CHAPTER TWO #3
“Selina,” he uttered, his voice low so as not to draw attention to himself. She was as agreeable to behold as he remembered. Her entrance evoked a ripple of whispers and surprised looks throughout the room.
When last had he seen her? It must have been at Henry’s funeral. Indeed. It had to be before he was pushed into his brother’s role, and he had become preoccupied ever since.
Selina’s gaze met his, and although he meant to look away, it was too late now. She was making a beeline towards him.
Memories long buried surfaced, and so did her betrayal. The ache returned, and now Marcus really wished to be anywhere but here. He had convinced himself in the past that he was over her, and there was nothing but goodwill to show towards her and his brother.
“Excuse me,” Marcus said to his current company as he moved forward to greet Selina.
“Marcus!” Selina called out to him in a fond manner like she usually did before she chose title over him. “It’s so good to see you.”
Marcus wished he could say the same. She offered him her hand, and he briefly brought the back of it to his lips. “Lady Holbrooke.” He acknowledged her without a hint of unnecessary familiarity in his tone.
Selina beamed, looking up at him through her lashes. His height overshadowed her, but she didn’t mind. She had always thought it was one of his best features. “How wonderful to see you again,” she chirped.
Marcus didn’t return her eagerness. “I didn’t expect to see you here.” If he had known she would be here, even with his mother’s plea, he wouldn’t grace this occasion.
“I’ve just returned from Bath, where I was staying with my parents. It’s been such a long time since we’ve had the pleasure of conversing. I’ve missed the company of old friends.”
Marcus’s lips tightened. “I see. I trust you found Bath to be a pleasant retreat.”
Selina chuckled. “It was quite lovely, thank you. But I must admit, it’s a pleasure to be back in London. And even more so to see you, Marcus.”
“I trust your time away was also introspective, as it was restful,” Marcus challenged. He was unsure of why he did it, but seeing her smile falter, he felt a bit pleased.
Selina’s faltering smile only lasted for a few seconds before she quickly recovered.
She leaned in slightly. “It was, Marcus,” she asserted, “I hope we can let the past go and find some common ground now in the present.” Her gaze lowered to the ground for a moment.
“After all, we did share many happy moments before…everything changed.” She looked up at him with a renewed excitement. “Pray tell, how have you been?”
Marcus wasn’t sure he wanted to be having this conversation, especially not with her. If he hadn’t felt comfortable earlier, he definitely felt worse now.
“It’s been a long time, Selina, and I’ve had quite the evening,” he breathed, not in the mood to indulge her. “I trust that you are faring well now, seeing that you’ve settled back into London society.”
Selina wore a resigned expression, frustrated by his consistent deflection. “I am well, and I truly regret how things ended. I hope we can at least find a way to be cordial, if not friendly.” She inched closer, and Marcus tensed. “The years have been good to you, I can see.”
Marcus took a step back, catching the slight frown that formed between Selina’s brows. “I appreciate your sentiments.”
“We never spoke after Henry’s death…”
There was a tightness in Marcus’s chest at the mention of Henry’s death.
Thankfully, before he could express his disinterest in speaking about his brother with her, the butler announced that dinner was ready, interrupting Selina.
She pursed her lips as Marcus politely excused himself, joining the other guests to move towards the dining table.
Marcus seized the opportunity to avoid further interaction with anyone and quickly found his mother, escorting her to the table.
To his dismay, he found himself seated next to Celia, and directly across from him sat Selina.
Selina fixed her gaze on him, and Marcus couldn’t help but wish to be elsewhere.
“Well, hasn’t this evening taken an unusual turn,” his mother leaned in to say, her eyes narrowing at Selina, who only acknowledged her with a graceful smile.
“I’m so excited about this evening, Your Grace,” Celia enthused. “My mother has such a flair for hosting. What do you think of the arrangement?”
Marcus forced a smile for the umpteenth time. “It is quite impressive, Lady Celia. Your mother does have a talent for creating a beautiful setting.”
The first course was served, and Marcus, albeit trapped, tried to focus on his meal. He didn’t need to raise his head to look in Selina’s direction to know she had her gaze set on him. He could feel her eyes on him.
“I’ve heard so much about the latest fashions from Paris.” Celia attempted to make conversation. She knew her mother would hound her if she didn’t catch enough of the duke’s attention tonight. “Have you seen any of the new designs, Your Grace?”
“No,” Marcus replied dryly. He turned his attention to the conversation his mother was having with Lady Elaine, hoping theirs could make Celia reduce her persistent attempts.
It was unfortunate enough that he was awfully conscious of Selina’s occasional glances that carried more meaning than just being casual; he didn’t need the younger Lady Worthington rambling on.
“Bath was such a refreshing change,” he heard Selina say.
Out of his peripheral, Marcus noted her talking to an old matron seated beside her.
“The society there was rather quite genteel,” Selina went on, “and the healing waters were as restorative as ever. It was just what I needed after such a turbulent time.”
“I can imagine,” the old matron chimed in. “Have you been, Your Grace?”
Marcus shifted uncomfortably. He returned his gaze to Selina and then to the matron whose name he’d forgotten at that moment. “I’ve heard the waters in Bath are quite renowned for their healing abilities. It seems it was a beneficial time for Lady Holbrooke.”
“Yes, I’ve heard that too myself!” Celia joined. “It’s such a shame that I haven’t had the chance to visit. Perhaps, next year.”
He sent her a false grin and turned to briefly meet Selina’s gaze, which held lots of unspoken messages.
“Returning to London has been a mixed blessing of sorts,” Selina admitted. “While it’s good to be back, the memories of Bath and the peace it brought are difficult to leave behind.”
The conversation around the table continued, but Marcus’s mind drifted elsewhere as he tried to focus on the food and the polite exchanges around him. He glanced at the dessert course being served and mentally counted down the minutes until he could excuse himself.
Celia leaned in with a coy smile. “I’ve been looking forward to the pudding all evening. Have you had it before, Your Grace?”
“I have. Several times actually. A delight each time.”
A desperate sigh clogged his throat, and he said a silent prayer with the hopes that he’d be able to leave sooner than later.