A Virgin for the Rakish Marquess (In War and Love #3)

Chapter 1

CHAPTER 1

“ O h, I cannot wait to arrive at the Mulford estate,” Diana, Selina’s younger sister, gushed, bouncing in her seat, visibly unaware of their aunt’s scolding look. “I heard the Marchioness has brought some dancers from France just for tonight. She really is taking well to her new position. The Marquess must be so pleased.”

“Is that so?” Selina asked. “Then I cannot wait either.”

Selina, Diana, their older brother Herbert, and their aunt Martha—the Dowager Countess of Riddington—were currently on the road to a house party that was set to be a two week-long affair, and Selina was excited .

They had taken extra care when attending parties, as they were still trying to recover from the near mishap that had happened at the last party they had hosted at their estate, but this would be the first they would attend without any strict preparations.

“I do hope you will show this much excitement when gentlemen come to make your acquaintance, Selina.” Martha tutted. “I hear you have quite the scalding personality.”

Selina rolled her eyes and clasped her aunt’s hand with a smile. “I am rather charming, dear aunt, if I do say so myself.” She ignored Herbert’s snort of laughter and continued. “I only direct my barbs at those deserving of them.”

“Which is every gentleman, from the look of things,” Martha murmured. “It’s no wonder that you have been unable to secure a match after the many Seasons you’ve had.”

“Aunt Martha,” she whined, “I really have been trying, but?—”

“You have made enough excuses, dear girl. That is why I’m here.” Aunt Martha frowned. “I know you still harbor your wild notions of a love match, but you have nearly become a spinster because of that fancy, and now you’re ruining your younger sister’s prospects, as you remain unmatched. You really must put aside those childish ideals for something more practical.”

“I am being practical. It is not entirely improbable to have a love match.” She argued.

“But when it has taken as long as it has for you to find it, it is only fair to adjust your desires.” Aunt Martha responded undeterred. “I need both of you married soon but your adamance is not only impeding your chances but your sister’s.”

Selina turned to Diana with a questioning look, but her sister was unable to meet her eyes.

They discussed everything so it was odd that Diana would have kept something this important from her.

“What happened?” she asked with a frown.

“It is nothing, Selina. I?—”

“Tell me the truth, Diana,” Selina insisted.

Diana sighed and shook her head, still quite unable to meet her sister’s eyes. “Lord Banbridge said he cannot court me because my sister remains unwed,” she answered, biting her lip. “But he did not say it harshly. He only worried he would make you feel bad.”

“Really?” Selina asked snidely. “And did he say it as nicely as you put it?”

Her sister’s silence was answer enough.

Selina would not feign ignorance to the rumors surrounding her, considering how loudly she expressed her views on the misogyny in Society. She had made it clear that she would never conform to the small mold the gentlemen who had attempted to court her deemed fit to squeeze her into.

“Do not hound your sister for information, Selina,” her aunt scolded. “At least she has had many offers since her debut, but they were too far beneath her station to be considered. If you were to secure a good match, then you just might help her worth increase in the eyes of the ton.”

“Oh Auntie, I do not think my worth should be determined by what Society thinks,” Diana argued, pouting.

“It should not, but it is what it is, dear girl,” Martha answered. “Society’s view on such matters is the only thing that matters, and that is why you must learn to curry favor with them and rebut all underhanded comments with tact and subtlety rather than brute force—as your sister does.”

Selina felt positively chided. It wasn’t the first time she had been told that she lacked tact, but what was the need for coy words when they would only give slower results? It was better to use sharp words than fists, even though many of the gentlemen were rather deserving of those too.

“I hardly think Selina lacks tact, Auntie.” Diana laughed. “The insults behind her words are usually very well hidden. Only smart minds are able to discern them in order to take offense.”

“I do hope you do not intend to follow in your sister’s path, Diana,” Martha gasped, looking horrified. “It would be a shame to see my nieces are such uncultured harridans.”

“It isn’t so bad, considering that it gets the job done.”

“Oh, dear me!” Martha exclaimed, placing a hand on her chest. “What would your dear mother say if she could see you two now? Surely she would be upset with me for failing to teach you both propriety. This is why I wanted you two to stay with me.”

“Dear aunt, you worry too much.” Diana giggled. “Stephen did a fine job of raising us. Did he not, Herbert?”

