Chapter 5
Five
By the time Selina left the duke’s bedroom, the party had moved inside to the sun room.
Some of the guests had departed to freshen up before the dance that night, while others still chatted with each other.
A few of the gentlemen had started playing a game of cards in the corner, while a young lady played the pianoforte in one corner of the room.
Selina saw her sister sitting alone on one of the sofas. She joined her, feeling relieved to catch her alone.
“You look like you’ve seen a ghost,” Christine said, looking her sister up and down.
I would have preferred seeing a ghost. Ghosts can’t ruin your reputation the way a man can. “I met the duke,” she said instead.
“Which one?” Christine asked. “Lady Elizabeth told me there would be two dukes at this event—the Stone Duke and the Velvet Duke.”
Selina scoffed. “Is that truly what they are called? Those names are absurd.”
“Perhaps,” Christine said, smiling. “But which one did you meet?”
“Well, I cannot say for sure, but I doubt I met the velvet one.” She said. “I happened to meet the Duke of Greystone.”
Perhaps Stone is a fitting name for him. His chest felt like it had been carved from marble.
Her cheeks heated up at the thought.
Christine looked at her with wide eyes. “He must have made quite an impression. I’ve never seen you this flustered before.”
Selina glanced around to make sure no one was listening to their conversation. Then she leaned in close to Christine. “I think I’m getting married,” she whispered.
Before her sister could reply, Lady Gillray appeared by her side. “Come along, Christine. Let us help each other get ready for the ball together.” She looked at Selina, her expression turning sour. “I thought you went to make yourself presentable. Is this the best you could do?”
Selina gritted her teeth and silently begged Christine to stop gawking at her like she had grown a second head because she did not want Lady Gillray to notice. “I have not gotten ready for the ball tonight, no.”
“Well, I suggest you get to it. Unless you think your company is better suited to stray mutts begging for food.”
“That dog was not a stray,” she said, but she knew her godmother did not care.
Selina watched Christine being dragged away by Lady Gillray before turning to watch the young ladies playing at the pianoforte, for lack of better entertainment. They were two women who must be in their first or second Season. They giggled at each other as they played a duet together.
To Selina, they looked like they were barely children. Did I look so innocent during my first Season? It was difficult to believe that at the time, her biggest concern was covering the freckles that always seemed to appear on her pale skin, no matter how careful she was to stay out of the sun.
“A beautiful young lady such as yourself should not look so contemplative.”
She turned to realize a handsome young man had sat down next to her without her realizing. She smiled. “Forgive me. I was lost in thought. I am Lady Selina Davidson.” She assumed the man would make an excuse to leave the conversation as soon as he knew her name, but instead, he smiled broadly.
“I am the Duke of Windermere, but beautiful women such as yourself may call me Austin.” His eyes twinkled mischievously, and he winked.
She could not help but snort in surprise. “You must be the one that everyone calls the Velvet Duke, Your Grace.”
“Is that the name they’ve given me now?” He grinned. “I suppose there could be worse names. But I much prefer silk over velvet myself.”
He reminded her a little of her brother, Charles, which was surely a comparison he would not enjoy. Selina stood up. “It was a pleasure to meet you, Your Grace. But I’m afraid I must get ready for the ball this evening.”
He stood up with her. “Perhaps you will save me a dance?”
She laughed. “I believe it is more likely you will be the one with the full dance card tonight, rather than me.” She curtsied before leaving the sun room.
She supposed she needed to get ready for the ball, although she wasn’t sure if she was ready to face the Stone Duke or his grandmother after that humiliating display earlier.
She couldn’t help but feel betrayed that the dowager duchess trapped her like that. Why me of all people, anyway? No one in their right mind would think she made a suitable bride.
She could only hope that Dominic would talk some sense into her before an announcement was made.
A maid directed Selina to her actual room, where her clothes were waiting. She changed into her ball gown. It was a simple gown that was at least one Season out of date. One of her classmates had given it to her in exchange for some tutoring sessions.
She put the dress on and arranged her hair as best as she could before looking at herself in the mirror. Her olive green dress had few frills except for a matching sash. She wore no jewelry and no powder on her face. She certainly didn’t look like the daughter of an earl, let alone a duchess.
Duchess.
She shook her head at the thought. It still didn’t seem real to her. The events of that afternoon felt more like a strange and vivid dream than real life.
Knowing there was nothing more to do to change her appearance, she went to her sister’s room, which was next door, and knocked. “Christine? May I come in?” she called.
“Please do!” Christine’s frantic voice said.
When she opened the door, she found her sister undressed and struggling with the laces of her corset. Selina closed the door behind her and hurried to help her sister. “You’re not dressed yet?”
“Lady Gillray took ages to get ready, and she needed my help for every step. Now I must hurry if I want to look presentable.”
“Don’t worry. I will help you.” Selina shook her head in disgust. “How are you supposed to get a wealthy husband, like she wishes, if she treats you like a maid and gives you no time to prepare yourself?”
“I do not know, but I am sure she will find a way to blame my lack of a wealthy husband on my own shortcomings and not her actions.”
Selina finished lacing up the corset before picking up the light blue ball gown laid out on the bed. “Do not worry. I will have you ready in no time.”
Christine arched an eyebrow at her. “While you’re helping me, why don’t you tell me about what you meant about you getting married?”
“I do not wish to tell the details, even to you.” They were too embarrassing—besides, the fewer people who knew about the unpleasant business, the better.
“It must be bad, then!”
“It’s embarrassing,” she said. “Besides, I might have misspoken. I think it is a misunderstanding. I’m sure I am not getting married.” The more she thought about it, the more ridiculous it seemed that she even considered it a possibility.
