Her flustered wheezing had not appealed to her godmother in the slightest, and the woman rolled her eyes and simply told her.
“I can assure you, the Duke is very likely to suit whatever tastes you might have – or lack.”
It was strange that she thought about that moment right now, and she still couldn’t help but wonder what he was really like. Oh well, she would be finding out very soon. Sitting back, she lifted her eyes to the ceiling and exhaled deeply, muttering to herself.
“Only time will tell.”
Chapter Two
Just as the words before his eyes began to blur together, a knock pulled Silas out of his mind, shattering his tired focus in a mere moment. He raised his head with a grunt, and his butler, Lukas, stepped into his study with a bow.
“Your bride-to-be is on her way to the mansion, Your Grace. We expect that she will arrive in time for dinner.”
Silas released his pen with a curt nod.
“Good. The sooner our wedding takes place, the sooner I will be granted access to the remaining bulk of the fortune my grandfather left for me. Although I wish I did not have to get another person involved in order to receive what he had intended to leave to me anyway, there is no way around that clause, and therefore, it needs to be fulfilled.”
It had been an irritating discovery for Silas to be told during the reading of his grandfather’s will that a large quantity ofhis inheritance would be withheld and only released if and only if Silas were to get married, a condition that ensured that his dukedom would be secured. At first glance, it seemed reasonable, but Silas had no need for anyone and greatly disliked the idea of needing to charm some star-eyed damsel into a marriage that would be one-sided for wealth that rightfully belonged to him.
And so, he had been thankful that his grandmother had made arrangements on his behalf and his future bride had agreed to wed without much of a fuss. The finer details had not been sorted out yet, left to be resolved upon their initial meeting, but Silas knew that regardless, he would be getting what he wanted.
“If that is all, you may go,” Silas ordered, dropping his gaze back down to the documents on his desk, faltering as he reached for his pen. “On second thoughts – tell Simon to prepare my horse. I wish to ride a bit before she arrives.”
“Your Grace?” Lukas frowned reluctantly. “I-I do not think that is wise, Your Grace. There is a storm coming, and it is not safe to ride when –”
“Will you be the one mounting my horse?”
Lukas shook his head slowly. “No, Your Grace.”
“Will I be mounting you?”
The butler flinched. “No, Your Grace.”
“Then I fail to see why my decision should bother you so. Go and do as you were told.”
Lukas’ shoulders slumped in defeat, and he bowed, then turned to leave the study.
“Yes, Your Grace. I will inform the stable boy right away.”
Silas shifted his attention back to the papers he had been going through, already refocused on the details pertaining to the shipment of fabrics he had been expecting.
He had worked really hard to ensure that his businesses ran smoothly, consistently vigilant and thoughtful over every aspect. And he hoped he would be able to handle his marriage just as effectively and efficiently. This woman… whoever she was, would only serve as a gateway to him and his goals and nothing more. The best thing for him to do would be to clear up whatever misconceived notions she might have sustained about their marriage as soon as she arrived.
He just hoped she would not make a fuss about it. For the last few years, he’d had no use for emotional connections or relationships of any kind. He lived a simple life that revolved around his work, his horse, and his household, and he needed nothing else – other than the rest of his inheritance. Whatever objections the woman might have about his choices, she would have to stifle him because he was perfectly content with the way things were.
He needed no one, and that would not soon change.
After going through a few more papers, he had deemed the work done to be sufficient, and organized the rest neatly into a pile on his left while the signed and reviewed document sat in a pile on his right. Satisfied, he headed towards his dressing room. As he turned down a corner, he spotted a group of maids ahead, chattering away like overly excited insects as they dusted the pieces of art lining the corridor.
“I heard she is from a noble family that is going bankrupt.”
“Oh? I heard that this was just an attempt to keep her from marrying an old baron who could easily pass as her grandfather.”
“Goodness! Between you and me, I did not expect His Grace to get married. He doesn’t have any friends – how will he manage a wife?”
“The same way I manage my staff – intolerant of misbehavior,” he replied coolly.
The girls screamed, huddling together and messily curtsying, struggling to gain their footing and stumbling over their words as well.