Free The Danger of Dukes by Phynix de Leon Page B

but because of the pain and now with hundreds of stairs to climb or descend in a day it was enough. If they wanted another show of my scars they wouldn’t get one. Someday this man would have to see them, but it would wait until after we were married and it was too late for him to back out.
                  “I am quite right I can assure you. A small knock to the head likely put more sense into it then it knocked out. Now if you shall pardon me I want to eat my breakfast in peace.” I gave him a smile, a bow of the head and skirted around him into the dining room where the early morning sun was painting the sky in an array of pinks and golds.
                  He caught me by the hand and led me to a chair with a place sitting, and then he took up a seat directly from me. His stormy grey eyes cutting into me.
                  “I have the papers drawn up and all we have to do is sign them, then we are truly engaged. I think it time we had this settled.”
                  A small sinking feeling fell inside my heart.
                  He took my hand over across the table and looked seriously into my eyes. “I will promise you my backing in anything you do; you will always have my support and trust. But if you betray me once know that I do not forgive. I hope that through this marriage we can be friends of a sort. We will live two different lives and we will not see each other much, but when we are together we should be civil to each other.”
                  “Rather than smacking heads?” I asked sweetly.
                  His lips twitched but he went on.
                  “I need a wife who can run everything by herself, she needs to be strong for the both of us and I believe you can be. Can you do that?”
                  I put my shoulders back. “Of course, I am a Black after all.”
                  A true smile touched his lips. “Not for long. The ball to announce the Season and our engagement is in less than two weeks, then a month later we shall be wed.”
 

A ball for two
     
     
     
     
    The ball one could say was turning out to be nothing more than torture. The dress alone weighted twenty pounds in all its glittering glory, and the corset designed so one could not breathe. However the worse is yet to come. The opening dance was about to start and the pain that would cause would last for days.
                  “Are you ready?” asked His Grace, holding his arm out to me.
                  I sighed and nodded, placing a happy smile on my face. “I don’t see why not.”
                  And so we waltzed until the room was nothing more than a blurred dream. His hands held me tight and close and I hardly noticed the twinge in my lower back and legs.
                  “You remarkably well for a rancher’s daughter,” his commented with a smile.
                  I grinned back. “Well now I wouldn’t be the great granddaughter of a duke if I couldn’t, now could I?”
                  One dark brow winged up. “Indeed.”
                  I laughed softly and relaxed in his arms. “This is going better than I could have thought. There are a few shocked mothers and disappointed daughters, but no one has yet to threaten or scream at me.”
                  His arms tightened. “They wouldn’t dare. However it may be due to the fact that are trying to puzzle out who you are. All that was given out was your name, the details no one else need know unless you want them too.”
                  I snorted. “As soon as they hear me talk the mystery will be gone.”
                  He lean in close and pressed his lips to my ear, softly he whispered, “Then I shall just have to keep you to myself.”
                  An excited shiver ran down my spine. “You just