the way he looked at you, Lucy, the night I arrived here. I found him sitting beside your bed, watching you, and I knew in that moment that finally, my brother, the Devil Duke, had fallen hard and fast for a woman, one that he did not even know well."
Then Amelia smiled and her face softened, making her appear prettier and less exotic. "I will share a secret with you, Lucy. My brother, even though he is the duke, has endured a hard life. Taking the title at such a young age will do that a man, but he shouldered the responsibility well. Still, as his sister, I saw what it cost him, how much of his life he gave up to care for all of those who depended on him. Including me."
"But he is so powerful, so strong." Lucy could never imagine Adam as weak in any way. He was the duke. There was no question of his power or his strength.
"Now he is," Amelia agreed, "but when he was younger? The dukedom? The responsibilities? They stole his soul, or much of it anyway. Archibald did little to help, always needling at Adam, reminding him that our blood was not pure the way his was. So Adam fought back, as it was the only way he knew to show his strength, and the animosity grew between them until Adam was cold and closed off and Archibald was, well, little better than a common criminal."
Biting her lip, Lucy considered everything Amelia had just told her. While it was true that she might have awakened something lying dormant within Adam, that didn't mean that he loved her. Did it?
"None of that equates to love," Lucy finally said with a tone that brooked no argument. "Not to mention that I was unconscious when I arrived. How could he fall in love with a woman who was not awake? It simply does not happen."
Rising, Amelia smoothed her skits and gave Lucy one last, long and considering look. "That I do not know, my dear. I only know that it did. My brother loves you, and you love him. Though you two may be blind to it, the rest of us are not." Then she grasped Lucy's hand before moving towards the door in a soft rustle of silk and satin. "Tell him how you feel, Lucy. You will not be disappointed." Then she was gone, leaving Lucy to stare after her and wonder if anything Amelia said about Adam's feelings was true.
Chapter Six
Despite all of the talk about love, Lucy didn't see Adam at all the rest of the day. Nor did she see much of anyone else in the household either, most notably Tafford. Those that she did see needed Lucy's guidance on preparations for the upcoming Christmas celebration, since she was the new duchess, and therefore in charge of Overlook Hill. Thankfully, no one said anything about her inexperience, instead offering suggestions and helping to guide her in the decision making process.
For her part, Lucy did what she could before returning to her room that afternoon, exhausted and still missing Adam. She'd asked Elsie about her mysteriously absent husband as she'd prepared for a nap before dinner, but the maid had no information, other than to assure her that he was still on the estate and "taking care of important matters." However, Elsie had also informed Lucy that the earl had been sent back to London and she shouldn't be worried that he might reappear.
Truthfully, Lucy hadn't even given him much thought. She'd simply assumed that someone, probably Harry, had taken her uncle back to London and made him see reason. Or at the very least had bribed him in some way. That was, after all, typically the way of things with the upper classes.
Even though her uncle hadn't been on Lucy's mind, her husband certainly had.
In her heart, Lucy wondered if Adam was rethinking his marriage to her, if he was now sorry he'd rescued her from the plan her uncle and Archibald had concocted. If he was, she knew he might seek a divorce, as their marriage was still not consummated, and he had legal grounds for it. Or he could send her away. He'd never indicated
Then Amelia smiled and her face softened, making her appear prettier and less exotic. "I will share a secret with you, Lucy. My brother, even though he is the duke, has endured a hard life. Taking the title at such a young age will do that a man, but he shouldered the responsibility well. Still, as his sister, I saw what it cost him, how much of his life he gave up to care for all of those who depended on him. Including me."
"But he is so powerful, so strong." Lucy could never imagine Adam as weak in any way. He was the duke. There was no question of his power or his strength.
"Now he is," Amelia agreed, "but when he was younger? The dukedom? The responsibilities? They stole his soul, or much of it anyway. Archibald did little to help, always needling at Adam, reminding him that our blood was not pure the way his was. So Adam fought back, as it was the only way he knew to show his strength, and the animosity grew between them until Adam was cold and closed off and Archibald was, well, little better than a common criminal."
Biting her lip, Lucy considered everything Amelia had just told her. While it was true that she might have awakened something lying dormant within Adam, that didn't mean that he loved her. Did it?
"None of that equates to love," Lucy finally said with a tone that brooked no argument. "Not to mention that I was unconscious when I arrived. How could he fall in love with a woman who was not awake? It simply does not happen."
Rising, Amelia smoothed her skits and gave Lucy one last, long and considering look. "That I do not know, my dear. I only know that it did. My brother loves you, and you love him. Though you two may be blind to it, the rest of us are not." Then she grasped Lucy's hand before moving towards the door in a soft rustle of silk and satin. "Tell him how you feel, Lucy. You will not be disappointed." Then she was gone, leaving Lucy to stare after her and wonder if anything Amelia said about Adam's feelings was true.
Chapter Six
Despite all of the talk about love, Lucy didn't see Adam at all the rest of the day. Nor did she see much of anyone else in the household either, most notably Tafford. Those that she did see needed Lucy's guidance on preparations for the upcoming Christmas celebration, since she was the new duchess, and therefore in charge of Overlook Hill. Thankfully, no one said anything about her inexperience, instead offering suggestions and helping to guide her in the decision making process.
For her part, Lucy did what she could before returning to her room that afternoon, exhausted and still missing Adam. She'd asked Elsie about her mysteriously absent husband as she'd prepared for a nap before dinner, but the maid had no information, other than to assure her that he was still on the estate and "taking care of important matters." However, Elsie had also informed Lucy that the earl had been sent back to London and she shouldn't be worried that he might reappear.
Truthfully, Lucy hadn't even given him much thought. She'd simply assumed that someone, probably Harry, had taken her uncle back to London and made him see reason. Or at the very least had bribed him in some way. That was, after all, typically the way of things with the upper classes.
Even though her uncle hadn't been on Lucy's mind, her husband certainly had.
In her heart, Lucy wondered if Adam was rethinking his marriage to her, if he was now sorry he'd rescued her from the plan her uncle and Archibald had concocted. If he was, she knew he might seek a divorce, as their marriage was still not consummated, and he had legal grounds for it. Or he could send her away. He'd never indicated
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