Chapter 10

Chapter Ten

" H ow do I look?" Aurelia asked, a coy smile dancing on her lips as she turned to face Eilidh.

The maid, whose hands were busy adjusting the Duchess's gown, took a step back to admire her work. "Beautiful, Your Grace, as always," she replied, beaming. "But it seems you are in high spirits tonight, Your Grace."

Aurelia nodded, the smile never leaving her face, though she said nothing more. She could not deny the truth in the maid's words. She was indeed in high spirits, the kind that resulted from a well laid out plan.

The tips she'd gleaned from How to Tame a Duke had proven rather effective. In the book, the temptress advised to employ conniving charm and teasing confidence and to initiate physical touch, carefully building an air of seduction.

Aurelia had done just that during her archery stunt and it had led to a victory in the field far more significant than any arrow she had loosed.

She could still see the look in Philip's eyes when he'd stepped back after she hit her target. The subtle shift in his expression had betrayed more than he had intended. Pride had bloomed within her at her success.

A soft knock at the door interrupted her thoughts. Eilidh hurried to open the door, revealing Mrs. Jarrow and three maids standing behind her, each carrying trays laden with food.

Aurelia's heart sank. So, Philip thought she would dine alone tonight, tucked away like some forgotten ornament in the house. A slight tension formed at the corners of her mouth, but she quickly smoothed it away.

"Kindly return these trays, Mrs. Jarrow," Aurelia ordered, her voice firm yet gentle. "I shall join my husband for dinner in the dining room."

The housekeeper blinked in surprise, clearly not expecting such defiance. "Your Grace, but…"

"No," Aurelia interrupted with quiet authority, rising from her chair. "I will dine with my husband, as a wife should. You need only return to me if you are coming to advise that the table is set for us both."

There was a flash of irritation in Mrs. Jarrow's eyes, but the woman was well-trained in masking such emotions. With a short, respectful bow, she turned to the maids.

"Take the trays back," she instructed, before disappearing down the corridor.

Aurelia did not need to wait long. Mrs. Jarrow returned with the news that the table was set, and Aurelia wasted no time making her way to the dining room.

As she descended the stairs and entered the room she saw Philip seated at the head of the table. His gaze alighted upon her, and she caught the moment his eyes slid over her dress.

It was made of the finest silk, a soft blush hue that hugged her figure in all the right places. The neckline was modest but revealed just enough to tempt, a deliberate decision on her part.

Philip's eyes darkened for a moment, betraying his thoughts even as his jaw clenched.

He knew. He knew exactly what she was doing, but that didn't stop the spark of heat that ignited within him.

"How are you tonight, husband?" Aurelia asked with her eyebrows raised slightly.

"I am well, wife," Philip answered curtly.

Aurelia had wanted to ask another mundane question, but she had not dressed like this for nothing. She was playing a game; one that she intended to win.

"I must say, it's been rather quiet in the house today," she continued conversationally, reaching for her wineglass. "Do you find it dull here? So little happens."

Philip glanced at her briefly, then focused on his plate as if her words were of little consequence. "I have had my fill of excitement all over the world," he said, his voice flat and devoid of the warmth she was trying to coax from him.

Aurelia pressed on, determined. "I see. But surely you must miss the company of your friends, the bustle of the city, the travels. I imagine you do grow restless here in the countryside."

He shrugged slightly, still refusing to meet her eyes. "Restlessness is a luxury for which I do not have time."

She felt a tinge of frustration. "What do you do with your time then, if not rest? Surely there must be something that holds your interest."

Philip's gaze finally met hers, cold and unreadable. "What I do with my time, Aurelia, is my concern."

Aurelia paused, watching him closely before deciding to change tack. "I have heard stories, you know," she said, her voice casual but probing. "About your travels. They say you have ventured to places most of us can only dream of."

Philip's gaze wavered, a hint of something passing across his face before the stony mask settled back in place. He said nothing and continued to eat as though the subject did not interest him.

Undeterred, Aurelia continued, her voice laced with curiosity. "India, the Far East…even the Americas. There is even a rumor that you lived with a sheik in Arabia for some time. Is that true?"

Philip's knife paused midway to his plate, his grip tightening ever so slightly around the handle.

"You appear quite well-informed," he uttered, his voice carefully controlled, but there was a trace of tension beneath it.

Aurelia smiled softly, sensing she had struck a nerve. "The Ton loves to talk, Your Grace. They say you are practically a myth, considering all the places you've visited. I wonder, did you prefer the deserts of Arabia or the jungles of India?"

Philip's eyes narrowed slightly, as though weighing whether or not to indulge her with an answer. Finally, he set his utensils down with deliberate calmness, leaning back in his chair, his gaze cold and assessing.

