Page 29 of The Duchess He Couldn’t Resist

Marigold knew exactly what that talk regarded. After all, despite what beautiful fairy tale story the Duke had sold everybody, this was still a simple transaction. The Duke had kept his part of the deal, and now, it was her turn to provide the information that was vital to him.

“I shall make sure to settle as fast as I can, so I can provide the information regarding Johnny’s gang.”

“And I appreciate it,” the Duke said.

There was still another part of this deal that Marigold kept circling back to. Providing information about the gang was one part of the requirements he had set. The other was more… physical in nature. The Duke had bluntly requested they produce an heir.

It was a tad more complicated than simply recounting all the times she had met with Johnny’s gang, her interactions with Donny, all of their headquarters, and the span of their operations. Procuring an heir to the title of Duke of Voss required of them a certain entanglement that simply made her cheeks blush.

“And may I be so bold as to,” Marigold coughed, “inquire regarding the fulfillment of the other goals of our deal?”

The Duke blinked slowly, like a predator unwilling to let the prey out of his sight. His lips curled into a smirk that Marigold couldn’t decide if it was cruel or warm. One thing she knew was that it looked like the smile of a man who enjoyed being asked that question.

“Don’t worry, sweetheart.” His voice went significantly lower than when he was talking about her transferred things. “We shall see to it in due time.”

And then the Duke looked out the window to signal that this conversation was over. Marigold felt her stomach flutter, and she knew it was not entirely from nerves. She must have been lost in her thoughts because suddenly the carriage stopped. She had seen Verdant House at night the last time she visited, but she never realized that it was a massive house, simple but imposing and elegant. And she would have certainly noticed the ivy that climbed up one wing.

The Duke was the first to step out of the carriage, and as before, he made sure he was the one who took her hand and helped her down. The entire staff was lined up outside, more than a dozen servants in crisp uniforms.

Two of them approached, and the Duke introduced them to her as the butler and the housekeeper, a married couple named Mr. and Mrs. Hodgins. Marigold studied the couple who were the complete opposite of each other. Mr. Hodgins was tall and austere, quite serious-looking, and Marigold knew that he was always proper, so much so that Marigold felt instantly assessed. On the other hand, Mrs. Hodgins was round, shorter than she was, with kind eyes and a genuine smile.

“Welcome home, Your Grace,” she told Marigold as she curtsied.

Exactly as expected, the butler simply bowed stiffly. With an eyebrow raised to her husband, Mrs. Hodgins took a step forward and smiled even wider.

“I am happy that finally Verdant House has a duchess.”

It didn’t escape Marigold’s attention that she was greeted more cordially in a house in which she came basically as a stranger than in her own house.

“I am sure we will work together nicely, Mrs. Hodgins,” Marigold said.

The Duke moved beside her and placed a light, barely-there hand over her lower back, a clear sign to the staff that she had his full approval.

“I believe it’s best to leave you with Mrs. Hodgins, Your Grace,” the Duke said.

Marigold was still admiring that impressive ivy climbing the walls and didn’t quite catch the fact that the Duke was talking to her.

“Your Grace,” the Duke repeated.

Marigold was almost startled when she realized that he was addressing her. It still hadn’t registered that she was now a duchess and that she would be addressed accordingly by him.

“Of course, Your Grace,” she managed to utter.

And then the Duke left, walked into the house, and just disappeared, leaving her standing on the steps with the staff still watching and Mrs. Hodgins still smiling. Marigold needed to remind herself that this was all a transaction. She had always been alone. At least now, she could be alone more comfortably.

“Please, Mrs. Hodgins,” she said calmly, “lead the way.”

* * *

She didn’t have much time to mentally prepare herself for her new position, that was true, but even if she did, she would still be overwhelmed by the scale and the luxury of her new home.

Last time she was here, she was ushered to a small drawing room using the service entrance. But as she entered through the main entrance, she felt her jaw slack because there was a sweeping imperial staircase with an impressive balustrade that led to the upper galleries with towering columns.

Marigold looked back at the entrance to make sure that she was still in London and not Olympus because if there was a palace of the gods, this would likely be the entrance.

“Would you like to see the picture gallery, Your Grace?” Mrs. Hodgins asked by her side.

Marigold was not sure that she wanted to be faced with a long history of a house like Voss, but Mrs. Hodgins seemed eager and excited, and Marigold didn’t have the heart to deny her this joy. After all, from the expectant looks of everybody, Marigold deduced that there wasn’t much social activity going on in Verdant House. From the little that she knew of the Duke, she didn’t think that he would be one to host balls. They all hoped that her presence would change that.