Their brother snorted. “If you say so.”

“Stephen will surely hear of this,” Diana threatened.

Selina watched her siblings bicker, unable to join in as the reality of her decisions dawned on her. She hadn’t realized that by remaining adamant about her pedestal, her sister—who did not always share her views—would be affected.

She wondered just how much heartbreak her sister would have endured by losing matches in which she might have otherwise been happy.

“Will you two stop your bickering?” Martha scolded. “You’re giving me a headache.”

“We’re sorry, Aunt Martha,” the two sisters chorused, not looking in the least bit apologetic.

“On a positive note, I might have someone who would be interested in marrying Selina,” Martha announced. “He is a very dear friend—a little older than you might like, but he is a lover of books and wealthy enough to make you happy.”

“Why do I not know this eligible bachelor?” Herbert snorted.

“Because he is close to my age and has been widowed for some time, so he rarely attends public gatherings,” Martha answered. “He will be a sensible match for your sister.”

“I…” Selina started, unsure what to say.

On the one hand, she wanted to protest with everything in her against a match with a man that old, but what other options did she have? If she failed to secure a match at the end of the Season again, she would very likely be pronounced a spinster. Worse, she could doom her sister to the same fate.

“I will meet this gentleman, Auntie,” she announced.

Her words were met with a gasp from Herbert and a wide-eyed stare from Diana.

“You will?” Martha asked in surprise.

Selina nodded. “But I ask that you give me till the end of the Mulfords’ house party. If I fail to secure a match, then I will meet your friend,” she bargained.

It was the least she was owed, considering it would be no easy feat to sign over her life. She knew Diana would question her later, but she would have to make her arguments before then. It would be a sacrifice she would make if only to ensure that her sweet sister found her chance at happiness.

The carriage slowed to a halt, announcing their arrival, and discussions were put aside as they were helped out of the carriage and introduced to their hosts.

“It is a great pleasure to have you here, Lady Riddington,” Lady Mulford, their hostess, greeted with a bright smile.

Selina haad known her only briefly when she had only been the daughter of the Baron of Notting. Now that she was Marchionness, Selina had to admit that marriage agreed with her. She looked radiant as a newly wed ought to. A slight pang of envy struck her but she buried the emotion and returned her kind smile.

“The pleasure is all mine, Lady Mulford.” Martha smiled. “I believe you already know my nephew and nieces.”

“Of course. The Duke is a dear friend of my husband’s.”

“That is good to hear,” Martha answered. “I look forward to the activities over the next couple of weeks.”

“Rest assured, I’ve only organized the best there is,” Lady Mulford announced. “Come now, you’re the last to arrive, and it is dinner time.”

They were ushered quickly to the drawing room, where they were paired and then led into the dining room.

Selina noted that the seating arrangements had been organized such that she wasn’t surrounded by unfamiliar faces. She spotted Lord Howser, whom she had all but insulted once, in the seat across from her own. He appeared not to have forgotten or forgiven their prior interaction.

To her left was the Earl of Churcham, a positively pleasant fellow who immediately struck up a conversation with her.

“I must say, this Season has proved quite interesting, Lady Selina.” He smiled. “I attended a play at the theatre recently, and it was riveting. Have you seen any of late?”

“No, I’m not fond of fiction,” she answered, biting her lip. She hoped she hadn’t said the wrong thing. “I prefer biographies and science,” she added hastily.

His eyes widened, but he quickly schooled his features.

“You do not look the sort to have such interests.” He laughed uncomfortably. “I thought ladies enjoyed less challenging topics.”

“Most do, but I find I enjoy a challenge.”

He nodded, his eyes darting around again. He was visibly uncomfortable being around her.

“What are your interests, My Lord?” she asked quickly.

Men love to talk about themselves, do they not?

“Hunting, fencing… I have quite a lot,” he answered. “But I’m sure none of those would interest you.”

Oh no.

She worried she had already ruined the conversation.

“You might be pleasantly surprised.” She tried to salvage the exchange. “I enjoy?—”

“You really should pursue more feminine interests, Lady Selina,” he told her. “It will make conversations a little less off-putting.”

