AllFreeNovel
Share Us
She almost smiled at the endearing words, but the appreciative reply she had been formulating died on her lips at the sight of a tall woman at the top of the grand stairwell. Kitty had seen the now dowager Duchess of Ashford at more than a few society events, her eyes seemingly stuck in a haughty, snobbish smolder. That harsh gaze was now trained solely upon her, the woman’s admittedly handsome visage twisted with barely concealed disdain. Kitty straightened her back, tightening her shoulders in preparation for battle.
“Duchess,” the dowager said with an icily cordial nod.
Kitty replied with her most winning smile, her teeth nearly grinding together from the tightness of it. “Duchess. We missed you at the wedding.”
The dowager’s lips twitched briefly in displeasure. Kitty wondered if the bold statement had caught her off guard. She was never one to play the meek miss, and certainly would not start now. And then, the woman smoothed her face once more before replying in a surprisingly even tone. “I did not wish to bear witness to such a travesty.”
Ah, so they were to begin with knives drawn from the start. Kitty’s hopes of a peaceful cohabitation plummeted. “I suppose we shan’t get on well, then?”
“Control your wife, Ashford. I’ve allowed this union, but I will not tolerate her running roughshod over the title.”
“I’d hardly call the temper tantrum you threw when I told you of the marriage to be considered ‘allowing’, but I suppose I should indulge my mother every once in a while.” He looked at Kitty with one of his signature bored smiles, though she could see the irritation in his eyes. “Don’t you agree, my love?”
Somehow, the situation was far worse than Kitty had been expecting. She was surprised the two of them weren’t throwing things at each other. Deciding the best course of action would be to leave the rapidly deteriorating situation, Kitty gently tapped Sebastian’s shoulder. “I think I would like to rest after our busy day with some tea in my private sitting room. I’m sure I have one.” Kitty nodded at the dowager. “Do I not, Your Grace?”
“You do,” the woman replied stonily.
“Excellent,” Kitty said cheerfully. She hugged her husband’s arm, doing her best impression of a coquette. “Do join me, Sebastian.”
Her husband looked as if he was about to laugh in her face, though whether it was from her rather silly gestures or the outraged choking emanating from the dowager, she wasn’t sure. “I would love nothing more,” he said, his voice warm with promise. Despite the fact that she was merely putting on a show to offend his mother, Kitty shivered with anticipation.
“Let us be off, then. Later, you can give me a tour of our home.”
“As my duchess commands.”
The dowager stormed down the stairs without another word, passing the two of them with a murderous glare before striding down the foyer. She yanked open the door to what appeared to be a well-appointed parlor before slamming it behind her with a deafening crack, the force of it nearly rattling a nearby vase from its pedestal.
“That went well, I think,” Kitty said dryly.
“Your goading certainly did not help matters, but I doubted you would have been given a much better reception regardless.”
She looked up at him, noting the small, amused smile he wore. “You liked my sparring with her, admit it.”
“I have never seen anyone besides myself throw her so out of sorts. Though, I shouldn’t be surprised that you would be the one to do so. I’ve been bracing myself to come to your rescue for the entire drive, yet here you stand, holding your own like the duchess you are.”
She all but preened at the compliment, her earlier trepidation mollified somewhat by his confidence in her. “I’m trying my best.”
He leaned down to give her a quick peck on the lips. “You will do well, I am certain of it. Now then, shall we adjourn to your sitting room?”
Kitty raised an eyebrow. “You know, I was just trying to offend her.”
His small smile widened, his gaze becoming something far more sultry. “I know, but the idea has some appeal. I may even throw you over my shoulder.”
Kitty let out a surprised bark of laughter. “You’ll scandalize the servants,” she said, before backing away from him as he reached for her.
“Let them be scandalized. Besides, you don’t know where you’re going, anyway.” He lunged for her again, and she let out a playful shriek as she was hauled up and tossed over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes.
“Sebastian,” she huffed between bouts of laughter.
“Hush now, wife,” he replied evenly, running his hand over her bottom before securing his arms around her. “We have places to be.”
“Places indeed,” she murmured into his back, her body tensing with anticipation as he began to climb the stairs.
**
Kitty entered her new bedchamber, padding inside and closing the parlor door softly behind her. Much to her embarrassment, she found Mary airing out two dinner gowns on her bed, having obviously just finished unpacking the rest of Kitty’s belongings.
“Oh, hello there, dear,” she said brightly as Kitty walked further into the room. “You’ve emerged just in time to dress for dinner. Has His Grace left?”
