All Chapters of A LADY FOR A DUKE : Chapter 21 - Chapter 28

He’d been very tempted to throw caution to the wind and seduce her right here, right now. But he’d decided even before she’d arrived that he wasn’t going to touch her before their marriage. He was going to do everything in the proper order. Not quite what he was used to, yet anticipation wouldn’t hurt and would make the night they eventually shared even more spectacular.Anna stared at him and then at the little box in his hand, then reached out for it.But he pulled it away before she could take it.“Uh-huh. You have to give me your answer first.”He was teasing, of course, yet only for the pleasure of seeing the heat of her temper flare. Obligingly it did, those sparks flickering in her eyes, which he found deeply satisfying.“Of course I’m going to marry you. I’ve already told you I will. I even signed that wretched contract.” Anna said, “No, “I even signed that wretched contract” is not the right answer. Say “Yes, I’d love to be your wife, Cedric”.”Her straight brows drew down.

Cedric had not expected such candor. Hadn’t expected his own reaction to it either, and it was clear from the look on her face that it had cost her. But he couldn’t imagine her hurting anyone. Yes, she was fiery and yes, she’d lifted a hand to him, but he had provoked her. And the electricity between them surely hadn’t helped. She didn’t seem a woman liable to flying off the handle, though, not when she’d seemed very cool around him—when he wasn’t provoking her, of course. What had happened to make her think it was an issue? And why did she call herself difficult? She hadn’t seemed difficult to him. A woman of deep passions, perhaps, but not difficult.He wanted to ask her questions, find out why she thought these things about herself, but he didn’t want to make her distressed or agitated more than she already was. Perhaps there would be some time later, when they were on honeymoon. You don’t need to know. Why would you want to? Cedric shoved that thought away. “Anna, I handle extrem

A lump rose in her throat. She’d loved her father, but he hadn’t loved her. He’d never said it to her, hadn’t ever demonstrated it to her. She’d been the baby he hadn’t wanted, the child that had ruined his career. A lasting reminder of what his beloved wife had wanted and didn’t survive long enough to have. He’d done his duty by her, given her a roof over her head and food on the table, ensured she had a decent education, and as soon as the Duke’s money had arrived he’d left. Perhaps he was right, though. Perhaps it didn’t matter. Perhaps it was fine that this was all for show and that none of it was for her. Nothing ever had been, after all.Well, not quite nothing.There was one thing that was for her and he waited for her by the altar, exquisitely dressed in a morning suit of dove gray. The man who might not love her, but did want her, and certainly enough to demand a wedding night from her. That gave her some courage as she walked towards him, as did the look in his midnight eyes

Besides, wasn't she the one who had told him to cancel the honeymoon he'd been planning? Her soft mouth tightened because she refused to give way to the feeling that he had abandoned her. After all, she wasn’t a child and she might be in a strange environment, but she would soon get used to it. She would manage fine without him. By the looks of it, she didn’t have much choice.Juliet chatted all the way downstairs about where they were going to go shopping, while Anna scanned her lavish surroundings with all the apprehension of an ordinary person suddenly waking up to find themselves lost in a royal palace. But the instant her insecurity was ready to rise, she crushed it flat and refused to acknowledge those feelings. Haerton castle was going to be her home, no matter how short it was going to last, and the last thing she wanted was to be a duchess who lacked self-esteem. He'd left a card for her to shop with so he clearly wanted her to use it. She had no idea what kind of party they