“I do have feminine interests, as you so put it, but what is wrong with seeking knowledge about the world around us?” she asked. “If I were to tell you that there are many fruits we are unable to grow in our climate, but with special conditions, we might be able to form a new species adapted to our climate, would that not interest you more? There are certain houses one can build to keep humidity and warmth that…”

She noticed that his eyes had glazed over, and soon he turned to his left and joined the conversation with Lady Fiona, who was discussing the recent musical she had attended with Lord Bailiwick.

Now left alone, Selina caught her aunt’s disappointed look from where she sat two chairs away and lowered her head, trying to focus on her meal, which now tasted like chalk in her mouth. She was only too grateful when dinner ended and everyone chose to head to the drawing room for games while some of the gentlemen opted for drinks and cigars.

She chose neither and decided on a stroll through the gardens both for air and to clear the intrusive thoughts clouding her mind. The path was lined with lit torches, and the air was fragrant with the scent of Lady Mulford’s impressive garden. She instantly felt at ease.

She took one turn about the stone-lined gardens, mindlessly admiring the flowers lit with the silvery glow of the moon, and then decided against returning to the party, as the night wasn’t so cold that she would catch a chill if she remained outside longer.

As soon as she spotted a stone bench under a fragrant orange tree, she took a seat. The sounds of the party in full swing behind her and the gentle sounds of the owls in the trees beyond the estate gave the night a magical feel that helped calm the thoughts swirling in her mind.

Since she’d hoped to secure a match at the Mulfords’ party, she couldn’t help but notice for the first time that she was severely lacking in many ways. Her earlier attempts at conversation attested to the fact that she hadn’t still mastered the art of conversing with gentlemen. If she were to secure a match, she would need to learn quickly.

But how?

She couldn’t ask any of the other guests for help, considering they all had the same goal, and she could not ask her aunt, who would no doubt make a scene.

Sighing, she rose to leave before her prolonged absence became a subject of discussion.

Turning to head down the path, she ran straight into a solid wall that had her bouncing back, and she would have landed firmly on the ground had a pair of hands not reached out to steady her. Her hands landed on the man’s shoulders as she attempted to right herself, her heart pounding rapidly from the shock of her near fall.

She looked up, eyes wide, to see that she had bumped into none other than the Duke of Seymour—the newest acquaintance of her brother, Stephen, since he had recently helped corroborate her brother’s statement about Lord Dudley’s attack on their hunting party.

She hadn’t interacted with him in the weeks that had followed, but she had often seen him briefly when he was visiting Stephen in his study. He had never offered her more than a cursory nod, and she had always been in too much of a hurry to notice much about him.

She hadn’t noticed it back then, but with his large hands around her and under the glow of the moon, he was quite handsome to look at. His shoulders were so broad that they should have scared her, but she found herself marveling at their height difference.

His sandalwood fragrance wrapped around her in a cloud as they remained entwined in the moonlight. Had they been in a novel, one might have thought this the start of a wonderful romance.

“You do realize the impropriety of our positions, Lady Selina?” he said suddenly, reminding her of how close she was pressed against his frame and what that would have implied had anyone walked by at that moment.

Her cheeks flushed instantly, and she took a step back, wrapping her arms around herself as a chill swept through her. He had been so warm that her body struggled to adjust to the rapid change of temperature. She shivered at the phantom warmth his hands left on her waist, and she frowned, wondering why it hadn’t been unpleasant being held by him.

“I suppose I should thank you,” she said, unable to meet his eyes.

“Indeed.”

“Thank you for… helping me, Your Grace.”

“You shouldn’t be by yourself so late at night, Lady Selina.” His tone was grave. “You do not know what sort of dangers might be lurking about the estate.”

“No one would harm me here, Your Grace,” she retorted.

“That is not that kind of danger I speak of, Lady Selina,” he continued. “Not all men would be as proper as I am.”

Her cheeks flushed further as she realized the implications of his earlier warning.

“It is fortunate that I am in no danger with you then.”

“I would not make that assumption too quickly, Lady Selina.”

His words stunned her but he didn’t seem to notice. He didn’t even glance at her before walking away—presumably to return to the party. She also walked back quickly but timed it so no one would think they had escaped for a lover’s tryst in the gardens.

Her cheeks reddened again as she remembered how tenderly his arms had wrapped around her and how his shoulders had felt beneath her hands.

He had been right to warn her. He was a dangerous man to be around.