“Is that another thing I am not supposed to say?” she asked calmly.
“How do you even know about mistresses? Surely your father didn’t have one.”
“He did.”
“God’s teeth. Poor woman. I hope he paid her well.”
“My brothers used to argue that he paid her too much. They wanted a larger allowance, and when he refused, they blamed Mrs. Beckett.”
“What other sorts of things have you heard from your brothers?”
“This and that.” She ate a spoonful of soup. “But you didn’t answer my question.”
“Question?”
“Will you take a mistress?”
“Not like you mean. Not a woman. I’ll have to fight hard to keep the cards or the dice from becoming my mistress.”
Katie set down her spoon, rose, and knelt before him. She took his hand and looked into his eyes for a long moment. “I promise you that is not a battle you’ll fight alone. I can help you fight against cards. I don’t know how to compete against another woman”—she touched her birthmark—“but I will do whatever I can to help you resist gambling.”
“Katie.” He leaned down and touched his forehead to hers. “You’ll never have to compete with another woman. I don’twantany other woman. You are my wife and my duchess, and the least I can do is be faithful to the marriage bed. Can you give me the same promise?”
She blew out a burst of air, almost a laugh. “What man would want me?”
“There will be men who want you, Katie. Because you are beautiful or a duchess, or just because you’re easy and pleasant to be with. I’m lucky to have snatched you up before someoneelse discovered you.” She rolled her eyes, but he cupped her face and pulled her close for a tender kiss. “One of these days, you’ll see your worth and believe me. Your Grace.”
She inhaled sharply at the use of her new courtesy title. “I don’t think I can get used to being called that.”
“You’ll get used to it. One day, you’ll expect it. As you should.”
He kissed her again, and they forgot about the bread and soup.
Chapter Nineteen
Henry used hiswalking stick to tap on the roof of the coach. He hadn’t been to the keep for years, but the landscape looked just as he remembered it from his youth. He lowered the window and peered out. “Stop just ahead!”
Katie sat up, roused from dozing across from him. “Are we there? Already?”
“I told you it was not far from the border with Scotland. And yes”—he snapped the carriage curtains closed—“but don’t look yet. I want you to get the best view.” He hoped he remembered it accurately, and the vantage point he imaginedwasstill the best view.
She squirmed in her seat, obviously eager to see their new home. Either that or her bottom had fallen asleep. The coach slowed as the driver called out to the horses. Finally, they came to a stop, and the door opened. One of the outriders set down the steps. Henry exited, checked the view, then offered his hand to Katie. She took his hand, and he assisted her down.
Her reaction did not disappoint. She gasped. “Oh, Carlisle! It’s stunning.”
Henry felt a sudden rush of pleasure and pride. Carlisle Keepwasstunning. The medieval structure stood on a hill with the remains of the castle wall surrounding it. In some places the wall was six feet high, and in others it was little more than a stone or two sticking out of the grass. As it was summer, the grass wasinterspersed with wildflowers and a sheep or two. The animals watched them with lazy interest.
“It looks better than I imagined,” she said. “The walls are all standing.”
“Yes, they are in various states of disrepair. The roof is no more. It was made of wood and has long since rotted away.”
“But those towers,” she said, taking his hand and moving forward. The two of them stood on the grass, just off the road. “They are from a fairytale. I can practically see a princess peering out, longing for her prince to come and save her from a cruel queen.”
Henry raised a brow. “I don’t think there were ever any princesses here.”
“I wish I had my paints,” she said, ignoring him. “I want to paint this from every angle.”
“The paints should be arriving soon. My mother agreed to send them with the rest of my things.”
