Page 31 of Married to the Ruthless Duke

Well, Helen would take back the comment about her sister being cute. Margaret was a crafty one.

“Who said I met with the Duke tonight?” Helen asked, looking away and attempting to deflect.

But since she already felt her face heating up in embarrassment, Margaret had already come to a conclusion.

“That is quite easy. No other man in the whole of London could make you smile that way. It was a miracle your face didn’t split in two. I don’t blame you. The man is definitely handsome,” Margaret said, raising an eyebrow suggestively.

The Duke was definitely not the reason why Helen was smiling earlier, but that was not the point, and it didn’t make sense to argue.

“Has he kissed you yet?” Margaret asked, with a sly smirk on her face.

Helen looked away, flushing even brighter, and she prayed the semidarkness in the room would conceal her blush, but Margaret had wonderful eyesight.

“Ah, you did,” she crowed in obvious enjoyment.

Helen shook her head in amazement. Of course, she loved the journey her sister was taking towards recovering her true self, but Helen was not sure she loved this aspect of her sister’s personality. She was happy Margaret was enjoying herself, but not when it was at her own expense.

“Well, tell me, my dearest, how was it? Judging by your expression, it was one earthshaking kiss.” Margaret paused, and then her face dropped into an expression of concern.

Great. Sensible Maggie is back.

“But in all seriousness, what was so important that you decided to take a stroll all the way to the Duke’s house? He lives on the other side of Mayfair. That was quite dangerous, the risk of ruination being the least of the dangers. Highway thieves have been known to roam that road. I really hope that the reason you went there was achieved because that was one risky adventure, in my opinion.”

“Do not fret, Sister. I was quite careful. I know I can be impulsive, but trust me, I am not that careless.”

“All right, why did you need to meet with the Duke?” Margaret asked, a curious furrow forming on her brow.

At that, Helen looked away in embarrassment, wringing her hands. “The Duke and I had a falling out earlier today, and he called off the marriage. I went this evening to apologize, since I was the cause of the argument.”

“That had to be a very serious disagreement for the Duke to call of the marriage.” Then looking at her sister curiously, Margaret continued, “I thought that would be welcome news. You have been making earnest efforts to make the Duke call it off.”

At this, Helen was silent as she contemplated how to provide answers to that question. She saw when realization dawned on Margaret because her eyes widened in surprise.

“Don’t tell me this is because of our family’s financial problems!”

Now, it was Helen’s turn to be surprised.

“How did you know?”

“Firstly, I am not blind, I can see the downsizing happening in our home, even though Papa does his best to be subtle about it. I also had a conversation with Papa earlier today, when I brought to his notice some lags in the household management. It took some prodding, but he finally admitted the truth.”

Right, Helen had forgotten that Margaret was also a very observant lady, and in the absence of their mother, she ran the household accounts, so it stood to notice that she would notice any change in the running of the household.

“I don’t want you to feel you have to marry the Duke to save our family. If anything, as the family’s eldest daughter, I am the one meant to step up in this type of situation. It is settled. At first light, I am paying a visit to the Duke. If he must marry a Honeyfield girl, he can marry me,” Margaret declared with a determined tilt of her chin.

Helen knew that look. Margaret hardly showed the stubborn side of her personality, since she was usually mild-tempered, but when she decided on something, she was like a dog with a bone it never gave up.

“There is no need for that, Sister.”

“Don’t worry, Sister, you don’t have to deal with that beast anymore.”

“But… I care for the Duke!” Helen blurted out in desperation.

The smug look on her sister’s face confirmed that she had succeeded in making Helen admit to her affection for the Duke.

“That was quite passionate,” Margaret said, waving an imaginary fan, pretending to cool herself. “When is the wedding?” she continued.

“I never said the Duke had forgiven me!”

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