Chapter 7
Seven
Not long after Lady Selina left his side, Dominic was accosted by ambitious mothers, just as he feared.
“Your Grace, it is lovely to see you tonight!” One of them said, “You must dance with my daughter, Lady Jane. Isn’t she beautiful?”
Another one waved to catch his eye. “Good evening, Your Grace. My daughter, Lady Tiffany, is right over there. I believe you met her last Season?”
Neither Jane nor Tiffany could meet his eye. They looked so young compared to Lady Selina, and they were both very afraid of him. So were the next three ladies forced to stand in his line of sight by ambitious mothers.
He rarely enjoyed dancing on a good day. He certainly didn’t enjoy it with a dance partner who practically trembled at the sight of him.
When he saw yet another mother try to drag her daughter to him, he turned and walked away. Behind him, someone muttered, “Cold as stone indeed.”
He gritted his teeth. He should announce his engagement to Lady Selina soon, if only to save himself from this torture.
Dominic looked for a friendly face to save him from the ambitious mothers and scared debutantes.
However, his grandmother was busy talking to her best friend, Lady Eliza.
Hopefully, she was not regaling her scheme from earlier that day.
His best friend, Austin, was surrounded by three ladies and looked like he was thoroughly enjoying himself.
He heard someone whispering behind him. “Is it true what they say about his wife? About what he did to her?”
He closed his eyes, feeling exhausted. He should have known better than to let his grandmother talk him into attending the ball. He left before someone else could bother him.
Needing some fresh air, he went to the garden and started walking down a path. He took deep breaths, and his mind drifted to Lady Selina, who was supposed to be his future wife.
Now that he thought about it, he hadn’t seen her in the ballroom for several minutes. Perhaps she had retired early to her room. He wouldn’t blame her if she had.
He walked to the fountain in the center of the gardens. As he did so, he heard a quiet female voice. He frowned, knowing he should turn back now, before he got caught alone with a young lady again. But it sounded like she was talking to herself.
“The full moon is beautiful, isn’t it? But I always preferred the crescent shape myself. However, it is just nice seeing the moon go through its cycle, isn’t it? It decides when we see it, and how much we see. Isn’t that fascinating?”
There was silence for a beat, and then a giggle.
Unable to overcome his curiosity, Dominic turned the corner to see Lady Selina sitting on the bench with Percy. Shock ran through him at the sight. How on earth were they here, together? Did she seek him out? To what end?
He stared at Percy, who was gesturing wildly at something in the sky. But as he did so, he locked eyes with his father. Percy gasped softly, stood up, and immediately ran away, into the darkness. Dominic clenched his jaw. Sometimes he wondered if even his own son thought he had a heart of stone.
Selina stood up and looked in the direction of where Percy ran off before looking at Dominic. “Your Grace,” she said, sounding surprised to see him there.
“What did you think you were doing?” he asked.
“What do you mean? Do you know that boy? Do you know where he went?”
“Of course, I know him. You are the stranger here. Not me.”
Her expression hardened. “I do not know why you are lecturing me, but it should wait. We need to go after him, before he gets lost.”
“Percy knows the grounds like the back of his hand. He’s going back to the manor.” He stepped closer to her.
“There’s a child allowed to roam free on the grounds?” She frowned. “Who is he?”
“He’s my son!” He was feeling agitated from the conversation. He didn’t like the thought of any of the guests bothering Percy, especially Lady Selina of all people.
But he was also reluctant to admit that Percy looked relaxed with her, more relaxed than he ever was with him. That infuriated him.
Her mouth opened in surprise. “You have a son?”
He sneered. “Do not pretend that you didn’t know. Everyone in the ton knows about my family.”
“I have been away for five years. I truly didn’t know.”
He frowned. “You don’t know about my late wife?”
“I knew you had a wife who passed away. That is all I knew. I am sorry for your loss.”
“Don’t be,” he said through gritted teeth, turning away from her. He was tired of false sympathies from the ton because the people who spoke them were the same people who whispered about him behind his back.
But Selina seemed sincere in her condolences, which didn’t make sense. They barely knew each other, and their interactions had been marked by nothing but hostility so far. He didn’t know what to do with her. “Why are you here, Lady Selina?”
