Page 5 of The Duke and the Unwanted Bride

“My ring caught on the stitching!” Selina said in a panic. “I am sorry! I—oh no!”

It was a disaster! The entire shoulder of Hannah’s dress had been torn in half, exposing her shoulder and upper arm. The neckline slipped down, unable to stay in place. She held her hand under her bust to keep her breasts covered, looking about wildly as if searching for an answer.

“My dress! I cannot—supper!” she stammered. “I cannot present myself at supper dressed as this! My father would kill me!”

“He is the least of your problems…” Selina bit her lip.

The two girls looked at one another in stunned silence, neither able to comprehend what they could possibly do about this. And then?—

“Oh!” Selina’s eyes widened. “I know!”

“What?”

“I have a spare dress that will fit you.”

“Thank God.” Hannah looked toward the wardrobe. “Where is?—”

“It is in the spare room next door,” Selina cut her off. “My wardrobe was full, so I thought to leave it there. But it will do perfectly.”

“Next door?” Hannah grimaced, glancing toward the closed door, not at all pleased with the idea of leaving the room in her current state.

“It will be fine,” Selina assured her. “If you slip in there now, you should find the dress hanging in the wardrobe. Simply put it on and meet us downstairs. I will make up an excuse.”

“What excuse?”

Selina’s eyes flashed. “Something scandalous—I am joking! But we do not have time!” She took Hannah by the shoulders and led her toward the door. “You know how my mother is.”

Hannah’s mind raced as she tried to piece together what was happening and what she could possibly do. Not that she had any other real option before her.

“Alright,” she said finally. “Tell them I had to visit the washroom or something. I will be downstairs in less than five minutes.”

“Hurry!”

The two girls slipped out of the room, Selina going right—toward the staircase that led downstairs—and Hannah going left. She hurriedly opened the door to the spare room and stepped inside, making sure to close the door behind her.

The moment the door was closed, Hannah raced across the room, making for the wardrobe. As she went, she let go of the top of her dress, her breasts spilling out in a way that would have been highly embarrassing had it happened at dinner. She saw the spare dress immediately and decided to shimmy out of her dress before putting it on.

She stepped out of her ruined dress and reached for the spare?—

“Well, this is a rather shocking surprise, I must say,” a deep voice spoke suddenly from the corner of the room.

Chapter Two

Hannah froze where she stood as the voice registered. Like a mouse caught in the night, she stood perfectly still as if hoping—praying!—that she had somehow imagined it.

“What on earth are you doing?” The voice was a deep, commanding growl. As angry as it was surprised. “Well?!”

“Oh!”

She came back to herself suddenly, her eyes widening as she spun about, seeing the man who had spoken. He sat at the desk in the back corner of the room, half-bent over as if writing, his brow furrowed as if he still could not quite believe what he was seeing.

“I… I did not… I thought this was…” She stammered and stuttered uncontrollably, her face turning redder by the second.

The man, whoever he was, took a moment to himself. He studied her closely, looking her over, caught between surprise and something else that she could not quite place.

“I am not in the custom of having naked women barge into my bedroom, Madam,” he said evenly. “Although I suppose that I am not against it either.”

It was only then that Hannah realized something of the utmost importance—she was almost completely naked! A light robe made of silk covered her body and nothing more.

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