Chapter 21
Twenty-One
Dominic sat with Austin in the Velvet Duke’s library. It was mid-afternoon, the day after Percy started to speak. Both of them had whiskey glasses in their hands, but neither of them paid much attention to them. Both of them were too busy with the conversation.
“I came home to find Selina moving out of the duchess’s suite, into the room at the end of the hall,” Dominic was telling his friend.
“She changed the duchess suite back to how it looked when Eugenia was alive.” He took a sip of his whiskey before continuing the story.
“Naturally, I was angry with her, especially when I saw the railings off the balcony.”
Austin winced at the mention of the railings. After all, he was one of the few people who knew all of the details about what happened that dreadful day. “That must have been a shock to you.”
“Indeed,” Dominic said. “But I am happy she did it because Percy came into the room, pointed at Eugenia’s portrait, and said, ‘Mama.’”
Austin gasped. “He truly spoke?”
Dominic nodded, tears stinging his eyes for a moment at the memory. “He spoke words. I heard his voice.”
“That is incredible,” Austin said, grinning. “Truly. I’m so glad for it.”
“I am too,” he admitted. He took a small sip of his whiskey. “I owe all of it to my wife.”
“I knew it was a good thing for you to marry her.”
Dominic nodded. “Honestly, as hesitant as I was about this marriage at first, Selina’s presence in the manor has been wonderful.
She has brought warmth and light into the place.
She’s not afraid of me, nor does she hate me, and she loves Percy.
” He smiled. “It is truly wonderful, and very much different from my first marriage.”
“Good,” Austin said. “You deserve to be happy.”
Dominic grunted. “I drove my first wife to death and spent a year being the most unpleasant person in all of London.”
“I admit you have been a bit of a stick in the mud,” Austin said. “Although I would not say you are the most unpleasant person in London, not when Lady Gillray and her ilk reside so close to us.” He raised his eyebrows. “And you certainly did not drive Eugenia to her death.”
Dominic shook his head. “I am not so sure about that. I keep thinking about that day. Perhaps if I had handled things differently… although I suppose there is no use thinking about it now.”
“What matters now is that you are married to a wonderful woman who helped Percy find his voice.”
“Yes. I shall be eternally grateful for that,” he said. “She is so kind, and so beautiful.” He sighed. “The only downside is that she is wonderfully distracting. Every day, I want her more.”
“Then you should claim her before another man does,” Austin said, taking a sip of his whiskey. “I know firsthand how wives can take lovers when their husbands neglect them.” He smirked.
Dominic rolled his eyes. “Yes, it is a well-established fact that you are a rake. But I am not convinced Selina wants me that way. I do not wish to ask.”
“Why not? She is your wife, after all.”
“Why do you refrain from seducing the servants in your employ?” Dominic countered.
Austin scowled. “I do not seduce them because I do not want any of them to feel obligated to say yes to me. But Selina is your wife, not your maid.”
“But she still might feel obligated, as my wife. I do not want that. Besides, if I pursue a romantic relationship with her, then I could end up ruining the peace and happiness that has only recently entered the household. I will not subject Percy to parents who cannot stand each other. Not again.”
“Why can you not let yourself be happy?” Austin looked exasperated.
“I am happy,” Dominic said. “Percy spoke yesterday. That is nothing short of a miracle. It would be greedy to want more.”
Austin shrugged. “Fine. I suppose I cannot talk sense into you. Just know that if you do not romance her properly, I might try to take her for myself.” He winked at his friend.
Dominic glared at the other duke. “If you lay a hand on my wife, then I will end you. By the time I am finished with you, you will not have a title, home, or coin to your name.”
Austin drew back. Uncertainty flickered over his face for a moment. “I was jesting.”
Dominic took a deep breath. He knew his friend had not meant any harm, but the comment had struck a nerve in him anyway. After a moment of strained silence, Dominic finally spoke. He was careful to make his tone a little lighter.
“Selina has more sense than to fall for the likes of you anyway. Besides, I thought your sights were currently set on a certain young widow. Lady Hartwick, perhaps?”
Austin smirked, the relief clear in his eyes. “Yes, indeed. In fact, in a few months, the two of us might go to Paris together, for a week or two.”
Dominic chuckled. “If that is the case, then you must visit Monsieur Beaumont’s patisserie. Deena has been singing its praises in her letters to me.”
“How is your sister doing?” Austin asked.
“She is happy in Paris. Flourishing, even, now that her homesickness has faded away.”
“I am happy to hear that,” Austin said. “I am glad you sent her to Paris instead of marrying her off to that rogue.” There was only a hint of anger in his voice.
Despite Austin’s rakish ways, he was careful to keep from ruining young ladies’ reputations, and he looked down on men who were more reckless.
“She is much too young to be married off,” Dominic said. “She was barely eighteen at the time. Besides, nothing actually happened between them. I merely found them talking alone in the library.”
Austin did not look impressed, but he simply took a sip of his drink. “Well, I am happy she is doing well in Paris. Although I hope to see her in London in a year or two. After all, she has not met Selina yet, and I am sure the two of them will be fast friends.”
Dominic smiled. “I am sure they will be. Selina has a way of making most people like her, after all.”
“She has certainly endeared herself to your family.”
“Percy deserves to be happy,” he said. “I am sure my grandmother is also feeling smug about being such a good judge of character, so that is an added bonus as well.”
Austin snorted in reply.
Dominic ran his fingers through his hair.
“I have been too harsh with her. She has been through a lot, after everything that happened with her brother, and then her godmother being horrible… then marrying into a broken household. She has handled everything beautifully, and I have acted incorrigibly and callously.”
