Page 86 of To Ensnare a Duke

"Her Grace the Duchess of Foxford," the butler interrupts before making way for my friend.

She smiles at me for a moment, as if smothering a laugh. "I've never been all that fond of needlepoint myself, but if Joseph heard me swear, it would be worse than that little prick."

I toss down the mess of strands and run over to her, nearly tackling her in a hug. "Oh, it is so good to see someone other than my own reflection and the servants. Don't get me wrong, it's nice to have them around, but they aren't good for certain bits of conversation or fun."

"Shall we play a game? Vingt-et-un strike your fancy?"

My face falls as I motion to a nearby settee. "Alas, I still do not have access to my cards."

"No worry. I have a deck of my own. When you told us your tale the other night, you failed to mention just how many men you fleeced as you deprived them of your coin. So modest.”

“Again, my reputation precedes me," I grin, leading her to a table. "In truth, it's all a matter of being able to read your opponent. That, and I looked so young, many of the men underestimated me."

"Well, you must know, I've been informed not one bit of coin is to exchange hands. If Joseph found out…"

"Probably the same outcome as Portswell."

She scrunches her nose as she sits down and shuffles the cards. "You still do not call your husband by his Christian name? If it's a matter of formality, you need not do so on my account."

"I wish it were that simple. He has yet to say I can call him anything but Portswell or Your Grace."

"How odd. Usually such intimacies are granted even before marriage. To not have them even after… It's all rather strange."

"If only it were just that. This entire marriage has been a fiasco."

A concerned gaze flits over her eyes as she leans forward. "If you wish to confide in me, I'll do my best to assist. My marriage certainly wasn't easy, but it's far stronger from the initial strife."

Minutes fly by as we take turns flipping cards, each of us trying to get to twenty-one points first without going over. All the while, I tell her everything, starting from the very beginning. At this point, I have no shame. If she can help me recapture the fire my marriage once held, I'll suffer any indignation.

"Hmmm. Certainly a conundrum indeed. I would, of course, suggest you speak with him, but it seems as if you tried that."

"I'm at the point where I honestly don't know what to say. My words are jumbled and froth with feelings and sensations I cannot seem to convey. If only I could share a mind with him, allow him to feel my earnest affection. I don't try to be naughty. I just feel restless and need to find something else to occupy me."

"I understand completely. If only you were near your heat. Perhaps if he claimed you… But then, if you haven't even shared a marriage bed, he might be impervious to your condition."

"I know very little of such things and less about claiming. The men I gathered information from were betas and more interested in lewd acts than something like that."

Teresa pulls her gown down a bit, showing me the scar on her neck in better light. "It's a mating bite. Usually only those in true love matches give this to their partners. Once done, you can see and hear each other's thoughts and emotions. In many ways it's a curse because my husband likes to twist my need against me, but it has gone a long way in soothing ruffled feathers."

"Because he knows intimately your intention. Correct?"

"Exactly."

"But must I wait for my heat? Is the process tied together?"

She hedges as if looking for the right way to phrase it. "As I understand it, it's an agonizing process. During your heat, you are so delirious, so out of your mind with carnal need that any pain is muted beyond remembering."

"I see."

"In the meantime." She gathers the cards back up and puts them in her reticule. "I'd take this time alone to really explore the house. If your husband is anything like mine, he has a special room he likes to perform his rougher actions in. Much like the rooms at The Rose and Thorne. Perhaps that can remind him why you two are a good fit."

"Thank you. Truly. You've been a balm to my soul."

"Don't you fret. Once your heat has come and you share a bond, I'm sure he'll relax his stranglehold over you and this house. He's more likely afraid for you. But once he can sense you and know what's happening to your mind and body, he can be less fearful."

"One can only hope."

I walk my friend to the door and watch as she leaves. The moment she exits, the doorman takes up residence in front once more. Resisting the urge to roll my eyes, I start on my mission to find this secret room. Until now, I've been so despondent that I've not learned my surroundings.