[The Inconvenient Matches series is comprised entirely of stand alone novels that can be read in any order]
Forced into marriage by duty and obligation, The Duke and Duchess of Rothbury parted ways a week after saying their vows under the explicit u...
She'd been betrayed! Backstabbed and left to bleed like Caesar! It had taken both Elizabeth and Prudence not one second to fall head over heels in love with her husband, dressed so very elegantly in a brown and gold waistcoat and one of his not-ruined shirts, and were now following him around like love struck puppies. Nicholas, standing with the help of his crutches, had taken one look at the Duke, who managed to look like the very picture of masculine vitality even as he limped with his cane, and had found his new hero. And to add insult to injury, Churlish Benedict was nowhere to be seen. No, he'd been replaced by bloody Prince Charming! When the children had lined up on the front lawn in their Sunday best, he had kissed the girls on their hands and complimented their dresses. Both of them had nearly expired on the spot from delight. For the younger boys, he had given them firm handshakes that had made them feel all grown up and important. And as for Robert, he had reached into his jacket and had given him a beautiful silver pocket watch.
'A working man's most important commodity is time, never let anyone waste yours. You will soon leave the comforts of childhood, let this be your first lesson, young man.' He had said with a brief approving nod and infinite ducal wisdom. And that had won him the admiration of every adult present, servant staff included. In just fifteen minutes, Benedict had managed to amass a small gaggle of loyalists that would follow him into war. The nerve!
Traitors, the lot of them, Benedict included! What was the world when you couldn't even expect the enemy to act the part? He was supposed to sulk forbiddingly in a corner while she gave the Marchioness a tour, not win hearts right and left! And looking so irritatingly dashing to boot! Did he absolutely have to be so damned handsome?! The audacity!
She was barely even listening to what the administrator was saying as he led the Marchioness around the first floor, showing her the dormitories. Instead, she kept sneaking glances outside any available window, trying to catch her husband slip up so that the world could right itself once more. Right now, he was sitting on a blanket under a tree and seemed to be studying Prudence's sketches with great interest while she stood in rapt fascination. Elizabeth, determined not to be left behind, had just dashed past them to get her book of sums.
Her stupid, wretched, idiotic heart gave a hard thump of longing.
No! Abandoned us for six years, remember? And being nice to children is about as bare minimum as it gets! Stop it, you romantic fool! Her brain, lovely logical thing that it was, hissed right back.
'While I agree that Rothbury cuts a fine figure in that waistcoat, it is hardly like you to stare after him like a newlywed.' Minerva jumped at Lady Eleanor's amused statement and turned a solid shade of strawberry.
'That is not what I was doing!' She replied hotly. She had always found it silly when debutants fanned themselves when they were flirted with, but perhaps a fan would cool her cheeks now. 'Please forgive me, I have been a poor hostess. Please, Mr. Steele, let us move to the library.'
In two weeks, he would leave. And then she could get rid of these stupid, pointless, idiotic feelings and everything could go back to normal.
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