Page 9 of The Duke and the Unwanted Bride

“You should be ashamed, Your Grace,” Teresa snarled. “As should you, Hannah!”

“Hannah, what were you thinking?!” Lady Ramsbury gasped in outrage. “What are you doing?!”

“Nothing!” Hannah cried, not even certain who she was speaking to. The room was pandemonium, and all she could do was shout. “It was an accident! Truly, nothing happened!”

“Only because we found you before it could!” her aunt declared next. “And thank God we did—the wedding! What are we to do about the wedding?”

“Mother,” Selina began with little conviction, as if worried to voice her concerns. “Surely you cannot expect me to marry this man now? Not after…” She looked at Hannah quickly, then looked away as if from shame.

“And you should not have to!” Teresa took her daughter in her arms. “I would not let him near you now for all the world!”

“What about Hannah?” Lord Ramsbury demanded. “I refuse to believe that she did this of her own accord.”

“What about Selina?!”

“My daughter was accosted!” Lord Ramsbury stomped his foot and clenched his fists. “And I want answers!”

The room seemed to spin around Hannah. Still standing in the corner, with her back pressed against the wall. Still half-naked, her body now trembling, feeling as exposed and embarrassed and utterly mortified as she ever had, it was all she could do to keep herself from collapsing. Which she might have done was it not for the fear that her garments would fall away entirely.

But her world was crashing down around her. Crumbling so quickly that she could scarcely believe it was even happening. Her aunt was furious. Her cousin was heartbroken. Her mother was ashamed. And her father was caught between embarrassment and anger. Shouting. Screaming. Hands wringing. It was a chaos that Hannah could not make sense of.

She knew one thing to be true, however. Regardless of what happened next, her future was well and truly ruined.

Amid the screaming and shouting, the Duke stood in a state of calm. Even among the chaos, it was shocking just how composed he was; he seemed like a giant among squabbling ants. He observed the mess, ignoring the insults and abuse as his mind worked toward what Hannah could not imagine.

And then, finally, he met her eyes. Held them. Looked right at her and through her as he came to a decision of some kind. At that moment, for a brief second, the chaos seemed to quiet, such was the power and command radiating from him.

“I want answers!” Lord Ramsbury shouted.

“The wedding is off!” Teresa cried.

“I cannot believe this has happened!” Selina wept.

“Hannah! What do you have to say for yourself?” Lady Ramsbury demanded.

“What about His Grace!” Lord Ramsbury parried. “He was the one who?—”

“Enough!” the Duke suddenly bellowed with such force that it washed over the small room like a wave, silencing everyone as if they had been struck by lightning. “Enough,” he repeated, his voice softening to a rumbling growl.

He stood in the room’s center, all eyes on him. And while he might have sounded angry by the way he shouted, he did not look it. Cool and collected, was how Hannah saw him. Frustrated also, but certainly still in control.

“Lady Langham,” he began, turning to Teresa. “You disappoint me greatly. I have explained what occurred here, and yet, like some hysterical fishwife who had found her husband in bed with another woman, you have refused to listen. I would have thought that you of all people would know me well enough to at least give me the benefit of the doubt. Clearly, I overestimated you, holding you in too high an esteem.”

“Your—Your Grace,” she stammered. “Forgive me, but?—”

“You wish to cancel the wedding? Even after I have given you my word that there was no need for this level of alarm—as if my word is not enough?” He glared at her. “Fine, I will not stop you.”

“I—”

“And, Miss Gouldsmith,” he continued, looking at Selina, “I am truly sorry for what you think have happened here. For as embarrassed as you are surely feeling, you must know that no offense was committed against you. A misunderstanding is all this is.”

Selina’s mouth opened and closed, but no words came out. The tears still flowed though, her mortification still apparent.

“Again, you wish to cancel the wedding? I will not stop you, nor would I agree to such a thing now, having witnessed this absurd carry-on. And, Lord Ramsbury…” He finally turned to the Earl, who was still looking dumbstruck. “I apologize for what you have witnessed.”

“I…” Lord Ramsbury struggled to find the words.

“We just wish to know what happened here,” Lady Ramsbury interjected. “Your Grace, surely you understand our concern. Our daughter…” She looked at Hannah. “She has been found naked in your room. How can you expect anything less than outrage?”

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