“You? Callous? Perish the thought.”
Dominic rolled his eyes at his friend. “I want to do something for her to show my appreciation. I just do not know what I want to do yet.”
“I am sure you can think of something to show her that you care about her more than just what she can do for Percy,” Austin said, arching an eyebrow.
“Of course I do,” Dominic said, frowning. “She is my wife, not the nanny.”
“Then perhaps you should start treating her like it.”
After the picnic, Selina found the dowager duchess in the drawing room. The older woman had just returned from afternoon tea with the Countess of Sterling. “I want to do something,” she said to the dowager duchess. “I want to do something nice for Dominic and Percy.”
The older woman chuckled. “Yesterday, Percy spoke for the first time in a year. Anything you do for them now will pale in comparison.”
“It is only a small gesture,” Selina said. “But I think they will be happy with it.” She produced a folded—up piece of paper from her pocket and held it out to the dowager duchess. “This is what I want. Do you think it is possible?”
The older woman took the note, opened it up, and grinned. “I think it is very possible,” she said. “Not only that, but I believe both of them will like it very much.”
Selina grinned. “Good! I am glad.”
A discreet knock on the door made both women look up. Selina’s maid, Jinny, stepped inside, curtsied, and said, “Your Grace, I am here to inform you that the duke requires your presence tonight,” Selina’s maid told her.
“He did? Did he say why? Is everything all right with Percy?” The last she had seen, Percy was in his mother’s room with his nanny, who had been reading a story aloud to him.
“Yes, everything is all right, Your Grace.” The maid smiled at her. “From what I understand, His Grace has a surprise for you, and he asked me to help you get ready.”
Selina was bewildered, but also intrigued. It did not sound like he was cross with her, and if Percy was not hurt, then surely it must be a good surprise. For the life of her, she just could not imagine what it would be.
The dowager duchess reached across and patted her hand, her eyes warm with approval. “Go, my dear,” she said gently. “Do not keep him waiting.”
Selina rose, her pulse quickening. “All right.”
She followed Jinny back to her chambers, where a dress box and two jewelry boxes were carried in from the hallway and set gently on the dressing table. As Selina undressed, the maid opened the dress box to reveal a red evening gown with gold trim and matching ruby earrings and a necklace.
Her eyes widened at the finery. It was so beautiful. Even though she had received a wardrobe of fine dresses shortly after marrying Dominic, she rarely wore any of them. She did not feel the need to wear such fine things when she rarely left the house and they did not receive guests.
Excitement filled her with the thought of wearing this dress and jewelry. She also felt warmth fill her chest, knowing Dominic had picked these out specifically with her in mind.
Jinny helped her dress before doing her hair in an intricate upsweep and powdering her face. When Selina looked at herself in the mirror, she hardly recognized herself. She did not look like a duchess. She looked like a princess.
“You look beautiful, Your Grace,” Jinny said shyly. “The carriage is waiting downstairs for you.”
“Thank you, Jinny,” she said. “Do you have any idea what he has planned for me?”
The woman shook her head. “I have not the slightest clue.”
Selina smiled wryly. “Then that makes two of us.”
She went downstairs and out of the door to the carriage. “Where are we going?” she asked the driver.
He ducked his head, embarrassed, but also smiling.
“I beg your pardon, Your Grace, but His Grace expressly told me not to tell you. He wants it to be a surprise.” He hesitated for a moment before speaking.
“But if it is not too bold of me to say, he looked happier today than I have seen him in a long time.”
Warmth rushed through Selina, and she nodded. “I am glad to hear it.”
The carriage rocked gently over the cobblestones as they made their way through the quiet streets.
Selina gazed out the window at the flickering gas lamps and the passing carriages, memories of her childhood mingling with the present.
The city had changed so much since her father had passed, yet the familiar sights stirred a bittersweet ache in her chest.
She kept looking out the carriage window as they left the property and went into town. As they went down the street, she tried to guess where they were going, but was still surprised when the carriage stopped outside an opera house.
The driver opened the door for her. “His Grace told me that everything has already been arranged,” he said. “You just have to tell the ushers your name.”
“Thank you,” Selina said.
She stepped out of the carriage and went inside, looking around the general splendor of the opera house. An overwhelming sense of nostalgia filled her as she looked around. She had not set foot inside an opera house since her father had passed, but she dearly missed the music.
“Your Grace!”
It took her a moment to realize someone was speaking to her. She turned to see the Countess of Sterling, whom she vaguely remembered seeing at the Duke Hunt. She smiled. “Good evening, my lady. What a pleasant surprise!”
The older woman smiled pleasantly as she curtsied to Selina. “I am happy to see you out and about. You look stunning. I love that necklace.”
Selina reached up to touch the ruby necklace. “Thank you. It was a gift from my husband. He surprised me with a new necklace and a night at the opera.”
“It looks like the Stone Duke has a heart after all. At least when it comes to you.” She winked at her. “I am happy to hear it. I hope you have a lovely time tonight.”
“You as well, my lady. It was nice to see you again.”
A few other people greeted Selina, complimenting her dress and wishing her a good evening. It was strange knowing that everyone was watching her.
She was used to people whispering about her after the scandal with her brother. But now they looked at her because she was the Duchess of Greystone. She was the lady who supposedly charmed the duke with a heart of stone.
She found an usher and barely had the chance to introduce herself before she was being guided to a private opera box.
Dominic was already seated when she arrived, but he stood up as soon as he saw her. His warm eyes raked over her in a way that made heat pool in her stomach. “You look beautiful,” he said.