Page 50 of The Duke's Jilted Bride

The Duchess of Emberford entered with a warm smile, a plump child perched on her hip—little Beatrice. Behind her, a maid followed discreetly.

“I hope we’re not interrupting,” Georgiana said as Selina rushed to embrace her.

“Not in the slightest.” Selina stepped back to study her friend. Motherhood had softened Georgiana’s features, adding a gentle fullness to her previously slender frame. “You look radiant.”

“And you look like a proper duchess,” Georgiana replied, her eyes taking in Selina’s elegant day dress. “Marriage agrees with you, it seems.”

Selina’s smile faltered slightly, but she covered it by turning her attention to her daughter. “And this must be Beatrice! She’s grown so much since I last saw her.”

The little girl regarded Selina with solemn blue eyes, one finger tucked securely in her mouth.

“She’s normally quite shy,” Georgiana explained, bouncing her daughter gently. “But she warms up quickly. Here, would you like to hold her?”

Before Selina could answer, Georgiana had transferred the child to her arms. Beatrice stiffened momentarily, then relaxed, apparently deciding Selina was acceptable.

“There now,” Selina murmured, breathing in the clean, sweet scent of the child’s hair. “Aren’t you beautiful?”

She settled on the sofa with Beatrice in her lap, Georgiana taking a seat beside them. The maid hovered near the door, ready to assist if needed.

“We’ve only just returned to London yesterday,” Georgiana explained. “Robert is at a meeting with his solicitor, but he sends his regards and hopes very much that you’ll join us for dinner tonight.”

“I would love to,” Selina replied, helping Beatrice stand on her knees, tiny hands gripping her fingers for balance.

“Excellent.” Georgiana watched them for a moment. “I was devastated to hear about your wedding while we were away. I couldn’t believe the news when it reached us at Emberford.”

Selina focused on Beatrice, bouncing her gently. “It all happened rather suddenly.”

“So I gathered.” Georgiana’s voice softened. “Are you truly well, Selina? I’ve been worried about you.”

The genuine concern in her friend’s tone threatened to crack Selina’s composure. How long had it been since anyone had asked about her welfare with such sincerity?

“It’s been… a change,” she admitted. “But I’m managing.”

“And the Duke? Robert says he’s quite formidable.”

“He is that.” Selina smiled as Beatrice reached for a ribbon on her dress. “Careful, little one. That’s attached.”

“Is he kind to you?” Georgiana pressed. “I remember how devastated you were when he failed to appear for your first wedding. For him to return and claim you so abruptly seems rather high-handed.”

Selina considered her answer carefully. She could hardly explain the complexities of her marriage—the awkward distance, the occasional moments of connection, the lingering tension since the kiss at the opera.

“We have an arrangement that suits us both,” she said finally. “The Duke required a wife, and I… well, security is not to be undervalued.”

Georgiana studied her face. “That doesn’t answer my question.”

“He’s not unkind,” Selina clarified. “Distant, perhaps. Reserved. But he defended me when Lady Penderwick was rude.”

“The fearsome Lady Penderwick?” Georgiana’s eyebrows rose. “Now there’s a dragon I wouldn’t care to face.”

“She was quite breathtaking in her venom.” Selina recounted the incident, finding herself smiling at the memory of Rowan’s cold fury. “You should have seen her face when he called her breeding into question.”

Georgiana laughed, then sobered. “Still, a marriage should be more than protection from social dragons.”

“My first marriage taught me to value peace over passion,” Selina replied. “And while the Duke and I may not share the affection you and Robert enjoy, we have the makings of a reasonable partnership.”

Something flickered in Georgiana’s eyes—doubt, perhaps, or pity. Both were unbearable.

“Enough about my circumstances,” Selina said firmly. “Tell me about Emberford. Has the south wing renovation been completed?”

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