“I beg your pardon?” she asked, confusion etched across her features.
Edward sighed deeply, sparing Phoebe a glance before he faced his aunt fully.
“My plan for the advertisement worked. Phoebe had seen it and approached me in hopes that I would marry her younger sister, a debutante she claimed would make an ideal choice. I had no doubts about what she said in terms of her sister’s quality, but I could not overlook the fact that she was better suited to be my duchess. And when I asked why she was still unmarried, her reason, while logical still made no sense to me. I was drawn toher selflessness, how she cared deeply for her family, who was going through a social crisis they had been innocently embroiled in. I made up my mind to marry her but when I went to propose to her, she was reluctant to agree. She still believed it would be better for her sister and I if I chose her instead.
“Her conduct then; the maturity and practically she had shown then served as proof that would be considerably better suited to the responsibilities of this household than what I had expected to find. She was an invaluable woman that I was sure I would never find elsewhere.”
“Why? Why would you choose her instead of her sister?” Barbara asked slowly, still looking confused.
Phoebe was curious too, because although her husband had given her the practical reasons for his decision, he had not looked this serious or deeply defended his decision in such a way. Then again, he had not needed to do so.
Edward looked at his aunt for a moment. “Because she was not Phoebe. The goodness, sensibility and grace I had seen is unique only to her. I can think of no one better to raise my heir.” His tone was not unkind, but it was entirely final. “I chose my wife. I am satisfied with that choice. And I would ask, Aunt Barbara, that you treat her accordingly. She is the Duchess of Montford. She is my wife. I will not have her made to feel unwelcome in her own home.”
The dowager was quiet for a moment.
Her eyes moved to Phoebe — and this time the look was different. It still had its sharp, assessing quality, but something had shifted in it. Whatever she saw in Phoebe’s calm posture and gentle demeanor, she felt it was unnecessary to speak on it, instead steadily rising to her feet.
“It seems I have overstayed my welcome, so I will see myself out.” she remarked before she walked to the door.
She lingered at it for a moment, then she turned to look at the windows on the other side of the room.
“You changed the curtains in this room. I have always thought they could do with some new ones.”
Phoebe was not sure if the acknowledgement of her changes was good or bad and she did not get a chance to ask, because the dowager left the room soon after the words were out of her mouth.
Phoebe sat for a moment in the quiet she left behind, exhaling slowly as she gathered her wits that had been ruffled by the unexpected confrontation.
“Are you all right?” Edward asked.
She nodded steadily. “As much as I can be.”
He looked at her for few seconds, then nodded curtly.
“Good. Get some rest. I can see that you have had quite the day.”
Phoebe watched him leave, unsure of what to do with the buzzing sensation his words had left behind.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
Edward hoped that after what had transpired, he would be able to get some work done.
His aunt’s visit might have been a surprise, but that did not mean it was wholly unexpected. The woman was a stubborn force of nature and had been through most of his life, and he had grown utterly familiar with her mannerisms and could identify points of contention when it came to her.
Still, he had hoped she would show Phoebe some grace. He had caught wind of some of the things she had said to his wife and his blood had boiled in a way he did not expect it to. He wondered vaguely, if it was simply because Phoebe was being blamed for the results of his actions and being suspected of deeds she had not committed, or if there was something more to it.
“I cannot spend the rest of my afternoon like this,” he complained to no one in particular. “I have already wasted so many days in the last week. I must get something done today.”
He had spent the last few days stuck in the memories of his firstrealnight with his wife. Edward had not expected to have gotten swept up in all the sensations. He wanted to convince himself that their wedding night was simply nothing more than a spark charged by the sensual idea of being with someone who was no more than a stranger to you.
He believed that since he knew more about Phoebe — in a sense, their bodies might just barely be compatible. He did not need it to be, to get the job done.
Then he arrived at her room and she was naked, like a present that had been unwrapped and waiting for him to take it. Andoh, how he had wanted to take her.
Over and over again, until that pretty mouth that was so accustomed to frowning at him was screaming his name, until her limbs were tightly wound around him, her grip slipping with each thrust of his hips. He wanted to devour her.
But he knew she was not ready for that. She was barely ready for what they were about to do, and that was even after he had given her some time to grow accustomed to the idea. He supposed it should not have surprised him greatly, given that it was still her first time. So, he had aimed to make it good for her at least.
Edward had never been one to brag seriously, but he could say with full confidence that he had been able to grant her pleasure unlike anything she had ever known. The problem was, she had been pleasurable for him as well. It had taken everything in him to exercise control and despite it, he was still not satisfied.