Page 3 of The Duke's Indecent Match
Kalina giggled at the image he put in her head.
“Will everyone there be English and look like you?”she asked.Normally, she did not interrupt her father, but moving to this new home with such high hopes, only to be disappointed, had her feeling bolder than usual.
Papa hesitated.
“Perhaps among theton,” he said.“But when I left, there were already large communities of citizens moving from Africa and India to Britain, just as there are large communities of British moving to Africa and India.That will make you different.Special.”
“I am tired of being different,” she admitted.
“You speak perfect English, and your manners are impeccable.You will have all the social graces you need to be a success with theton, so you will be similar to them as well.”
“Because your father is a Marquess.”
“Yes.”He hesitated again, and for a moment she thought he might say something about the difficulties, explain further, but then his arms tightened around her.“I will make sure you have the life you deserve, my little princess.”
But her father could not force anyone to be her friend.Not truly.He had tried to arrange friendships for her in the past.None of them had been real.None of those children had ever truly accepted her, though they’d been forced to spend time in her presence.
Kalina did not tell him that.It would have hurt him, and she would do anything to avoid hurting her Papa.
“Thank you, Papa,” she said, because there was nothing else to say.
Leaning her head against his shoulder, she listened to him describe the joys of England… and she dreamed.
1
Kalina
Staring up at the large manor house, Kalina took in a deep breath of the unfamiliar country air.The dark grey stone heights were impressive, foreboding even, but it was a house filled with promise.The future she’d dreamed of when she was a little girl back in India, feeling like there was nowhere she belonged.
She did not always feel like she belonged here in England, either… but thanks to a small group of young ladies who had reached out their hands in friendship, she was starting to.Lady Astrid was what her father called anOriginal.She was also a force within theton, literally changing the tides of how Society viewed Kalina and her family.
Sliding her gaze over the many windows facing outward from this side of the house, Kalina paused as she saw two broad-shouldered silhouettes on the corner of the third floor.Two of the gentlemen who had been invited to this weekend?Kalina smoothed her hands over her skirts, hoping the wrinkles in her travel dress were not visible from such a distance.
There were dukes present this weekend.
Multiple of them.
If she married a duke, her father’s family would be forced to accept her father back into their fold.It had to be a duke because only a duke outranked her grandfather’s title of marquess.Lady Astrid had filled her house party with dukes, several marquesses, and a bevy of young ladies she favored.Kalina was grateful to be among them.
“Do you think they get their name from their house?”Ashwin asked, referencing Lady Astrid’s surname of Blackstone, as he moved to stand beside her.Her younger brother was now an inch taller than her, even though they’d been the same height when they’d arrived in England.He was growing so quickly, her father had already taken him back to the tailor for another set of clothing.
“It is very dark grey stone,” Kalina replied, tilting her head as she considered the possibility.“I think it more likely they used the stone because of their name rather than the other way round.”
The front door opened, cutting off further conversation, and Lady Astrid came out, beaming.As always, she was dressed in impeccable fashion, wearing a rust-orange and black-striped dress that put Kalina in mind of a tiger.Her favored Cairngorm jewels adorned her throat, though the size of this necklace was smaller than the ones she wore with her ballgowns.With her dark red hair piled in a complicated coiffure, she looked exactly like what she was—a leader of theton.Her mother and father were behind her, practically fading into the background when compared with Lady Astrid’s presence.Kalina had met them during the Season, though they had not made much of an impression.
“Kalina!I am so glad you were able to come,” Lady Astrid said, sweeping down the staircase with her hands outstretched in front of her.
The warm smile on Lady Astrid’s face made Kalina’s heart feel like it was blooming.
“Thank you.I am very glad to be here,” she said, taking Lady Astrid’s hands.
Servants were already on their way down the stairs to help with the luggage, creating a bustle in the drive as the carriages were unloaded and the Blackstones greeted Kalina’s family.
Lady Blackstone looked like an older version of Lady Astrid, though her red hair was duller, her complexion paler, and her face had more lines.She smiled as warmly as her daughter, appearing sincerely welcoming of her new guests.Lord Blackstone stood more stiffly, but that was very British and not necessarily a sign of displeasure, though Kalina made a mental note of his standoffishness.She would be very careful around him, so as not to tax his sensibilities if he was uncertain about welcoming the estranged branch of the Marquess of Stilton’s family into his home.
Less than ten briskly efficient minutes later, Lady Astrid had escorted their entire family into the same corner of the house Kalina had seen the gentlemen watching from, though a floor below them.Her parents were across the hall from her, her brother in the room beside hers.
“Delilah will be just down the hall from you,” Lady Astrid whispered in Kalina’s ear, giving her a last embrace before whisking out of the room to tend to the next guest arriving.Kalina could not help but smile as the door closed behind the forthright young lady.
