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“Are you accusing my fiancé?” Leah demanded.
“Not at all,” Selina replied calmly. “How could I? After all, we were all together—with Lord Munro and Lord Sandbourne as well—duringthe attack. I’m just saying that our culprit may be among the local aristocracy.”
Everyone was silent, as they digested that thought. Leah was sitting close to the Duke, leaning toward him, her eyes on him, waiting for him to say something.
When Selina looked at the Duke, his gaze was on her. She felt her skin flush hot.He is not mine. What was I thinking?
* * *
Jasper looked at her. She was brilliant. Sitting calmly, as though she hadn’t just dropped an answer in his lap.
“I can’t think of a single person who would do something like this,” Lord Kirby said.
“That’s why it’s so brilliant, Uncle. No one suspects him.” Lady Selina stood up, pressing a hand to her forehead. “If I may be excused for a moment— I’m feeling a bit warm.”
“You do look flushed,” Lady Kirby said. “Shall I send for some tea?”
“I think I’ll have Faith fetch a glass of water,” Lady Selina said, walking out of the room.
Jasper sat in silence, considering what had just been brought to his attention. Who would have threatened the Mortons, then stolen their valuables? It made sense that it was not someone poor—the horses had not been taken. The Morton’s pair were Cleveland Bays, which were very expensive.
“Come, Latimer,” Lady Kirby said. “You can turn the pages while I play the pianoforte.”
“I’d be happy to, my dear.” They moved off, to where the pianoforte was. Lady Kirby played softly.
“My cousin has the most grim set of mind,” Lady Leah said, shaking her head.
“She’s brought up something I hadn’t thought of, My Lady.”
“To accuse our friends and neighbors. Any one of them might be at the wedding.”
“Do you think, perhaps, that we should postpone it?” he asked.
“But the invitations have already gone out! My dress will be done in a few days,” Lady Leah mused. “No. No, we couldn’t.”
He felt as though things were out of hand. When had all these things been decided? How had they gone on, without his knowledge?
“Who decided?”
“Your mother and I,” Lady Leah replied. “You said—you said that her approbation was as good as your own.”
He nodded. “I did say that, didn’t I?”
“We cannot put it off,” Lady Leah stated firmly. “It would be awful. Not to mention, Lady Morton is particularly looking forward to it. She said today that it was the one thing keeping her spirits up in these dark days.”
* * *
Selina stood out in the hallway, her hands on her waist as she took deep, calming breaths. It would not do to be found, crying in the hall. She walked alone along the dimly lit hall, making her way slowly to her room.
She wondered when she had started to fall for the Duke. There was a pain in her chest, at the thought that he wasn’t hers. After all, he had taken her seriously. He might not have—many gentlemen would have dismissed it as womanish fancy. He respected her intelligence.
She walked to her room. At what point had her feelings for him increased? They’d snuck up on her, while she smiled at him, enjoying his company, clearly unaware of the danger that she’d promised Faith she would avoid.
Faith had been right—how was she supposed to attend his wedding? She couldn’t. It was as simple as that.
Opening her window, she let the cool air wash over her. Closing it, she took a few deep breaths, and then made her way back down the hall.
She rearranged her face, smiling at the closed door before she opened it. Entering, she saw, immediately, that Leah and the Duke were sitting cozily together on the settee. It was like a slap.
