Chapter 5

Chapter Five

" W hat is it?" Aurelia called out groggily, her voice thick from sleep.

She opened her eyes to her strange new surroundings.

The night hadn't been kind to her as she'd worriedly tossed and turned in grim anticipation of the Duke entering her bedchamber to consummate their marriage. As the wolf's captive, Aurelia knew she had to keep up her guard, but she was exhausted by the effort it had taken.

"It is your lady's maid, Your Grace. I am here to get you ready for breakfast," a sweet voice called through the wooden door.

"You may come in." Aurelia flung the sheets off her legs just as the door swung open.

A short young girl with a freckled face and bright red hair bounced into the room with a tray of tea in her hands. "I am sorry if I woke you, Your Grace. We were unsure sure what hour you wished to have breakfast. I am your maid, Eilidh and will attend to your needs.."

She placed the tray on the small table by the window and turned to Aurelia with a polite curtsy.

Aurelia swung her legs over the mattress, reached for her night robe, and fastened the belt around her waist. "Eilidh… are you Scottish? You certainly do not sound like a Scot."

The girl's freckled cheeks flushed red. "I am not, Your Grace. My father fancied himself a traveler, even though he only ever worked the farmlands on this estate. He never set foot in Scotland, but when God saw fit to bless him with a red-headed daughter, he jumped at the opportunity to give me a Scottish name."

Aurelia smiled at the young girl's tale. "Fathers can certainly be interesting creatures at the best of times."

Her heart suddenly ached as she recalled her own father, whom she had left at the altar the day before.

Eilidh began to hum as she tidied the room, placing some of the clothes in the wardrobe.

"Eilidh, have any letters arrived this morning? More specifically, any letters that are addressed to me?"

Aurelia crossed the room and glanced at the plate of toast, eggs and fruit on the tea tray.

A full breakfast.

She wondered if her husband would also be having his breakfast in bed.

Eilidh paused and chewed the inside of her cheek. "I do not think so, Your Grace. Mrs. Jarrow sorts the mail in the mornings. If there had been any she would have placed it on your tray this morning before I brought it up. Would you like me to go and check with her?"

"No, that is all right." Aurelia shook her head, feeling a pang of disappointment in her chest.

"Were you expecting a letter, You Grace?" Eilidh sounded sympathetic as she dusted the pillows.

"Not really. I thought my father would have written me. Then again, it is a bit soon. Perhaps it will come tomorrow."

Aurelia took her seat at the table and glanced listlessly at the toast as she struggled with the disappointment in her heart.

Eilidh approached and poured her a cup of tea. "Och, I am sure your father wants to give you a few days to settle in, Your Grace. If he is anything like my father, he will be calling on you in no time at all."

Aurelia couldn't help but laugh at the strange expression, forgetting her troubles for just a second. "Are you sure you are not Scottish? It is not every day that I hear a maid saying ‘ och .'"

The maid blushed an even deeper red that nearly matched the color of her hair. "I beg your pardon, Your Grace. It is my father's influence, you see. He often calls us his bairns instead of his children. I am afraid that there are quite a few inflections I have picked up from him over the years. The other servants often tease me about it. I will try and be more mindful of it in the future."

"There is no need to apologize, I quite like hearing something as unusual as that. There is no need for you to change the way you speak. You are bringing a smidgeon of color to an otherwise drab situation."

Aurelia reached for her cup of tea and took a sip, relishing the way the warm liquid slid down her throat.

Eilidh's eyes softened as she watched her. "Thank you, Your Grace. I know that the situation cannot be easy for you. I am certain that your father will soon be calling on you."

Licking a drop of tea from her lips, Aurelia wrapped her hands around the cup as a thought occurred to her. "Eilidh, what do you know of my…situation?"

The maid looked uneasily from one side of the room to the other. "N…Not much, Your Grace. I have heard rumors about the situation with your father and His Grace's late brother… But that is not to say that everything I hear is true."

Aurelia was about to ask the girl what the rumors were, when Mrs. Jarrow appeared in the doorway as though she had materialized out of thin air.

