Page 28 of A Virgin for the Ruthless Duke

She was totally enjoying seeing Herbert upset.

“Neither do you,” he retorted.

Their aunt had a weird taste in friends who were at either end of the spectrum. They were either homely and lively, or they were wild and disreputable. She had yet to decide which part of the extreme Lord Finch belonged to.

“Besides, I’m sure you will not be able to tolerate the man,” Herbert continued. “Not only is he known to be a fool, but he is also too old for you. If his belly protruded any further, he would look like a woman in her ninth month of pregnancy!”

“Herbert!” Selina chastised, fighting to keep her mirth under control. “That was not kind.”

“Well,” Herbert said, opening his arms wide without remorse, “I was just stating the facts. Please tell me you will not marry him.”

“This is not simply about me. I am in no hurry to marry, but I need to if I’m to help Diana’s prospects.”

“Your marriage has nothing to do with Diana’s prospects. The nobleman who wants her will approach her despite whatever stories circulate amongst the ton. Just focus on yourself and carefully choose a suitor.”

“You and I both know that it is easier said than done. While there is a possibility of a suitor approaching Diana, it is highly unlikely. Most members of the ton move like a herd, seeking popular opinion when making decisions on what the latest fashion is, which lady is a good prospect, and which is not.

“From the first day she debuted and that hateful Lord Hightown insinuated that she might be unsuitable for marriage simply because she had a spinster for an older sister, she saw a drastic drop in the signatures on her dance card.

“I love Diana and do not want her to suffer the pain and humiliation that comes with being seen as a spinster. It is a hard, harsh life. If I have to marry Lord Finch to protect her, I will.” Selina released a breath.

“So, when you manage to marry Diana off, what happens to you? Who is going to protect you? Who is going to save you from the miserable life you seem hellbent on signing yourself up for?”

“It won’t be a miserable life. I will have my books, my embroidery… Perhaps I might have children. They would keep me busy for a time. I would live happily, indeed,” she said in a shaky voice, forcing a cheerful note into it that did not sound convincing even to her own ears.

“Then what happens to your love for intelligent conversation and your passion for archeology and adventure? How long will you manage to repress your passions without going mad? You are a passionate woman, Selina. I would hate to see your vibrant light snuffed out by a man who does not understand its value.”

“Unfortunately, that is the plight of women in our society. Very few women are privileged to marry men who love and cherish them and are willing to nurture their passions. The rest of us have to make do with what life gives us. Making a life out of what is available to us. The world—this society—is not kind tounmarried women. There are hardly lucrative jobs for them. It is as if society was designed to frustrate their attempts at independence and make sure that they remained under the thumbs of men—the flow of their lives dependent on the whims of the men they rely on for food and board. I will do anything to protect Diana from suffering such a fate.”

“Selina, you won’t remain unmarried for long. There are many men out there—gentlemen who would be honored to have such an intelligent woman like you as a wife. If, at worst, you remain unmarried, I promise that you will always have a place at the manor, or with me.”

“While Elizabeth is a kind soul and would never complain, I would not stay in her matrimonial home, discomfiting her. And with the way she carries on with Stephen, I am sure that, in no time, they will have a brood of children who would need the rooms in the house,” she said dryly.

“The house had at least twelve bedrooms when I last counted. Surely they could never have that many children?!” Herbert said, his eyes wide with incredulity.

“I would not advise you to bet on that,” Selina said absentmindedly, adding a finishing touch to the rose that had come to life on the handkerchief in her lap.

Herbert was quiet for some time, probably deciding that she was right. But then why would he not agree? Their elder brother was absolutely in love with his wife, and they seemed to have trouble keeping their hands to themselves. In the early days of theirmarriage, Selina and her other siblings had learned quite quickly not to go into any room the couple might be in without prior warning because the possibility of finding them at several stages of undress was quite high.

While she admired their love and wished to have such a relationship, she understood that such a connection was quite rare. She did have something that resembled such passion with Richard, but he certainly did not love her, and neither was he willing to marry her. Hell, the man was helping her attract a suitor, for goodness’ sake.

Since such love seemed to have eluded her, she was going to turn to practicality and marry an eligible gentleman, at least for her and Diana’s sake.

“I do not care what your reasons are. I will never allow you to marry Lord Finch. I would never give my consent or blessing to such a hellish union,” Herbert continued in the same vehement tone.

“I do not require your permission to marry, Herbert,” Selina said with a chuckle. “Stephen is the Duke, and he is the one who will give my hand away in marriage.”

“Well, I will tell him not to allow you to make such a dreadful mistake.”

“Stephen respects my decision and will allow me to marry when the time comes.”

“Then I will interrupt the wedding,” Herbert said stubbornly, a mischievous gleam in his eyes. “I will stand up when they ask who objects to the union.”

“What will you state as your reason?” Selina asked.

“I will make something up. Perhaps I might even insinuate that he forged his title. By the time they manage to fetch a copy of Debrett’s, I will have already escaped with you.”

“You will do no such thing,” Selina said, before throwing her head back and laughing. “Why are you so sure that I will follow you?” she asked between bouts of laughter.

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