She liked him and trusted him, so that was a good start. Just as important, his family would be no obstacle, because they liked her better than they did him. She was the fairy princess emerging from the woodlands path between their homes to join them each day. She brought sunshine with her smile andenraptured his children, somehow making them behave with her sprinkling of fairy magic.
His mother adored her and already viewed her as a daughter because Eden had come crying to her so many times when she was younger. His mother had been there to comfort her all those times her own parents had let her down.
Why not marry her when it would make all of them happy?
He only hoped Eden cared for him as much as she obviously adored his mother and children. She was so good with all of them, including him.
But this was Eden, so kind and sweet. Her affection was genuine.
When had Mary ever fallen asleep with her arms around Priscilla? Connor could not recall that she ever had. Then again, he had been away so much during their years of marriage. Still, he could see the way the household ran whenever he came home. Everything had its routine, and the one established for their children did not seem to include Mary at all.
Nor did Mary run the household or appear to have any desire to participate in its management. He had asked her about this, concerned that his mother might have been pushing her out, because the old dowager had a forceful presence and Mary was not assertive. He had made certain Mary understood that she was the lady of the house and did not need to cede her authority to anyone.
But no, she was more than eager to give all the responsibility to his mother.
For the most part, Mary existed in the same house as the rest of them. She always had a smile for the children whenever they were in her presence, which they rarely were because she took no responsibility for their upbringing. A pat on their heads before they were sent up to bed was the extent of her involvement.Priscilla got an occasional hug, but only when the little one initiated it.
As for him, he was the opposite, wanting to squeeze Connor, Alex, and especially Priscilla, since she was such a cuddly thing who seemed to crave affection. He hugged all of them probably too much of the time because he was so happy to be home and have them around.
Mary, who was here all the time, never seemed to appreciate how splendid those little devils were. Perhaps she simply did not have the strength to tolerate their exuberance.
Well, this moment wasn’t about Mary or his children. This was about him and Eden.
“Eden, I am going to tuck you into bed now,” he whispered as she remained leaning against him, her gloriously soft frontage pressed to his chest. He ran a hand gently through her silky tresses. “Eden? Climb into bed, love.”
He tried to ease her into it, but he was shifting her at an awkward angle and she chose that moment to heed him. She slipped out of his arms and fell like a lump across the bed, her legs dangling off it, her adorable bottom sticking up.
Ah, that was accomplished with Silver Duke flair.Not.No points for finesse there.
But he could now get a better angle on her body, and managed to tuck her under the covers while refusing to acknowledge she was wearing only a thin chemise. This had to rank among his worst attempts to get a woman into bed. Indeed, the very worst, because women never hesitated to jump into the sack with him.
Most of the time, he did not have to ask. A mere nod was signal enough. Clothes would fly off before the bedroom door had even shut. The advantages of being a duke.
The disadvantages as well.
These sexual escapades had everything to do with his title and nothing to do with any true affection for him.
“Good night, Eden,” he whispered. “Sweet dreams, love.”
“They’ll be of you,” she responded so softly that he almost missed it. “My darling… My Beauregard.”
Beauregard? She was dreaming of the little spaniel she’d had as a pet growing up?
He had just had his hands all over her. Most women found this arousing. And she was dreaming of herdog?
Well, that was a kick in the arse. Eden was going to need a bit of wooing.
But this was part of the problem of being a Silver Duke. He had never wooed a woman before, not even his wife. Mary had been an arranged marriage that he had gone along with because it seemed the right thing to do at the time. Trouble was brewing on the Continent because of that upstart Napoleon, and he intended to go off and join the fight. But he also needed to secure heirs for his dukedom.
Mary had been pretty enough. An earl’s daughter. She understood the rules and dutifully produced the requisite sons, and even a daughter when he mentioned how much he wanted one.
Unfortunately, she viewed it as heronlyrole. Job done. Heir and spare. Daughter delivered. She never put an ounce more effort into the marriage or raising their children, since she considered her part of the bargain fulfilled.
The door between the duke and duchess quarters had been firmly closed, and remained closed for the duration of their marriage.
But Eden?
She would put her heart and soul into their marriage. She would give all the love she had to give and then give some more, because this was who she was, tender and caring. This was howshe would continue to be with him, his children, and any little demons that came later. She already loved his mother. Who else but Eden would make their family whole again?