“In the garden? I wanted some fresh air. I was not in the mood for dancing.”
“No, I mean, why are you here? At the manor? What is your motivation?”
Her jaw clenched. “Your grandmother invited me here, and I accepted the invitation so I could support my sister. I have no hidden motives, Your Grace. I am not running a confidence game like my brother did.”
He was surprised. He had forgotten about her brother. “I didn’t mean—”
“And no, before you ask, I did not know what his plans were, I don’t have a share of the money hidden away, and I do not know where he is. He might have been my confidante, but I clearly wasn’t his.” She shook her head, anger flashing in her eyes.
“I didn’t mean to imply that you are a con woman,” he said. “I just want to know why you accepted the invitation to a gathering whose main goal is making love matches, if you yourself are not interested in a husband.”
She took a deep breath, appearing to calm down. “I am here for my sister,” she said. “I feel like I’ve had to tell everybody that. Why is that so difficult for people to comprehend?”
“You have traveled a long way just to spend time with your sister,” he remarked, though he admired her fierce protectiveness. It felt familiar.
She turned toward him, arms crossing tightly over her chest. The gesture only drew his gaze to the curve of her neck.
“I haven’t seen her in five years. My godmother wouldn’t let me come home from finishing school.
The Duke Hunt was an opportunity to see her again and to help her while she looks for a husband who can take her away from Lady Gillray. ”
“That’s admirable,” he said sincerely. “I’m sorry you two were apart for so long.” His own sister was sent away to live with their aunt in Paris. She had only been gone for a few months, and he missed her. He couldn’t imagine being separated for five years.
She shrugged. “I suppose I did have a second motive. I also want to find a position as a lady’s companion or a governess, and I hoped that coming here and reacquainting myself with the ladies of the ton could help me with that. I need to find employment, Your Grace, because I have nothing.”
He could see she was being sincere. Even if she hadn’t said anything, it was unfortunately quite obvious that she was penniless.
She looked less like an earl’s daughter and more like a pauper in a stolen ball gown that didn’t fit her correctly.
“And yet the party has barely begun, and you have already snared yourself a duke,” he said.
She glowered at him. “We both know I did not ensnare you! I do not trap men into marriage! I would choose the fate of a maid a hundred times before being married to you.”
Heat surged through him, anger, yes, but a familiar desire too. She claimed not to have heard the rumors about what happened with his late wife, and yet this was how she acted.
He stepped closer, unable to stop himself. “Do not pretend that being married to me is a fate worse than death, my lady.”
“And do not pretend that you want to marry me! You could not possibly want that!” She turned away, hugging her arms to herself, as if she were cold despite the warm weather. “Perhaps we can avoid this.”
“I can control my grandmother,” Dominic said, “but have you ever witnessed how quickly gossip travels among servants?”
She spun around to look at him, as if a thought had struck her.
There was some hope in her eyes. “I can disappear as soon as the Duke Hunt is over. You’ll never have to see me again.
” She smiled. “Christine and Lady Gillray can tell everyone that I became a governess for a wealthy family in the country. And perhaps I will!” She giggled.
Would she really choose self-inflicted exile over sharing my name?
Dominic could not comprehend how a lady of the ton would go to such lengths not to marry a duke. But then again, as he gazed her up and down, Lady Selina was not exactly a typical lady of the ton. His mood darkened.
“What makes you think I would let you?” he said.
Her brow furrowed. “What do you mean? I thought this would be happy news for both of us.”
“You would rather be on the run without a penny to your name than marry me? Don’t you understand how insulting that is?”
“Please, Your Grace, I didn’t mean—”
“It doesn’t matter what you meant,” he said. Dominic had made up his mind. He had compromised Selina and would accept responsibility for that. Besides, he would rather have Selina for a wife than one of the timid debutantes.
“I suggest you accept the reality of the situation, my lady. I will announce our engagement tomorrow, and we shall be married three days after that. Greystone Manor will be your home.”
Anger radiated off of Dominic as he went inside.
The interaction with Selina had filled him with adrenaline and desire.
