“My daughter?” Her mother’s voice cracked. “May I ask why?”
“Or which,” he said with a chuckle. “Miss Marigold is here, no? Although I cannot see her anywhere…” He turned his head and looked around the ballroom. “I was hoping to ask her to dance with me, but it is hard to do if she is hiding.”
“You… you wish to dance with her?” Celestine’s mother appeared terrified by the prospect.
The Duke was indeed an intimidating figure. The type who always got what he wanted. The type who did not know the meaning of the word ‘no’ and even if he did, saw it as a challenge.
Celestine looked coldly at the Duke. Where most young women would bow their heads and do as they were told, Celestine was not most women. She had one goal in this life, to protect her sisters, and men such as the Duke were exactly who she needed to protect them from.
What is the point of being known as the Mad Hargrave Sister if you do not take advantage of it, Celestine…
“I will save you the effort, Your Grace.” Celestine stood up to the Duke. “Where you might wish to dance with my sister, I can assure you that she does not wish to dance with you.”
“Celestine!” her mother gasped.
The Duke frowned with amusement at her. “Is that so?”
“I have no doubt that there are a dozen other women who might be more willing,” she continued. “Barring that, who might not have the courage to deny you. But my sister is not one of them.”
“You sound awfully sure.”
“I have never been more sure,” she continued bravely, even as her body trembled with fear. “We do appreciate the offer, just as we have no choice but to refuse it.” She widened her eyes at the Duke.
He did not tremble at her glare. He did not look even remotely put out. Again, he appeared amused, perhaps even confused, as if unable to understand what was happening or why.
“Isn’t that a pity,” he said finally and slowly. “But if that is the case, well, I might have to reconsider my dancing partner.” His grey eyes flicked over Celestine. “I wonder, you are not refusing me your sister because you hope to take her place, are you?”
“Not even a little bit.”
He tilted his head and frowned. His eyes did not leave her once. And Celestine braced herself for the argument, the moment when he told her that he cared not for her opinion, and that he would dance with Marigold whether she wanted it or not.
“Very well,” he said simply. “Sorry to disturb you both, and might you have a pleasant evening.” A final look of amusement,with a touch of confusion, and the Duke turned and walked away.
Celestine took a deep breath and she just about collapsed.
“Celestine!” her mother grabbed her arm. “What were you thinking? You cannot speak that way to His Grace!”
“I just did.”
Her mother groaned. “He is not a man to be made a fool of, Celestine. This is not good… not good at all.”
“Let him be upset with me…” She turned and watched the Duke walk through the crowd; they moved for him without question. “Better that than risk Marigold ending up as one of his conquests.”
About to turn back toward her mother, Celestine’s eyes fell to the ground where she noticed a piece of folded parchment. She frowned at it and then realized quickly that it must have been dropped by the Duke.
“What are you doing?” her mother hissed as Celestine picked it up.
“The Duke…” She unfolded the parchment. “He dropped… oh my.”
The piece of parchment had at its top a heading that read ‘Not to fall in love with at any cost…’That made Celestine smirk, as she related a little too well to the notion. But then she read further and her stomach dropped.
The parchment contained a list of a dozen women. Written beside their names were various qualities; obedient, homely, well-liked, known to be troublesome. Some names were scratched off, others were unlined, and all were women who Celestine knew.
Worse of all, and that which made her gasp, was the inclusion of Marigold’s name. The words ‘outspoken’ ‘stubborn’ and ‘challenging’ were written beside her name, but that it was underlined twice was cause enough for alarm.
“What is it?” her mother asked. “What does it say?”
Celestine thought quickly. Clearly, the Duke was making a list of his future conquests, and if this list was anything to go by, her sister was one who he had his eye on.I must stop him!
