Duchess by Chance(3)

“Of course. I will wait in the carriage for you, your Grace. Please take your time.”

“Come and sit d - ” Daniel heard the front door close before he finished his sentence. Growling at no one in particular, he gulped the last of his tankard, then slammed it on top of the table, enjoying the satisfying clunk. After handing several coins to the proprietor, he stomped out into the night.



Eva shot her husband a quick look. Husband! Dear Lord, he was so big. Large hands were clenched on muscled thighs, and polished booted feet twice the size of her own were propped on the seat beside her. She’d first set eyes on him striding down the aisle toward her and she had never seen a man so handsome. Even with his dark brows lowered and anger etched in every line of his face, he had made the breath catch in her throat.

His huge shoulders were encased in black super-fine cloth over a crisp white shirt. His black breeches were equally fine-looking. Across from her, his large hat rested on the seat. He was, to her untutored eye, everything a gentleman should appear to be.

He had been chillingly polite to her since their journey began, yet his anger filled the small confines of the carriage. In his eyes, she had crossed him -, or more importantly, her family had, and he was not going to differentiate between the two. She was here and he was angry; therefore Eva would bear the brunt of that anger.

She watched as he pushed one large hand through his thick sable-brown curls as he once again looked at her through the glass. Black lashes and brows formed a frame for eyes that were the color of an overcast day, and the one time he had looked at her during the service they had been smoldering with rage. On any other face, his nose would have been oversized, but on his, it was perfect, complementing wide, high cheekbones and a jutting jaw.#p#分页标题#e#

Eva had not known what to think when her father told her she was to be married today. Stunned, she had sat in silence as the carriage carried them to the church. Her father had talked of how a hand of cards was about to change her life and how she should always be grateful to him and never forget that it was he who had given her this opportunity. She did not question him further. Spencer Winchcomb was too handy with his fists and it would have been just a waste of breath anyway as he had never listened when his daughter spoke.

Was she trading one tyrant for another? This was her biggest fear since meeting the duke. She had no idea how a duchess should behave, but this she could learn. However she had no wish to learn how to evade another man who insisted on controlling her by force.

“It is stated in the contract that you must consummate this marriage!”

She had overheard her father roaring those words at the duke before the wedding service, and Eva had wanted to curl into a ball and hide from the humiliation when she heard her future husband’s response.

“Never! I may have to marry her, Mr Winchcomb, but I will never produce the heir you and my father wanted.”

His words had been laced with loathing and when her father had continued to roar at him saying things like, ‘honor bound’ and ‘gentleman’, the duke had not uttered another word. Eva had felt a fierce pain in her chest when she realized she would never have a child of her own - someone who belonged to her alone, relied on her for its love and survival.

The wedding service had been cold and informal, with the duke arriving just minutes before the allotted time. He had not looked at Eva when he placed the ring on her finger. It was an ugly gold band studded with different colored stones and seemed more suited for a man, as it was clearly too big for her finger. It now hung on a chain around her neck.

There had been no wedding breakfast and no celebration. All her silly, girlish dreams of tears, flowers and happy friends flew away with the other dreams she’d once had of a handsome, joyful husband who would declare his eternal love for her. The duke had merely taken her arm as the reverend uttered the last words and escorted her from the church. Outside, Eva had hastily hugged Reggie, her youngest brother, begging him to come and see her soon, and then, ignoring the rest of her family, she had climbed into the carriage.

Eva was relieved when the carriage finally drew to a halt at Stratton Hall. The atmosphere inside had left her tense and nervous. The duke had not spoken again, and the silence had been deafening. She could feel the sting of tears behind her eyes as she gathered her things. Yes, she no longer had to put up with her family and their demanding ways, but she now had to deal with servants and running a household. Admittedly, she had done so since she was a child, but this was a huge estate with a multitude of rooms and staff. Her father had been miserly and had relied on two servants and Eva to run his house. Surely Stratton Lodge would house many more. How was she ever going to fulfill her duties?