“What do you know of marriage contracts?”
“I doubt I know much more than you, sir.My understanding is that they are negotiated between the patriarchs of the families.Sometimes one of them is the future husband; sometimes the poor tyke isn’t even in short pants yet.”
“What if they hate each other?”His burning gaze shifted from the hated contract to her.
She folded her arms.How to answer that?“You grew up expecting to work in a tavern.I’ll wager when you started, it felt somewhat natural.”
He nodded.His expression smoothed, and he tilted his head.
She hoped she could get him to see it from her point of view.“A duke, or even a baron, would likely find it tremendously difficult, however.They wouldn’t have lifted anything heavy or worked the same hours.But as you had anticipated it, you could adapt more easily.”
“I understand what you’re saying, but this is not a position that you can leave and go home every night.”
“Isn’t it, though?First, did you go home?Didn’t you tell me you’d lived above the public house and were the person on call for deliveries and emergencies?”
“Well, yes, but I was still able to separate myself most of the time.”
“Isn’t there an entire separate suite of rooms above stairs for your duchess?”
He glowered at her.“Us pub workers expect to sleep with the woman we marry, to enjoy the benefits that come with marriage.”
Heat rushed to her cheeks.“My lord!’Tis inappropriate to speak of such things in mixed company.”
He arched a brow and asked, “Even with a servant?”
She paused.She didn’t know the answer to that.“Better safe than sorry.”
“Ha!Well played, Evie,” he capitulated, grinning.
She exhaled a sigh of relief at his reaction.Butterflies fluttered in her stomach at his first use of her given name.
“I don’t want to marry a stranger.”His words squashed the butterflies, and she stiffened as he continued.“Everything I have learned so far is that dukes control not only their own lives but practically the entire country.I would never have imagined that the most important choice of all would not be their own.”
She heaved a happy sigh.How romantic to call it the most important decision.Stay on topic, Evie.He had a point.Even she’d had a say in whom she’d marry.
He continued, “I seem to recall North choosing his first wife as well as Mama.And the Duke of Cranbrook said he’d chosen his.Hmm.Munroe mentioned that I should speak to him about this.Perhaps I’ll do that.There seems to be a real possibility that I shall have to go to London to meet this chit’s family.What else do I need to know before I dive into that den of iniquity?”
Her eyes rounded.“So much.There are seating etiquettes and introductory proprieties and appropriate supper conversation topics.I am not sure where to start.Oh, and dancing.”
“Dancing?”His eyes widened.
She nodded.
“Do you dance?”
She nodded again.
“Excellent.And do you know enough about all the etiquette nonsense you just spouted to at least get me started?”
She nodded, frantically trying to think of a reason a servant would know that.
He didn’t ask.“Then you’ll join me at dinners henceforth, and I’ll see about getting some musicians here as soon as possible.”
Where would he find musicians?Oh, but she hoped he did.Dancing ’twas a perfect excuse to become better acquainted with his thick, sturdy frame.
Chapter Eleven
After some convincing—“’tis just not done!”—Banks had agreed that Xander could help with deliveries at the public house before hours when he had time, but preferably with notice so that Banks could give one or more of his workers the day off, with pay, of course.
