Page 2 of My Beastly Duke
“Are you certain that you will not be attending the wedding, Your Grace? There may still be time for the wedding breakfast, if not the ceremony.”
The butler placed a glass of whisky beside the duke, before coming up straight. His stick-like posture always amazed Aaron as he wondered how the man remained so rigid.
Reaching for the glass, Aaron swirled the amber liquid a few times before taking a sip. “No, there is no reason for me to attend that sham of a wedding,” he grumbled under his breath and shifted his position in the high-backed chair that was hidden in the corner of the room.
The invitation that lay next to him on the desk drew his attention away from the glass. The black-slanted writing mocked him relentlessly as he clenched his jaw.
You are cordially invited to attend the wedding of Miss Marina Wallace to the youngest son of the late Duke of Harper, Mr. Adam Marner.
The sentence made Aaron snort in derision. There was only one reason that his brother had insisted on the marriage, and that reason had little to do with love or even honor. The wedding was a sham and farce as far as he was concerned.
“I understand, Your Grace. Perhaps we should start the search for a wife of your own. It is, after all, expected of a duke.” The butler placed his arms behind his back and stiffened his spine, looking into the shadows above the duke’s head.
Smirking at the suggestion, Aaron shook his head and threw back another swig of his whisky. “Do not make me laugh. If there is anything more ridiculous than finding me a wife, I have not heard of it.” He placed the glass back on the table beside him before sitting back and running his fingers over the right side of his face.
“Oh, I do not know, Your Grace, stranger things have happened. There is always the possibility of an arranged marriage. We could write to some of your relatives in Scotland, or perhaps even France. There is always a desperate young lady seeking a title and wealth.” The butler’s tone softened as a mischievous twinkle appeared in his eyes.
Desperate…
The man’s words made Aaron smirk in amusement. After so many years of living on his own, the butler had become something of a friend to him. Even if their stations in life had caused a divide, Aaron and his butler were able to keep each other company without crossing the boundaries of disrespect and propriety. The duke had lost many friends after the accident that had ruined his face. The rivalry with his brother had not helped either.
“It would take more than just a desperate woman to find me a wife, Jeeves. Any woman who tied herself to the likes of me and my hideous appearance would have to be sent by God. And where would I meet her when I hardly ever leave this house? A bride would have to come storming into this very room if I am ever to be married.” He gestured to the room at large with a sweep of his arm.
“You never know, Your Grace. Miracles have been known to…” The butler stopped speaking and frowned when the sound of frantic knocking echoed down the empty halls.
“I wonder who that could be.” Aaron’s brows creased into a frown as he waved the butler away. The only visitor he ever received was his brother, and that was unlikely given the fact that it was the day of his wedding.
Bowing low, the butler hurried from the room, disappearing around the corner in the dark hallway beyond.
Perhaps he had come to gloat.
Aaron let out a heavy sigh as he brooded in the darkness of the parlor. Light had been his enemy for years, along with the rivalry between him and his brother.
Minutes seemed to pass before the startled butler reappeared at the door. His eyes carried a look of confusion that instantly piqued Aaron’s attention. “A… A Miss Wallace to see you, Your Grace.” He swallowed hard and shook his head before stepping aside.
“Where is he?” The high-pitched voice of a woman called out from the shadows before the woman in question stepped into the room; her beautiful features were marred with anger as she glared.
“Miss Wallace?” Aaron held his breath and stood, puzzled by the sudden appearance of a bride. His eyes wandered over her slim figure, halting at the swelling of her breasts beneath the silver gown. She was certainly beautiful, there was no denying that her appearance stirred something within him.
Swallowing hard, the woman seemed to try and adjust her bright blue eyes to the darkness surrounding the duke. Her cat-like features spoke of elegance and grace, yet the fierceness in her eyes intrigued him more than anything else. “I apologize for the interruption, Your Grace, but since you had not bothered to respond to the invitation, I thought I might find you here.” Her eyes narrowed sharply as her chest rose and fell with every labored breath.
The strands of golden hair that hung in her face, added to her beauty as she reached back and removed the veil from her head. Allowing the sheer fabric to fall to the floor at her feet, she took up a stance of utter determination.
“Was there something that you needed me for, Miss Wallace?” Arron, crossed his arms over his chest, keeping as far back in the shadows as possible. His eyes searched the hallway behind her for any signs of his brother.
“As a matter of fact, there is. I am here to demand satisfaction. I shall not leave until justice is served.” She lifted her chin defiantly in the air, staring into the darkness as if she could see into his soul.
Chapter 2
“And what exactly do you mean by justice and satisfaction?” The duke’s voice taunted her from the shadows.
Marina’s heart raced as the deep sound of the duke’s voice washed over her body. She could only make out the outline of his features, yet the heavy notes of timber stirred something within her core.
Tilting her head to the side, she stood her ground despite the rapid beating of her heart.
Why does he not step into the light?
She looked around the room and noted the only sliver of light that broke through a crack in the heavy drapes. A light breeze moved the slim beam of light around the room, stopping short of the duke’s feet. It struck her as odd that the drapes were closedwhen the sun was shining, yet her focus was immediately drawn back to the figure in the shadows. Even in the darkness, Marina could tell how tall and imposing the duke was.