"Eilidh, have you completed your daily duties? One would think that you have with the way you keep chattering." The older woman pursed her lips and raised her eyebrows in a reprimand that even Aurelia understood.

Eilidh is not supposed to be talking to me.

Eilidh curtsied respectfully to Aurelia and hurried out of the room.

Mrs. Jarrow unclasped her hands and curtsied to Aurelia. "I hope you enjoy your breakfast, Your Grace."

She turned around to leave, but paused when Aurelia called out to her.

"Mrs. Jarrow, if you could spare me a moment?" Aurelia felt annoyed by the older woman's curt tone.

"Is your breakfast not to your liking, Your Grace?" The housekeeper forced a stiff smile.

"My breakfast is perfectly fine, thank you. I do, however, have a few questions," Aurelia reacted just as brusquely as the woman had the day before.

"Your Grace?" Mrs. Jarrow stood dutifully in the doorway, not stepping a foot into the chambers.

Clearing her throat, Aurelia turned in her chair and faced the housekeeper. "Does His Grace also take his breakfast in his chambers?"

Mrs. Jarrow shifted her weight uncomfortably from one foot to the other. "No, Your Grace. His Grace has his breakfast every morning at half past six in the breakfast room."

"I see. Then why was mine served to me in my chambers?"

Mrs. Jarrow took a deep breath and pursed her lips. "His Grace thought you might want to stay in your chambers this morning, as you are still settling into your new home. He did not wish to overwhelm you with too many changes all at once."

Overwhelm me, or burden himself with my presence?

"I see." Aurelia's irritation grew further as she stared at the toast on her plate.

"Is this arrangement not to your liking, Your Grace?" The bitterness in Mrs. Jarrow's voice was almost palpable.

Whipping her head around, Aurelia glared at the woman. "No, it is not. And in the future, I would like you to ask me first before making any kind of arrangements on my behalf, Mrs. Jarrow. Despite what His Grace may think, I am not accustomed to having my breakfast in bed. Also, I would appreciate it if my maid was not interrupted whilst having a private conversation with me in my chambers. Do I make myself clear?"

The housekeeper paled slightly as she clasped her hands together. "Perfectly, Your Grace. But if I may add just one thing…"

"What is it?" Aurelia snapped as she stood up.

Mrs. Jarrow rocked back and forth on her feet. "It was not I who made the arrangements, Your Grace. We, the staff, including Eilidh, are bound by loyalty to His Grace. It was His Grace who ordered the breakfast to be sent up, and who has forbidden any kind of gossip about your father and his brother, God rest his soul."

"Very well. Thank you for letting me know, Mrs. Jarrow. That is all for now." A feeling of dread welled within Aurelia as she dismissed the woman with a nod of her head.

"Shall I call Eilidh back, Your Grace?"

"Yes. I wish to get dressed."

Mrs. Jarrow nodded and exited the room.

The housekeeper's behavior had certainly been curt, bordering on rude. Yet, it was the Duke himself who had given the instructions.

I'll see about that.

Eilidh scurried back into the room, quiet as a mouse, and set about helping Aurelia out of her gown.

Aurelia began to prepare herself for a confrontation with her husband.

He could force her into marriage and keep her prisoner, but he couldn't restrict her from speaking to her own maid.

Philip had just finished his kippers when Aurelia stormed into the dining room with a face like thunder. Her eyes were dark with anger as she glared at him.

She had chosen an emerald-green dress for today. Its neckline drew Philip's eyes to her breasts, which would easily spill over with the slightest of tugs. He rather liked the way she looked with her hair half loose down her back. Some strands had been pulled to the back of her head, making her face seem more open, highlighting her elegant features.

He would have found her irresistible if it hadn't been for the anger in her eyes.

"I take it you slept poorly?" He tossed his napkin beside his plate and sat back in his chair.

If her behavior in the carriage was anything to go by, then he was in for a heated argument.

"I did not. In the future, I would appreciate it if you asked me what I want instead of assuming what I want."

Raising his eyebrows in question, he waited for her to elaborate as he flung his arm over the back of the chair next to him.

"I have never taken my breakfast in bed unless I was ill. It was you who brought me here as your wife, and as such, I am entitled to certain privileges, like having a proper meal in the breakfast room." She almost ran out of breath when she finished.

