Stephanie Howard - The Duke's Wife

She’d actually seriously thought that on more than one occasion, though deep in her heart the idea of divorce appalled her. She’d been brought up to believe that marriage was for ever. Though what was the point, she had often asked herself, of a marriage that brought only pain?

Damiano subjected her to a long look, his dark eyes fixed on her pale, defiant face. He wasn’t sure if she was serious, but this wasn’t a matter he was prepared to treat lightly. He told her, ‘Of course, you’re entitled to your opinion, but I can tell you here and now that there will be no divorce. Not now. Not ever. No matter what anyone may speculate. You and I are bound together for the rest of our lives.’

He paused for a moment and smiled a dark, humourless smile. ‘No one realises better than I that that’s a harsh sentence for both of us, but I’m afraid that’s the way it is, so you’d better start getting used to it. Now let’s just drop the subject. I don’t want to hear any more talk of divorce.’

He’d been leaning forward almost threateningly in his seat as he’d spoken, but now he leaned back against the cushions again. ‘I suggest you drink your tea. It’s getting cold,’ he told her. ‘Then we can continue with the subject I brought you here to discuss.’

‘Don’t lecture me. Don’t tell me what I can and can’t do.’ Deep inside, Sofia could feel her anger soaring and the only thing she actually felt like doing with her tea was throwing it in his arrogant, deceitful face. What did he think she was? Some immature five-year-old? How dared he talk down to her like that?

But she did not throw her tea—though she didn’t drink it either! She sat up straighter in her chair, breathing slowly to calm herself, and continued in a tone that was scornfully detached, ‘Instead of lecturing me, why don’t you just come to the point of what this is all about? Then we can wind up this meeting and get on with our separate business—which is what I’m sure we would both much rather be doing anyway.’

As she spoke, Sofia felt proud of herself. She’d come a long way. Once, she’d have exploded at him, hurt and angry at the way he treated her, screaming at him, throwing accusations, bursting into tears, and for her pains all she would have reaped was his angry contempt. But she had learned to keep a rein on her runaway emotions and these days, at least on the surface, she could be as cool and composed as he was.

Though, of course, there was still a world of difference between them. She had learned to control herself in order to save herself more agony. To Damiano it all came naturally because he simply didn’t care.

‘So, you want me to come to the point?’ His gaze swept over her, one coal-black eyebrow lifting a little, as though he was mildly amused by her rebuke. Then he continued, ‘OK. I’ll tell you why I brought you here... I brought you here because I intend to put a stop to these rumours. And, in order to do that, I’m going to require your cooperation.’

‘My cooperation?’ Sofia allowed herself a small sceptical smile. In view of the state of controlled hostility between them, the very notion of cooperation had a decidedly hollow ring to it.

Nevertheless, Damiano was insisting, ‘Yes, your cooperation.’ And there was no hint at all of amusement in his eyes now. On the contrary, his expression was deadly serious as he put to her, ‘It seems to me that the most effective way of putting an end to the divorce stories is by convincing people that you and I have a perfectly happy marriage.’

Sofia could not help it. Incredulously, she laughed. ‘And how do you plan to accomplish that?’ Her grey-blue eyes were mocking. ‘Are you going to wave your magic wand? Or maybe take out an ad in the London Times declaring to the world how very much in love we are?’ She laughed again. ‘What a fanciful notion!’

Damiano did not join in her laughter, though a small smile touched his lips. ‘Actually, I wasn’t planning to do either of those things.’

‘In that case, I would say you’ve set yourself an impossible task.’

‘Difficult, but not impossible.’ The dark eyes watched her for a moment. Then he continued, ‘What I plan to do, you see, is not simply tell people how happy we are.’ Again, a small, dry smile touched his lips. ‘Rather, what I plan on doing is, with your assistance, showing them.’

‘Showing them? How?’ Sofia was no longer laughing. Deep inside she felt a flicker of real alarm. She didn’t like the sound of this at all.

‘I plan on showing them in the only way it’s possible to show such a thing: by the two of us making frequent appearances together in public and demonstrating by our behaviour how happy we are.’

He really meant it. Sofia felt sick inside. He really was cynical enough to stoop to such a charade.

‘You mean we’re to hold hands and gaze longingly into each other’s eyes, with perhaps the occasional passionate clinch thrown in just to make sure everyone’s getting the message?’

‘I see you get the general idea.’ Again the faint glimmer of an amused smile. ‘Though personally I would aim for a little more subtlety. Looks and glances. Sympathetic body language. That should be sufficient. No need to go over the top.’ Damiano paused and seemed deliberately to hold her gaze for a moment. ‘They can imagine that all the other stuff goes on in private.’

Sofia’s gaze nearly faltered, but she forced herself to keep it steady. Nothing went on in private. Nothing whatsoever. It was nearly eight months since they’d last slept together. Their sex life was totally a thing of the past.

She felt a crushing sense of loss. He was a wonderful, tender lover, the most accomplished, exciting lover a woman could ever have. It had been a hard thing to accept that he would never make love to her again. But she quashed these thoughts instantly. Things were better as they were. For surely there could be nothing in the world more demeaning than to be made love to by a man who didn’t love you and who had only just come from another woman’s bed. That had been her lot in the past, but it must never be so again.

She flashed him a cool look. ‘People could imagine whatever they liked. Fortunately, they’d be miles from the truth.’ Then, as he simply looked back at her with uncaring dark eyes, she added, ‘But that apart, your plan would never work. People aren’t that gullible and I’m not that good an actress. Nobody would be taken in for a minute.’

‘I’m afraid they’ve got to be.’ Damiano was sitting very still. ‘I’m afraid they’ve got to be completely taken in. And, besides, I’m sure you’re being unduly modest. I’m sure you can be a very good actress when you try.’

‘Not that good. Definitely not.’ Sofia shook her head. ‘No, I’m afraid your plan would never succeed.’ She smiled. ‘You really would do better just to take out an ad in The Times.’

Damiano continued to watch her in silence for a moment. Then he said, his tone flat and dangerously quiet, ‘You seem to be under the illusion that this is some kind of proposition I’m putting forward. Something to be discussed and debated and agreed upon. Well, I’m afraid you’ve got it wrong.’ He leaned forward in his seat. ‘This is no proposition. I’ve already made the decision. This is something that’s going to happen.’

Sofia tensed. ‘You mean it’s an order?’

‘Yes, if you like, an order.’

‘And what if I don’t like?’

‘Then that would be unfortunate. But, whether you like or not, it’s not going to change a thing.’

So he was laying down the law again? Hot anger flared inside her. Sofia narrowed her eyes and pointed out in an icy tone, ‘You said you needed my cooperation, I seem to remember. Well, I’m afraid I have no intention of giving it. Issue all the orders you like. It’ll do no good, I promise you.’ Her eyes flashed. ‘I’m terribly sorry to disappoint you, but your clever little plan, I’m afraid, is a nonstarter and there isn’t a single thing you can do about it.’