AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“He looks to be enjoying his conversation with my cousin,” she remarked, an idea dawning upon her. “Poor Lord Sandbourne,” she mused. “The one who loves least has the most power. She would never move so far away from her beloved London.”
“You don’t think she would?” the Duke asked, looking forlorn. Leah shook her head.
Leah could recall seeing both the Duke and Lord Sandbourne as children riding through the nearby countryside. They’d been friends for as long as she could remember. Nearly inseparable.
“Has he said something to you about my cousin?” she asked him, suddenly curious.
His eyes widened as he looked at her. “He might have mentioned something in passing.” Leah read that as a confirmation. His frown deepened. “Has she said something about the estates out here?”
“No. However, I’ve known her all my life,” Leah said. “She would never deign to live this far out of the way. Not permanently.”
He nodded, looking back at the dancers. Leah followed his gaze.
“I know how you care for him,” she said. “It might be in his best interest to warn him of her faults.”
“What faults are those, My Lady?”
“I wouldn’t dream of saying anything awful,” she said, as quietly as she could. “But in the interest of protecting Lord Sandbourne from making a grave mistake—she’s utterly vain and completely spoiled,” she whispered, lowering her voice even more. “As good and kind as Lord Sandbourne is, he would do better to forget all about her.” Leah wouldn’t be able to live in the same county as Selina—not at all. Once she was the Duchess of Gillingham, she was going to be the finest lady in the county.
It would be best if Selina returned to Hertfordshire at the end of the spring, safely two days’ ride away. This was Leah’s place. She’d lived here all her life. Even if Selina married the lesser, albeit sunnier, Lord Sandbourne, she would still outshine Leah. It was what she did all the time. Once she was gone, then Leah could take her rightful place among the local aristocracy—at its head, as Her Grace, the Duchess of Gillingham. Shedeservedit.
The dance ended, and Leah clapped, pasting a smile across her face. She glanced over at the Duke, who was standing beside her looking absolutely ill. She felt bad for him—he must be so concerned about his friend! To have found out that he was in danger of making a mistake had him so worried.
Leah squared her shoulders, glaring at her cousin, who was reeling the Marquess in with her baited smiles.
