Chapter 11

The Moreaus acted as one might expect when a duke came to visit. They practically fell over backwards to make him welcome and comfortable. And though Alex insisted he could walk up the stairs, the lady of the house was adamant that her husband would come down to join them in the drawing room. And so, he and Emmaline sat side by side, in cold silence, as they waited.

When the earl and his wife arrived, Alex struggled to keep his shock to himself. When the man"s daughter had told him he was deathly ill, he had believed it mainly a ploy to buy more time. But seeing the man now, it was quite obvious she had not been exaggerating at all.

"Your Grace," the earl said, bowing low as he entered.

Alex and Emmaline stood to greet the man with respect in his own home. Alex, ever the gentleman he had always prided himself upon being, hurried forth to help the countess assist her husband into a seat.

"You grace, had we known you were coming, we would have served tea," The Earl of Monrith insisted, sitting on the couch opposite his daughter. His wife sat dutifully beside him. Alex did not miss the way the two of them looked at his new wife as if trying to gauge the mood or severity of the situation.

Whether they were more concerned for her or for themselves, Alex couldn"t be sure, but he was determined to be pleasant, if a little domineering, in order to keep his image as The Devil Lord clear in people's minds. They were, after all, his in-laws now. They would need to know, and be forced to pretend they didn't.

"Please, do not trouble yourself Lord Monrith," he said, moving to sit back beside Emmaline. "Your daughter and I merely came to share our happy news."

"Oh?" It was The Countess of Monrith that spoke up with such curiosity, a glint in her eye that suggested it was she who already had an inkling of what was occurring.

"Your Grace?" The earl looked less curious and more concerned, clearly remembering well all the talk. And Alex did not miss the way the man eyed his injuries.

Though he had become accustomed to everyone doing so, he kept to himself more often than not, and had not been in the public eye for some time without his devil"s disguise. This was to be a discomfort for them all, he was sure.

"When your daughter came to me two days hence with news of your ill health, My Lord, I took it upon myself to suggest a different form of payment for the debts to which I am owed," Alex explained and as he did, he reached out a hand to Emmaline and was most surprised when she laid her gloved hand in his. "Your daughter graciously accepted my proposal and we have been wed in the sight of God himself."

"I beg your pardon, Your Grace?" the earl exclaimed, quite clearly astonished and perhaps even a little angry. "I gave no acceptance for such an arrangement! And… and… it is you? You are—?"

Alex quickly narrowed his gaze as he interrupted. "Whatever you are thinking, My Lord… it must never leave this room. Do you understand?" He hoped so. Only a handful knew, and he needed to ensure the earl said nothing. Ever.

It was only when the countess gripped her husband"s hand that he seemed to reel his neck in a little.

"Husband, the duke honors us in choosing to marry our daughter," she said carefully, and Alex could see from the look she offered her husband that she was silently pleading with him to do whatever it took for self-preservation.

"But I…"

The earl"s anger turned to a look of confusion, and it was clear just to look at him that he was still not well at all. He was no longer the strong, powerful businessman that Alex had met many years earlier when the earl had been in business talks with his own father. He was now a weak and frail old man. And just the sight of him caused Alex to feel justified in the offer he had made Emmaline, even if he hadn"t gone about it in entirely the right way.

Before her father could finish whatever protest he had been about to make, Emmaline squeezed Alex"s hand and offered him a look that pleaded with him to allow her to handle this.

She was so beautiful, so elegant, how could he not afford her the chance to calm her ill father?

And so, he sat still and silent as Emmaline leaned forward. He was surprised when she carried his hand with her, holding it close as if the prospect of marriage to him were not merely a business arrangement but something else entirely.

Don"t be a fool, Alex! He warned himself.

"Papa, please, do not be concerned for me. The duke has assured me all shall be well," Emmaline told her father, smiling across the table at him. "In return for my hand, the duke has agreed to forgo the debts we owe to him until such time as he has helped us get back on our feet."

"Excuse me?" the earl appeared quite astonished. "Your Grace, forgive me, I am grateful at the suggestion of such things, unbelievably so, but surely this must be some kind of mistake."

Alex felt Emmaline tense beside him. The earl was a prideful man, so much so that he had hurt his daughter in denying the fact she was able to make such a business arrangement on his behalf.