Philip sucked his lower lip into his mouth as he sized her up. He had purposely instructed her maid to take her tray up to her chambers. He had been accustomed to eating on his own for years and didn't see why anything needed to change just because he'd taken a wife.

"You may have your breakfast in here if you wish, Duchess. But I warn you that I prefer silence while I eat. I will not have my mornings disrupted if you are accustomed to yapping during meals."

The blue in her eyes darkened as she glared at him. "I hesitate to remind you, Your Grace, but I am not the one who agreed to this union. If my presence in this house disrupts your life, then perhaps you should return me to my father and have our marriage annulled. One visit to the physician would offer plausible grounds."

The import behind her words did not go unnoticed.

Philip clenched his jaw and stood up. If it was a challenge that she wanted, then he wasn't about to let her down.

"You should be careful what you wish for, little lamb. Do you wish for me to visit your chambers?"

He made his way around the table and advanced on her until she began to back up. Her back was almost touching the wall when he stopped a few inches away from her.

"No." She swallowed hard, feeling the panic spread through her chest.

His lips curled into a smile as his eyes fell on her slender neck and traveled all the way down to her chest.

Her lips parted slightly with a gasp when he pressed a hand to the wall above her head and looked into her eyes. Her breasts strained against the bodice of her emerald-green dress as he wrapped one of her loose curls around his finger.

The warmth of her body seeped into him as he raised his gaze to hers, taking in the uncertainty in her eyes.

"I am used to a certain way of life, Duchess. Just because I have brought you here as my wife, does not mean that any of that is about to change. I will only warn you once. Provoke me, and you will deeply regret the consequences."

Aurelia closed her eyes and almost gasped again when he brought his lips mere inches away from her own. His knee was firmly wedged between her thighs, pressing precariously against her. One motion would have her suspended in the air and at his mercy.

He fought against the urge to take her right then and there as his blood boiled with lust.

Leaning forward, he placed his lips closer to her ear and whispered, "I do not want to have this conversation again. Do I make myself clear? You have your own life to lead while I go about my business."

He let go of the curl before trailing his hand up her side and stopping a few inches below her breast.

His thumb stroked the underside of her breast through the fabric of her dress. The enticing scent of her floral perfume filled his senses and threatened his self-control.

He was about to kiss her neck when her voice suddenly broke the spell.

"I understand perfectly, Your Grace." Her voice sounded strangled as he gently squeezed her side.

"Good girl." He backed away from her as soon as he heard footsteps coming down the hall.

Aurelia almost panted for breath as she pressed herself against the wall, her hands flattened on its surface to support her weight.

Philip liked the effect he had on her, almost enough to take her to his chambers. Her flushed cheeks and heaving bosom drove him insane with desire. He reminded himself of the harsh fact that she was the daughter of the man who had killed his brother.

"I will be performing various duties around the estate this morning. You may familiarize yourself with the layout of the house in my absence."

He took a step back and adopted a cold, nonchalant attitude.

Her eyes fluttered open as she slowly closed her fingers into fists and kept them pressed against the wall. "Am I allowed to speak to the staff in your absence, Your Grace? Or am I to move about the house like a thief in the middle of the night?"

Her voice held a note of defiance, yet the wild look in her eyes betrayed how rattled she had become from their encounter.

"You may speak to the staff when addressing them, but never about anything regarding our marriage. I will return for dinner. You are welcome to join me on the condition that you adhere to my rule of silence."

He allowed his eyes to roam over her body once more before exiting the room.

He stopped across the hall and watched as she lifted her fingers to her throat and stood motionless for several moments. He had thought she would cry, but was surprised to see that she merely ran her fingers through her hair and let out a breath.

She is not as weak as I had thought.

He crossed his arms over his chest as he leaned against the door of the adjoining room. The angle of the hall hid him from view but allowed him just enough space to observe her for a little while longer.

He had wanted her at that moment. Badly . He would need to watch himself around her if he was to keep their arrangement intact.

The problem, however, was that his new Duchess lit a fire in his loins that would soon demand to be dowsed.