After Christine was in her dress, Selina handed her the modest jewelry set aside for the ball. Surely, the two of them would be the most simply dressed, but at least Christine looked the part of a proper young lady, and a beautiful one at that.
“Can you at least tell me who the groom is supposed to be?” Christine put on her necklace as Selina started to arrange her hair.
She hesitated for a moment before saying. “The Duke of Greystone.”
Christine shrieked and turned to look at her, her eyes wide. “You cannot!”
“Like I said, it was probably a misunderstanding.”
“I hope so,” she said, her voice slightly breathless. “For your sake.”
“Why do you say that?” Selina grabbed her sister’s shoulders and turned her back around so she could finish arranging her hair.
“You have not heard about what happened?”
“No. Remember, I have been away for a long time.”
Christine looked conflicted. “Well, he was married before. His first wife passed away.”
No wonder he was so angry at the thought of marrying again. “I am sorry to hear that, but I don’t understand why his being a widower shocks you so much.”
She bit her lip. “Perhaps not. Now that I think about it, I truly do not know anything, just some rumors. And I should know better than to listen to rumors.” She said the last part quietly.
Selina shuddered to think about what rumors Christine had heard about her own family.
When Christine was ready, Selina smiled at her. “You look beautiful,” she said. “You’ll be the envy of all of the ladies tonight.”
Christine giggled. “Hardly. The best I can hope for tonight is to fade into the background. But perhaps a bored gentleman will take pity on me and ask me to dance.” She looked at Selina and frowned. “Oh my goodness, you have no jewelry! How did I just notice? One moment, I have a spare somewhere.”
“It’s quite all right,” Selina said quickly. “I don’t mind. Let’s just join the ball, yes? Lady Gillray will already be out there, and they will start the dancing soon.”
Christine nodded and took a deep breath. “I am afraid I’m nervous. But it shall be fun.” She smiled and took her sister’s hand before they made their way to the ball.
Dominic reluctantly made his way to the ball. He was in no mood to listen to all of the rumors about him, or to face his… betrothed. As soon as he set foot in the ballroom, he heard the whispers.
“Is that the Stone Duke?” someone whispered.
“Do you think it’s true… that he was so cruel his wife left him?” another lady responded.
“Left him? His wife is dead!”
Dominic tuned them out before his temper could rise. He heard the laughter before he saw her. A bright, silvery sound—too free, too inviting. It curled through the ballroom and found him like a hook.
And there she was. Selina. Smiling up at his best friend as though the man’s every word were a gift.
Something in him went cold. He crossed the room in measured strides. The crowd parted without thinking. People always did when he came near.
“Austin,” he said at last, his voice low and steady. “I was unaware you had taken an interest in Lady Selina.”
Austin turned, grinning. “Interest, yes. But only a passing one. You’ve the look of a man ready to duel me at dawn. Tell me, Dominic, must I beg forgiveness for daring to speak to a lady?”
Selina’s chin lifted at once. “You make it sound as though I am a possession, Your Grace. Am I not allowed to have a conversation with the guests?”
His gaze locked on hers. Steady. Unyielding. He didn’t raise his voice; he never needed to. “You are allowed anything you wish, Lady Selina. But I choose my friends carefully. And Austin… is not harmless.”
Austin gave a bark of laughter, though he shifted the weight of his glass. “Harmless? I’m a delight.” He winked at Selina, though his eyes flickered warily back to Dominic. “Besides, the lady seems well able to defend herself.”
Selina’s lips curved. “Indeed. I have weathered sterner faces than His Grace’s. Years of finishing school, remember? Stone dukes hardly intimidate me.”
A faint sound—not quite a laugh—escaped Dominic. He leaned closer, his words quiet but cutting through the noise around them.
“Then perhaps you are braver than is wise.”
She flushed, though she did not retreat. Her eyes glittered, challenging, even as her fan trembled slightly in her hand.
Austin shifted, rolling his shoulders as if to break the tension.
“Careful, Lady Selina. He’ll scare you into silence if you’re not careful. The man has cowed parliament itself with a single look.”
Dominic turned his head just enough to pin his friend with a glance. Austin smirked, but there was a thread of caution in it now, before he left the two of them alone.
Dominic could not understand why he was feeling so irritated. He looked back at Selina. “You must be quite determined to catch yourself a duke this evening, my lady.”
Her smile quickly faded into a look of displeasure. “Believe me, Your Grace, I have as much interest in marrying a duke as they have in marrying me. You must be determined to make yourself the least-liked man of the evening.”
His mouth curved, humorless. “Careful, Lady Selina. You speak as though you imagine yourself immune to me.”
Selina exhaled softly, her voice pitched low. “I will not be cowed, Your Grace.”
He stepped the smallest fraction closer—not enough for anyone to mark it as improper, but enough for her to feel the full weight of him.
“We shall see,” he murmured.
Before she could answer, a voice rang out across the ballroom. The Velvet Duke, all charm and amusement: “You may as well dance, the pair of you, since you seem so absorbed!”
A ripple of laughter followed. Selina stiffened, color high in her cheeks.
She dropped into a swift curtsy. “Forgive me, Your Grace. I find I am suddenly quite fatigued.” Without waiting for dismissal, she swept away into the crowd.
Dominic watched her go, every nerve alive with the urge to follow. He did not move.
Austin walked back to Dominic, clucking his tongue and swirling his wine. “Heaven help her. You’ve frightened the poor girl half to death.” His grin flickered, knowingly. “And yet… she looked back. Did you notice?”
Dominic’s jaw tightened. He had noticed. Too much.
Austin watched him. “She is lovely, is she not?”
“I care little about her looks.”
But she is absolutely beautiful.