Page 53 of Ne'er Duke Well
But when he looked back at Selina’s face, it had gone calm and smooth, almost impassive. There was no trace of panic in her voice when she spoke.
“Lady Eldon,” she said, placing her hand on Peter’s forearm. “Let me be the first to present to you my future husband, the Duke of Stanhope.”
Chapter 14
… If then women are not a swarm of ephemeron triflers, why should they be kept in ignorance under the specious name of innocence?
—from Selina’s private copy ofA VINDICATION OF THE RIGHTS OF WOMAN,annotated in her hand: “Why indeed!”
Selina was not entirely certain if she had lost her mind.
Here was Lady Eldon, her eyes dancing, congratulating them on their betrothal. Theirbetrothal.Theirbetrothal.
Here was Nicholas, furious but ever-polite, taking Peter’s hand in what looked to be a vise grip and murmuring, “We will discuss this tonight, Selina.”
Aunt Judith and Thomasin and Daphne and Lord Eldon, saying all sorts of things she couldn’t quite make out.
And Peter. The only thing she was certain of was Peter’s warm solid form beside her, his hand unmoving from the small of her back.
The dinner party broke up rather quickly. Lord and Lady Eldon took their leave, Lady Eldon dimpling at all of them and taking her husband’s arm in hers as they made their way to their carriage.
Then it was just Peter and an array of her family members, whose expressions ranged from amazed delight—Thomasin, naturally—to cool censure—Aunt Judith—to barely banked fury.
That last was Nicholas.
“Stanhope,” he said icily. “Let me speak to you in my study.”
Somehow this cracked Selina’s dazed stupor. “I should think not,” she managed to say. “Do you truly believe I would allow two men to discuss my future as though I have no say in it?”
“Selina.” Nicholas caught her in his stern hazel gaze, and he yanked at his cravat in frustration. “I am not sure how much say you have, at this point.”
She tossed back her hair. “I have every bit as much say as the two of you, and—no, blast it—”
“Selina,” said Aunt Judith censoriously.
“Damnit, I havemoreof a say in what happens to me than my brother!”
“Selina!”
“Enough,” said Daphne, and her crisp tone was enough to silence the rest of them. “Enough. Did the two of you truly come to an agreement?”
Selina’s heart thudded against her ribs, and she turned toward Peter.
He had looked terrified, there in the darkened music room, with her body crushed to his and Lady Eldon standing stunned in the doorway.
He had been afraid. He must have thought that this was the end of his guardianship petition. To be caught by Lord Eldon inthe process of compromising the Duke of Rowland’s sister—in Rowland’s own house! It would have been one scandal too far, one final disaster.
And she could not let that happen to him.
So she had said the only thing that came to her mind.
What was the solution to a scandal?
Marriage, Lydia had told her. Marriage is the solution to a scandal.
And now, here in the drawing room, with her family clustered around her, she did not know if she had done right. She looked up into Peter’s eyes.
He looked at her the way he always did. Warm, and sure, and so intent upon her that the rest of the world could have faded away, and she thought he might not notice.
