Simon just laughed at her and Daniel winked, which made Eva’s pulse flutter. Where was her serious-minded duke?
The service was thankfully not overly long and Eva was glad because her husband sat so close to her, she could feel him pressed to her right side. Surely it was wrong to feel this way in church…#p#分页标题#e#
Daniel had removed his gloves and laid his hand on the seat beside hers. His fingers brushed hers every few seconds, making it very hard for Eva to concentrate. Was he aware of what he was doing? Out the corner of her eye, she noted he was calmly looking forward. Perhaps it was a twitch?
“What?” He gave her an innocent look when she peeked at him.
“Tis nothing.” Eva faced forward again. He confused her. She felt completely off balance around him today. Yesterday he was her husband the duke, the man who made her feel nervous, the man who was to give her a child. Today he was the man who had made sweet, passionate love to her last night and slept with her in his arms.
“Oh dear.” Eva’s eyes followed the squeal that suddenly rent the air at the completion of the service.
“I fear our pianist is about to be attacked by a rogue turban,” Simon drawled, watching Mrs. Potter’s headgear tilt sideways, then sail through the air and land on the pianist below.
“I believe now is the time to make a strategic retreat.” Daniel nudged Simon out of the pew and tugged Eva behind him. “While our dear Mrs. Potter is preoccupied with retrieving her furban.”
“Furban?” Simon questioned as they hastened out the doors and back to the carriage.
“Ferret-turban.”
“I bet it took you the entire service to come up with that, Stratton.”
“I like terret better - it sounds like it could be a hat,” Eva volunteered, then felt foolish. They didn’t want to know what she thought.
“Yes I can see you looking very elegant in a terret, Duchess, but Mrs. Potter is more likely to be a furban wearer, don’t you think?”
Eva nodded and then took her husband’s arm as they made there way back to the carriage.
“I wonder what delights Mrs. Stimpel has created for our luncheon,” Lord Kelkirk sighed.
“I heard her discussing chocolate cream yesterday, my lord.” Eva realized she was hungry as her stomach rumbled at the prospect of such a treat.
“You’ll have to have your coats extended soon, Kelkirk.” Daniel gave his friend a steady look.
Eva enjoyed the rest of the journey to Stratton as Daniel and Simon bantered back and forth. She volunteered the occasional comment when called upon but for the most part, she was just happy to be in their company, or more specifically, her husband’s company. Last night had changed much about the way she viewed him. No man could be that gentle and want to harm or dictate to her, surely? Did this mean he was happy to give her time to adjust to going to London also? Eva hoped that was the case.
When they arrived at Stratton, Eva hurried upstairs to wash up before lunch. Humming, she pushed open her bedroom door and nearly tripped over the trunk placed just inside. Looking around the room, she noted her clothes lying across the bed and several more trunks already filled with her things.
“Molly, what are you doing?”
Removing her bonnet, Eva searched for the maid and found her behind the screen.
“Packing for our trip tomorrow, your Grace.”
Some of the warmth inside her began to chill as she struggled to understand what was happening.
“Trip?”
“London, your Grace. The duke has given orders that we are to leave at dawn to make the journey in two days.”
“We are to leave tomorrow, Molly?” Eva tried to stay calm as she waited for her maid’s reply.
“Yes your Grace, and I can’t tell you how excited I am. I’ve never been to London.”
Eva replied but she had no idea what she said.
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“You go on and have your lunch now, your Grace, and I shall see to the rest of the packing.”
Stripping off her gloves, she placed them on the bed, followed by her pelisse and then she was walking back out the door.
“Do you know where my husband is, Luton?”
The butler was in the hallway when she arrived downstairs. “In his study, your Grace.”
“Thank you.”
Why had he not told her they would leave tomorrow? Of course she had known they would go, she just hadn’t expected it to be so soon and after what they had shared last night Eva had hoped for another week, maybe two. Knocking on his door, she then opened it and walked inside.
He was seated behind his desk, but rose as she entered. Ignoring the flutter in her chest as he smiled, Eva stopped several feet away and said, “Why did you not tell me we were going to London, tomorrow, Daniel?”