Page 29 of An Unwanted Widow for the Duke
“It was funny, Vicky,” Daphne whispered, smiling at her twin adoringly. “Some men do need to learn their faults.”
“While that may be true, it needn’t be announced across Mayfair,” Daniel chimed in with a chuckle. “It was amusing to hear about Lord?—”
“Don’t you dare say his name!” Lady Grisham snapped, cutting him off. “You’d better not encourage your sister, My Lord. You are the head of the family now; their reputations rest on your discipline.”
Daniel’s face darkened. He stopped walking to face her squarely. “As you can see, My Lady, the girls are not misbehaving. Weare enjoying a harmless walk in the park. A story among family members is hardly a scandal. I suggest you appreciate their good humor. They have retained it despite everything they have endured.”
Lady Grisham’s face flushed, the corners of her mouth tightening as if she had just bitten into a sour pickle.
Wilhelmina raised an eyebrow, studying her brother.
In the past, Daniel had sought escape from their father’s wrath, only returning after Marianne had begged him to. Their father had blamed him for his first wife’s death in childbirth.
Now, Wilhelmina could see that he carried himself differently, freer than ever.
Her mother, though silent, had not yet finished her inspection. Wilhelmina noted the way her eyes roamed over her from head to toe, assessing.
“Walk with me for a moment, daughter,” Lady Grisham said, extending her arm.
Wilhelmina hesitated for a moment, curious to know what her mother wanted to speak about. Daniel, Victoria, and Daphne had fallen silent, as if they sensed that something was off about the Marchioness.
Perhaps Wilhelmina was merely projecting her unease.
She exhaled and looped her arm through her mother’s. “Of course, Mother.”
They drifted away from the group, slowing their pace to let Daniel and the twins walk ahead. Lady Grisham maintained her silence, waiting until they were out of earshot before speaking.
“The Duke of Talleystone is an important man, Wilhelmina,” she began, her tone measured.
“Oh, I would guess so, given that he is a duke,” Wilhelmina replied, arching an eyebrow.
Her pulse quickened. Her mother had an agenda, and Wilhelmina already suspected what it was.
“Don’t act coy, daughter. I noticed that Lord Berkhead had to hush the two of you, and how you spoke to His Grace at the musicale. Have I ever given you reason to think I’m a fool?”
“I have never implied as much,” Wilhelmina said lightly.
“Then be straightforward with me,” Lady Grisham commanded.
They walked a few more steps in silence. Wilhelmina felt a curious sense of calm, a fragile lull before the confrontation.
“The Duke is a good match,” her mother said at last. “Were you planning to snatch him for yourself? I need honesty. Only then can I determine my next move.”
Wilhelmina stopped abruptly, squinting against the harsh sunlight. “What?”
“You already got married. You hold the title of Dowager Countess. Your sisters have never been married. If you do not plan to marry the Duke, you must make that clear, so he may turn his attentionelsewhere. Then we can work together to guide him toward your sisters.”
“Why is it that every time we speak, it isn’t about my well-being, but how I must plan a marriage for myself or my sisters?” Wilhelmina asked sharply.
Lady Grisham’s lips thinned. “I am not forbidding you from considering it. I speak as a widow to another. You are still young, and it is not too late to find a new husband.”
“I do not need your advice, Mother. Don’t pretend we are the same,” Wilhelmina snapped.
“Oh, but we are, in the eyes of the ton,” Lady Grisham said smoothly. “Except you still have youth on your side.”
“Mother, I wish you’d see us—all your daughters—as people, not ornaments to parade before eligible bachelors!”
“Do not waste your chances,” Lady Grisham warned. “You are clever enough to understand the truth in what I say.”
