Page 16 of His Ruined Duchess

“Indeed.” Charlotte nodded, her brows raised up to her hairline. “As he is unwed, Magnus knows that he would require assistance if he were to care for Kitty himself. As such… he’s decided to find a bride.”

“What?” Both Rose and Charlotte laughed at Selina’s outburst; she couldn’t help but chuckle in return. “He’s always been so set on remaining single. Ugh, and Ethel is nowhere in sight.”

The women’s laughter grew stronger, overtaking the feelings of sorrow. Selina had to admit that it felt so wonderful to give herself over to joking and teasing with her friends, getting her mind off the imposing future that lay ahead of them all.

“If my dear friend were here, she could wed Magnus.” Selina had to speak through an endless tirade of giggles. “They would makequitethe pair, wouldn’t they?”

“Selina!” Charlotte grinned, playfully elbowing her. “You’re terrible. You know they can’t stand each other. Ethel has been quite vocal about herdislikeof my brother.”

“Can you imagine her face if she were here, and I suggested it?” Selina laughed harder. “It would have been so hilarious. I am certain that joke would have seen me happily through the next month!”

Their fit of giggles continued for several minutes, all of them jesting about what facial expressions both Magnus and Ethel would wear and how terribly matched they were. After a time, the mood calmed some, and the friends worked to catch their breath after laughing so hard.

“Have you heard from her?” Rose asked, wiping tears from beneath her eyes that had accompanied her raucous laughter.

Selina sighed, the swell of positivity in her mood faltering. “Unfortunately, I have not. She has not answered the letters I’ve sent her, and I have no information regarding what she might be doing and where.”

Rose shook her head, her face becoming more solemn. “That’s terrible, and with such talk going around as well.”

“What talk?”

Selina straightened up, her brows pinching together as she worried about what people were saying about her dear friend.Ethel and Selina had an argumentative relationship, but it had always been done in good fun. If the ton were speaking poorly about her, Selina would put a stop to it.

Rose’s blanching face told Selina all she needed to know, really. Whatever the ton was on about, it was unkind and likely scandalous. Ethel did not deserve that.

“My apologies, Selina. I didn’t mean to offend at all.” Rose’s eyes were wide, and Selina held up a hand.

“It’s all right. Please go on.”

“The rumors are…not kind.” Rose began, and both Selina and Charlotte leaned toward her, eager to hear what was being said about their friend. “They are also quite odd. I will admit to never hearing such things before. However, my direct experience with the ton is limited because of how I remained within my chambers for a time.”

“Of course, I know that you dealt with much because of that horrible Baron.”

Selina remembered how the man had sought to ruin her. It was only as Charlotte and Frederick were getting acquainted as man and wife that Frederick had been able to stop the man when he attempted to drag Rose further down. Frederick had nearly been killed.

“Indeed.” Rose nodded, the shadow of the past moving over her features. “Still, this is about Ethel, and what I have heard is that she has… gone mad. Rumors are spreading that she has not been seen because circumstances demanded that she be reprimanded to a sanatorium.”

“What?! That’s preposterous,” Selina scoffed, rolling her eyes, but a thread of worry slithered through her, and she had to force herself to swallow.

“As I have said whenever I hear it,” Rose replied. “Still, I fear that if she is not returned soon…permanentdamage might be done to her reputation.”

Chapter Seven

“One night of rest. Is that too much to ask?”

Selina threw off the covers, hanging her feet over the side of her bed as she grumbled to herself. It had been at least a couple of hours since she’d lain down with the intent of sleeping. Instead, she had spent the entire time tossing and turning.

Her legs felt strange, as if she needed to move them, so rather than continue to fight it as she had, Selina stood up and retrieved her robe, heading to the door. She crept through the house quietly, sneaking her way down to the main level and out the door at the rear that led to the gardens.

The crisp night air was refreshing, and even being outside for only a few minutes was enough to ease the tension that had been dogging her.

What am I to do about the Duke’s command? Am I to find Magnus and fulfil his desire for a wife?

Selina didn’t mind Magnus. He was a stubborn, rather unapproachable type of fellow, but he’d never come across as cruel. Still, the idea of marrying him turned her stomach. She didn’t wish to marry anyone, and the longer Selina thought about it, the more that applied to Magnus. He just wasn’t right for her, and she’d already spent several years of her life in a loveless marriage.

She didn’t want that again, even though Easton had been kind.

Being alone honestly sounded like the best possible future for her, and that damned Duke was taking that chance to be happy away from her.

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