Chapter 306: Chapter Three Hundred And Six

"Can you actually believe her absolute audacity?" Delaney huffs loudly, staring at her own reflection in the mirror. She threw her hands up into the air in pure exasperation.

Rowan walked slowly across the soft carpet of the bedroom. He went to a large comfortable armchair sitting near the warm fire. He sat down slowly.

He crossed his long right leg neatly over his left knee. He rested his right elbow on the padded arm of the chair. He brought his hand up and rested his chin gently against his knuckles.

He did not interrupt her. He simply sat perfectly still, looking at her back.

"Wearing that terribly bright, entirely ugly yellow dress to my wedding reception!"

Delaney continued ranting. Her voice was full of energetic annoyance. "She looked exactly like a scarecrow wearing a yellow dress!"

Rowan smiled. It was a very soft, deeply fond smile. He watched her reflection in the tall mirror.

"She is doing it again just like last time," Delaney said, her hands moving rapidly as she spoke. She pulled off her white silk gloves and tossed them slightly onto the dressing table. "Deliberately throwing herself directly at your chest." She turned to look at him. "She pretended to trip! I saw her foot, Rowan. There was absolutely nothing on the marble floor for her to trip over. It was a complete, entirely wicked trick!" She turned back to the mirror with a sigh.

Rowan listened carefully to her rants. He did not look annoyed by her loud complaining. In fact, he looked completely, entirely lovestruck.

His eyes were soft and incredibly warm. He stared at the graceful curve of her neck as Sarah lifted her heavy dark hair. He watched the way her hazel eyes flashed brightly with remaining fire in the mirror. He thought she was the most completely fascinating, entirely wonderful creature he had ever seen in his entire life.

"She was stupid, indeed," Rowan said. He offered a short, agreeable, supportive word. His voice was a low, smooth rumble from the comfortable chair.

"Stupid?" Delaney scoffed loudly, shaking her head so hard a loose curl fell over her forehead. "She was not just stupid! She was also calculating! She wanted to cause a terrible scene. She wanted to make me look like a foolish person who did not know how to handle high society!"

Jane carefully pulled the bodice of the silk dress loose. Delaney held the front of the dress against her chest to keep herself properly covered.

"But I did not let her think I am a pushover," Delaney stated proudly, lifting her chin high in the mirror. "I stood my ground. She thought I would simply keep quiet and act polite. Well, she was entirely wrong!"

"She was entirely wrong," Rowan agreed smoothly, nodding his head. He did not move from his relaxed position. He simply kept his hand on his chin, completely captivated by his wife’s fierce energy.

"And the terrible things she said!" Delaney continued her rant, her voice rising with fresh anger as she remembered the cruel insults.

"She had the absolute nerve to call me a charity case! She actually told me that you only married me out of soft pity!"

Rowan’s smile faded just a tiny fraction at the reminder of the ugly words, but he knew Delaney had already handled the situation perfectly.

"That was incredibly rude of her," Rowan supplied softly.

"Rude?" Delaney cried out, turning her head slightly to glare at his reflection in the mirror. "It was completely scandalous! To insult you, Rowan! To suggest that a powerful Duke would be forced to marry someone out of pity. It is the most completely ridiculous thing I have ever heard in my entire life!"

"Entirely ridiculous," Rowan agreed immediately, a warm twinkle returning to his eyes.

"And then," Delaney huffed, turning her attention back to the maids working on her dress. "She actually fluttered her eyelashes at you. She suggested that you would become terribly bored of me in a few weeks. She practically offered to become your mistress right there in the middle of the ballroom!"

Delaney crossed her bare arms over her chest, holding the silk fabric up. She tapped her foot angrily against the floor.

"I simply could not let her speak to my husband that way," Delaney declared firmly. "I will not allow anyone in London to disrespect you, Rowan. Ever."

Rowan felt a massive swell of love completely fill his chest. He looked at the fierce, beautiful woman standing in front of the mirror. She was not just complaining; she was fiercely protecting him. She loved him so deeply that she was willing to fight the entire Ton for his honor.

He felt incredibly, entirely lucky. He had married a true queen.

"You handled her perfectly, my love," Rowan said softly, his voice thick with admiration and devotion. "You were completely magnificent."

Delaney finally stopped ranting. She let out a long, heavy sigh. The last tiny bit of her angry energy completely drained away.

"I was so very angry," Delaney admitted quietly, her shoulders dropping. She looked at Rowan’s reflection in the mirror. "I hope I did not cause a terrible scandal for our family by speaking so bluntly."

Rowan slowly uncrossed his legs. He sat up slightly in the chair. He dropped his hand from his chin and smiled warmly.

"You did not cause a scandal, Del," Rowan assured her completely. "You simply established your exact place in society. Lady Moore will never dare to speak a single wicked word against you ever again. And I am entirely sure that by tomorrow morning, the rest of the Ton will know exactly how strong the new Duchess of Ford truly is."

Jane and Sarah finally finished their difficult work. They carefully helped Delaney step completely out of the silk wedding dress. They draped the beautiful, pearl-covered dress neatly over a padded chair in the corner of the room.

Sarah brought over a soft, simple white nightgown. She helped Delaney slip the comfortable cotton fabric over her head.

"Is there anything else you need, my lady?" Jane asked politely, bowing her head.

Delaney shook her head gently. "No, thank you, Jane. Thank you, Sarah. You have both been wonderful today. Please, go down to the kitchens and enjoy some of the wedding cake."

"Thank you, Your Grace! Goodnight, Your Grace!" the two maids smiled brightly. They curtsied deeply to both Delaney and Rowan before walking quickly out of the master bedroom. They closed the doors quietly behind them.

The large bedroom was completely silent again, except for the soft crackling of the warm fire.

Delaney stood near the dressing table in her simple white nightgown. She reached up and pulled the last few silver pins out of her dark hair. Her curls fell completely loose, tumbling softly over her shoulders and down her back.

She turned around fully and looked at Rowan.

Rowan was still sitting in the chair. He was no longer looking at her reflection in the mirror. He was looking directly at her.

His eyes were incredibly dark, completely warm, and filled with desire. He looked at her bare shoulders, her loose dark hair, and her beautiful face. He looked entirely, hopelessly lovestruck.

Delaney felt a sudden, highly pleasant warmth flush her cheeks. She was suddenly very aware that they were completely alone. The grand wedding was over. The guests were downstairs. The maids were gone.

Rowan slowly stood up from the chair. He seemed incredibly tall and broad in the quiet room.

He did not say a word. He walked slowly across the thick carpet. He stopped exactly one foot in front of her.

He reached his large hands out. He gently took the silver hair pins from her fingers and placed them completely onto the dressing table.

Then, he gently rested his warm hands on her waist.

"Are you still angry, my Duchess?" Rowan asked softly. His voice was a very low, incredibly intimate whisper. His eyes darkened entirely. He lowered his head slowly. His gaze trapped on her lips.

" Because I am about to make you forget about everything."