoke over his mother. ‘It will give her an opportunity to practise her social skills before making her debut in Society.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.