"You seem fascinated by the rumors, Duchess," he remarked, ignoring her question entirely. "One would think you have better things with which to occupy your time."

She let out a light laugh, tilting her head. "It is hard not to be intrigued when one's husband is more legend than man. People say you left England because you could no longer tolerate its dullness, that you sought out danger and adventure. Tell me, what did you discover out there?"

For a long moment, Philip didn't answer, his gaze distant as though recalling places far removed from the candlelit room in which they now sat.

Then, with a measured tone, he replied, "I found many things. But adventure, Duchess, comes with a price, and the price is always higher than most are willing to pay."

Her eyes sparkled with interest, but she caught the edge in his voice, a warning not to pry further. Still, she couldn't resist. "Were you willing to pay it?"

His jaw tightened, and for the first time that evening his cool veneer cracked. "I did what I had to do. As I always do."

Aurelia studied him, weighing his words and the hint of darkness that lurked beneath them.

She leaned forward slightly, softening her voice. "You came back a changed man."

He looked at her then, his gaze hard, like a wall she could never breach. "Men change when they have no other choice."

There was a moment of silence between them, the room heavy with tension.

Finally, she spoke again, her voice quiet but daring. "You must miss it; the freedom, the escape from all of this." She gestured subtly to their surroundings, to the life they now shared, albeit distantly. "It seems to me that you are always trying to keep something at bay."

Philip's eyes darkened, the mask of indifference slipping back into place. "What I miss, Aurelia, is none of your concern." His tone was colder now, more final.

But Aurelia didn't back down. She wasn't satisfied with the surface; she wanted more. She wanted him to open up, if just a little.

"Perhaps not," she countered, her voice soft yet challenging. "But I am your wife. Surely that entitles me to some insight into the man you are."

Philip leaned forward, his gaze sharp and unwavering, as if daring her to push him further. "Do not presume to know me, Duchess. You do not. And you will not."

For a moment, their eyes locked, the air between them electric. Then, as if deciding the conversation was over, Philip returned his attention to his meal, cutting into the silence with his knife.

His tone had been clipped and final, terminating the conversation altogether.

Aurelia leaned back slightly, biting back the urge to press harder. The tension between them was thick and it was clear that Philip had no intention of giving her more than the bare minimum tonight.

But she had not come here to talk about mundane things; she had come to coax something from him, something real, even if she had to provoke it.

As they moved onto the second course of their dinner, Aurelia made her first move, reaching out as if by accident, her fingers brushing against the back of his hand.

Philip stiffened but said nothing.

A few moments later she caught his eye, holding his gaze a beat longer than necessary. There was a flash of something between them; an unspoken dare.

"I must say, Your Grace," Aurelia began with a smile, her tone light, "I find archery far more interesting than I thought it would be."

He raised an eyebrow, his eyes narrowing as though trying to determine how much of her statement was true and how much belonged to the game she was playing.

"Is that so?"

"Indeed," she replied, taking a sip of her wine. Her eyes glimmered with mischief as she leaned in slightly, her voice dropping to a near-whisper. "I never would have known I had such…accuracy."

The words were innocent enough but her tone implied otherwise.

Philip's eyes darkened and his body grew taut, but his lips curled into a knowing smile. "You are tempting fate, wife," he murmured, his voice roughened by a mix of amusement and something deeper. "Do you think you could handle me?"

Aurelia's pulse quickened but she kept her smile steady, leaning in further, testing the boundaries. "I believe, Your Grace, that I can handle much more than you give me credit for."

She reached out again with a smile, this time letting her fingers rest on his wrist, the contact deliberate.

Philip's hand shot out, gripping her shoulder firmly, stopping her advance. His eyes bored into hers, a warning flashing just beneath the surface.

"Do you really think I do not know what you are doing?" he said, his voice low but sharp. "You think I am so easily swayed by a pretty dress and a soft touch?"

Aurelia's heart hammered in her chest, a mix of frustration and defiance surging within her, but she refused to falter. "And if I am? What of it, Philip? Perhaps we can both gain something from this…arrangement."

For the briefest moment he looked taken aback by her boldness.

Slowly, a dangerous smile spread across his face. "You are not as innocent as you pretend to be, are you?"

She met his gaze squarely, jutting her chin. "I never claimed to be innocent."

Aurelia wasn't sure of what she was saying anymore, but she knew she didn't want to lose to him, especially not now.

Philip's hand slid to her stubborn chin, pulling her face closer to his. His breath fanned her lips, the tension between them palpable.

"I am still in control, Aurelia . Do not ever forget that."

With a smirk he released her and rose from the table.

He paused for a moment, glancing back at her as if to savor the sight of her breathless and wanting, before walking out of the room, leaving her to stew in the heat of her desire.