Page 47 of His Ruined Duchess

“I admit, Your Grace, that I could not sleep last evening. I lay awake in my bed when I heard the two of you talking outside my window. I waited for Lydia in her room afterward, and we had a long discussion about her duties.”

He quirked a brow, leaning back in his chair. “I see. And secondly?”

This was the portion of the conversation that Selina had been nervous to begin. She had thought about the situation until she could no longer keep her eyes open last night, and while she was resolved to put her suggestion up for discussion with the Duke, her heart still beat furiously in her chest, a caged bird trying to break free.

Selina crossed the room, coming to a stop in front of the massive wooden desk. It’d been stained a warm, dark brown, and it’d always been a favorite piece of furniture of hers in the entire estate. She’d watched her late husband sit there and attend to business as she took up residence on the small chaise that sat in the corner.

Flicking her gaze to it now, a fine layer of dust covered the fabric of the settee. She hadn’t sat there in so long, and Hugh hardly letanyone, let alone the housekeeper and maids, inside this study, it seemed.

Steady yourself, Selina. You are sure. You can do this.

“Secondly,” Selina cleared her throat as it attempted to close, pulling her hands together in front of herself and squeezing them, “I have a suggestion on how to handle the arrangements of my sisters. One that might ensure that Lydia does not attempt to run away again.”

The room was silent for several seconds, and then Hugh stood up from his chair and walked to the front of the desk. He leaned back against it, perching on the edge. He regarded her, a mixture of curiosity and concern on his face. She cursed to herself yet again that he was so disarmingly handsome.

He’d not shaved in a moment, and the subtle scruff on his chin was a sight to see. Beards were common among much older gentlemen, but this in-between state was not something she was used to seeing.

“Go on. What is this suggestion that will keep me from having to wrangle your sister like an unruly cat?”

Irritation flared through Selina. Lydia could be a bit vexing, of course, but the Duke had insulted her sister to her face. It was hardly a surprise coming from him. Even after all their etiquette lessons, Hugh refused to acknowledge them when they were in the privacy of the estate. While it was refreshing at times, this was certainly not one of them.

He is markedly more cruel when his mood is sour. He lets his emotions get the best of him, and still, Hugh has the gall to accusemeof being rash, of provoking reactions from him when he is obviously doing the same thingtomenow.

She would not sink to that level, however. Selina was determined to convince Hugh that this was the best course of action.

“I have an alternative to your ultimatum regarding my sisters’ engagements. WhenImarry, I will take them with me. I will bring along my mother as well. You will have all of us out of the estate, as you have mentioned is your desire, and you will not have to wait until Lydia or Myra are of age. A fine deal. And should Magnus refuse to allow it, I shall simply find another match that will. Though I do not believe that will be an issue.”

She didn’t mention that the reason she believed that was because Magnus was bringing in Kitty. If the girl had friends to entertain herself with, such as Lydia and Myra, it would be to the benefit of everyone. Magnus would not have to worry over her, and Selina would be able to share some of the responsibility of looking after Kitty with her sisters and mother.

It was a satisfactory arrangement for all of them, indeed, and that included Hugh. He would have had his empty house much sooner, as desired.

“You will have your estate, and the women under your roof will be all transferred to the care of a gentleman of good standing and in a much better timeline than previously assumed. I can see no reason why this shouldn’t work out perfectly for all of us.”

Hugh was quiet, his expression unreadable. It was a talent of his, and Selina continued to hate it. What was he thinking?

The air around her began to weigh more and more, a thickening substance that coated her skin and sought to press her down to the floor. Selina struggled to take in a breath, noting the way Hugh’s stare had fallen to the rug that lay between them. She watched him clench his jaw and then glance up at her once more.

“So, am I to assume then that you plan to wed Magnus? You have chosen him as your match?”

Selina was taken aback by the question. That had been all but guaranteed since the moment he asked to court her. There had been no refusal or unfortunate circumstances since their first outing together, and with that all the case, there was only one logical place that the courting would lead to—marriage.

“Well, yes, of course.” She swallowed hard, something happening deep inside her chest as the words came out. “That is the intended goal of the courtship. I have had no reason to deny his proposal whenever he intends to deliver it.”

What was this? Why did Selina suddenly feel sorrowful? This was not what she’d expected when she arrived here. The plan was to accept Magnus’ proposal and take her family with her, freeing them from the pressure of living with Hugh and freeinghimof her.

Why did she feel then as if she couldn’t breathe? Why did the corners of her eyes burn as her stomach dropped into her feet?Selina knew that she held no great joy over marrying Magnus. It was a match of convenience, of course, but he had been a friend for several years. She knew he would treat her with kindness.

But imagining him on his knee in front of her, asking for her hand, filled Selina with an abrupt dread that choked her as sure as a fist. It was so much worse than how she had felt at the notion of marrying Easton before they had met.

Because you did not have anyone else you wished to ask you then.

The thought was a foreign intruder, and Selina had to force herself to remain calm, to fight the need to cry back as fervently as she could.

“No reason to deny it of course.” Hugh’s head bobbed as he nodded lightly several times. “No, I suppose you do not.”

Selina’s nerves fired beneath her skin as if she’d grabbed a hot poker with her bare hands. What was Hugh saying? What was heimplying?

Swallowing again, Selina flicked her stare down to the familiar red and teal rug and then back up at the Duke.

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