He had wanted to pull her into his arms and kiss her even as she glared at him and talked passionately.
Now he was feeling too many emotions and was doing a poor job of concealing them.
He scared one of the maids half to death when he inquired about his son’s whereabouts.
“H-he is in his room, Your Grace,” she said, her face turning pale. “I took him there myself.”
He nodded. “Thank you.”
Now that he knew his son was safe, he went back to the ball. Many couples were now dancing, while others mingled off to the side, their faces flushed from alcohol. He flagged down a footman, who quickly poured him a glass of wine. Dominic wished it were stronger.
He made eye contact with Austin, who quickly smiled at the young lady he was talking to and made his excuses before coming over to Dominic.
“What is with you tonight?” he asked as a servant refilled his wine glass.
“You’re hardly the Duke of Sunshine and Happiness, but you seem even grumpier tonight than usual. ”
“Something has happened,” Dominic said. “Thanks to my beloved grandmother, I am engaged.” He told the full story to Austin, who looked thoroughly amused.
“Only a scandal could make you get married again,” he said. “It was quite clever of the dowager duchess.”
“It is not funny,” he snapped. “Percy’s well-being is at stake. Lady Selina has made it clear that she did not want to marry me. If she takes out her anger on him…” he trailed off, not wanting to think about how crushed his son would be.
“Lady Selina and I have only spoken briefly, but she did not strike me as someone who would hurt a child.”
“I don’t think she would hurt him,” Dominic quickly amended. “I think she might ignore him, or even resent him. I don’t see why she wouldn’t. She thinks marriage to me will be like prison.” He took a large gulp of wine, wishing it were stronger.
The words sat heavily on his tongue. Maybe he was being unfair. Or maybe he was just cautious; cautious because he’d seen it happen before.
His late wife had hated the very sight of Percy. Hated him. From the moment the boy was born, she’d acted like he’d stolen something from her. And in the end, she’d left them both with nothing but silence.
Austin looked hesitant for a moment before speaking. “Are you sure it is Lady Selina that you are thinking of at this moment? Or perhaps you’re thinking of someone else.”
Dominic shook his head, as if dislodging the memory, dragging himself back to the present.
“She told me she would choose the life of a maid a hundred times over than marry me.”
Austin’s lips twitched in a smile. “That is bold, even though I’m sure your winning personality did not do you many favors during that particular conversation.”
Dominic rolled his eyes. “Charming ladies is your favorite pastime, not mine.” He took another sip of his wine, thinking for a moment. “I saw her talking to Percy.”
His friend’s eyebrows rose. “Percy spoke to her?”
“No. But she was speaking to him. He seemed… I don’t know.
Happier.” He wasn’t sure if that was the right word when his son had the same somber expression that he had worn ever since his mother died.
“He ran away when he saw me.” He remembered Selina’s concern for Percy’s well—being when he ran away, and he relaxed slightly.
No, she wasn’t the type of person to treat a child poorly just because she disliked the father.
Austin’s brow furrowed. “Are you troubled by his running away from you?”
Yes. But he waved his hand dismissively, not wanting to talk about it at the moment. “He always runs away from me. That’s beside the point. I’ve just never seen him interact with a stranger before, at least not since his mother died. I didn’t even make him attend the funeral.”
For a full week, Percy refused to leave his bed. It took him another week before he left his room, and even longer to venture into the garden. Dominic could hardly blame him. That was why he was happy to let Percy roam all over the grounds now, despite being only five years old.
Austin’s smile turned sad. No doubt he was remembering that time, too. “Your son has come a long way in only a year,” he said. “I know it’s been hard for him.”
“Yes,” Dominic said. “But maybe… maybe Lady Selina will be good for him.” Regardless of her opinion of him, he could not help but be intrigued by her. Instead of staying at the ball and dancing the night away, she had chosen to sneak off and look at the stars with a child she didn’t even know.
She had also looked so beautiful in the moonlight. He would have given anything to strip off that ill-fitting dress to see what she looked like underneath… No. He couldn’t be thinking thoughts like that. Selina would be Percy’s mother. He wouldn’t mess it up for his son.