"And with all due respect to you, My Lord, you were and perhaps still are not in any fit state to decide that," Alex said, glowering at the earl with a little of his devil"s attitude. "Your daughter has seen fit to accept my proposal and we were married last evening, witnessed by my own man. It is legally and religiously binding and shall stand now no matter what you make of it. Just as I shall stand by the promises I have made to your daughter in exchange for her hand."

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Emmaline"s face light up. Perhaps he wasn"t such the devil he had made himself out to be.

He cleared his throat quickly. He had a reputation to uphold. Before anyone could say anything, he added, "I shall expect a certain level of commitment on your part to restoring your wealth so that your daughter"s sacrifice shall not have been for nothing. Once you are more recovered, of course."

"I… umm… we thank you, wholeheartedly, Your Grace," Lady Monrith said, looking at Alex just as one might expect a lady to when caught in such an impossible position, always being taught never to look a gift horse in the mouth no matter what he brought with him.

The earl, however, looked to Emmaline. Alex"s skin crawled when the man looked pointedly at his daughter and asked, "Is this truly what you wish for yourself?"

The sadness in his gaze suggested it wasn"t in the least what he would have chosen for his daughter.

"I am content with the choice I have made, papa, I do wish for you to be happy for me," Emmaline responded though Alex was certain he heard trepidation in her tone.

Ever used to his role as the devil, and all too aware of his many other responsibilities, Alex knew he must have the last say on the matter and so he rose to his feet and clapped loudly. "Excellent. Then the matter is settled. We are to announce our marriage at the next ball which just so happens to be this evening. I do hope you shall be in attendance, Lady Monrith."

"Tonight?" Emmaline exclaimed, "So soon?"

The horror on her face was clear. Alex wasn"t entirely sure how to take such a response but before he could say anything, Emmaline"s stepmother stepped in.

"I shall indeed, Your Grace, nothing could make me happier than to support my daughter in this matter," the lady announced, smiling to Emmaline though Alex thought he saw distaste on his new wife"s face.

"We both shall be, Your Grace," the earl said, rising to his feet. With a little help from his startled wife, he stood tall and looked Alex in the eye. "I cannot say I am pleased by this turn of events, Your Grace. Nobody would wish their daughter married in such a way, but I can say I am grateful to you."

He then turned to Emmaline and added, "To you both."

Emmaline looked at Alex almost as if awaiting his permission and when he gave a curt nod she rose and approached her father, hugging him in a way entirely unexpected to Alex. He could never have dreamed of embracing his own father in such a manner.

"I am so glad you are recovering, papa," she said, hugging him tightly.

"As am I," the earl said, and he cupped his daughter"s face with the hand that wasn"t clutching his wife"s to hold himself steady. "Are you certain of this, my dearest Em?"

Em… Alex thought. It was sweet. He liked that. Perhaps one day, when all was done and settled, she might be his Em too.

Deep down, he knew it was more than he might hope for. After all, he had practically forced her into a marriage, ripped her from her family into an altogether unconventional situation, and failed on just about every count to give her what a young lady like her deserved. He was not handsome.

He was not kind. He wasn"t even present much of the time, his mind always on business or responsibility. Emmaline's future, save for the possibility of giving him an heir, was to be a lonely one indeed.

And a small claw of guilt scratched at his insides to think on it. Yet, the dice had been cast.

"I am, papa," Emmaline told him, and Alex"s chest tightened at her next words, certain they were only for her father"s benefit. "The duke has been good to me."

"You ought to stay," her father insisted. "Stay for tea. Your siblings shall be most eager to see you. Jane has been like an animal with a sore head since you left."

"Thank you for the offer, My Lord, My Lady," Alex said, "But I am afraid I am a very busy man and my businesses do not run themselves. I have a great many things to do before the Trentons' Ball."

He dipped his head then, making his intention to leave clear before he turned to Emmaline and said, "We really must be going, Your Grace."

Emmaline"s face paled though Alex could not have said whether it was down to the thought of having to leave or the fact he had called her by her new title.

She was paler than ever before as she placed her hand in his and allowed him to guide her from the room. With every step they took, he felt her stiffening beside him. He could not entirely blame her. She was leaving behind everything she had ever known. And yet, oddly, he felt just as fearful as he too stepped into a new world

Though in marrying her, he had secured his dukedom in his father"s wishes—for now, at least—he had also saddled himself with an entirely new responsibility, a wife.

And for all he knew, she might very well cost him everything.