AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Tell me all about it,” Reuben said, pouring Jasper a few fingers. Jasper took a large sip of his brandy.
“She’s found out that I’ve been meeting Selina,” he said, watching his brother’s eyes widen.
“How?”
“Someone on the staff tipped her off,” he replied. “Then, she somehow found letters that I’d sent to Selina.” He took another large sip. “She says that she’s going to have her father challenge me to a duel if I don’t keep my word and marry her.”
“Christ, what a mess,” Reuben said, grimacing. “What are you going to do?”
“Give her a few days to calm down, then try and talk to her rationally and reasonably. What else can I do?” He shrugged helplessly. The very worst thing that could happen was that he had to face Lord Kirby in a duel.
Reuben sat, tapping his glass with his fingernail as he thought. “To tell you the truth, I don’t know.”
* * *
Selina’s stomach somersaulted at her uncle’s words. She wanted to be gone from there.
“No one is moving from this house until we’ve figured things out,” Uncle Latimer stated firmly.
“You cannot keep us here,” Thomas replied. “I insist that we be on our way.”
“And I insist that we’re going to solve things in a dignified manner. No one is running off until the matter of my daughter’s engagement is settled. She’s demanding that I duel the Duke of Gillingham, and before I risk my life, as well as the life of another gentleman, I want to know the truth of the matter. The both of you will remain here until things have been settled.”
Selina didn’t like how that sounded either. The mention of a duel sent her into an even deeper panic. Her uncle looked them both in the eye, sternly. Selina nodded.
“It seems that there’s been infidelity and secret letters,” he said, looking at Selina with a measure of surprise and concern. “Leah’s accusing that you snuck out to meet with the Duke? That you were exchanging love letters with him? What Devil possessed you to do something like that?”
She swallowed, bowing her head in shame. She sighed, then looked her uncle in the eye. She would not be ashamed of her own actions. The least she could do was to have some backbone and own up to her part in the matter.
“I followed my heart, Uncle. There’s no shame in that. I’ll admit, it wasn’t the best way to go about it, but if you’re not going to let him out of an engagement that his heart isn’t into, then why are you forcing him into a marriage where he does not love?”
“That is a matter, which I myself need to consider, at the moment, Selina,” Uncle Latimer replied sternly. “Until such a time as I have a moment’s peace to think, you are not to stir from this house.” He looked pointedly at Thomas. “The both of you. Don’t make me pull rank on you, Thomas.” The look that he shot her brother could have turned fire to ice.
Uncle Latimer stormed off in the direction of his study. Thomas and Selina looked at each other. Her brother closed his eyes, sighing heavily. He shook his head, and then he left, too.
Selina returned to her room, where Faith was already packing. “Just put it all back, Faith. It appears that we’re to stay.”
* * *
Leah was lying on her bed, still fully dressed. Her hair was a complete wreck, and she’d been crying for so long and so hard that she’d given herself a headache. Her mother placed a cool washcloth on her head.
“There, there,” she said soothingly. “Just let it all out, and Papa will solve everything, my love.”
“I can’t believe he’ll have to duel the Duke,” Leah moaned.
“No, no, Love—your father will solve everything peaceably,” her mother said. “There will be no dueling.”
“But then how will he get the Duke to do as we want?” Leah sobbed. “I’m supposed to be Duchess. It has to be me, Mamma.”
“It will be, sweetling,” her mother said, beaming at Leah, as she caressed her hair—just like she had when Leah was a little girl. Leah smiled at her mother. She fully believed that her parents would solve everything. She closed her eyes, letting her mother gently bathe her tear-stained face with the cool, damp cloth.
There was a knock at the door.
“Come in,” her mother called out before Leah could tell her not to.
Leah opened one eye to see who had come, hoping that it was Wickes announcing the Duke’s arrival, to apologize and reschedule the wedding. Leah was disappointed to see Selina. She glared at her cousin.
“Make her go away, Mother.”
