Page 29 of A Virgin for the Ruthless Duke

“You will if you know what’s best for you. Would you prefer to bear the embarrassment alone?”

He raised an eyebrow with mock seriousness, causing her to laugh even louder.

“I’m serious, Selina,” he said when their mirth died down. “I do not want you to marry that man.”

“And why would you not want her to marry?” Diana asked, breezing in like sunlight. Her fair hair and youthful skin glowed, offset by the crimson color of her gown.

“I never said I did not want her to marry. It is her choice of husband that I am against.”

“And what is wrong with him?” Diana asked, furrowing her brow with concern.

Herbert opened his mouth to answer, but promptly snapped it shut when Selina shot him a glare. It was obvious that she did not want Diana to worry.

“Herbert is just worried,” she spoke up, injecting a cheerful note into her voice. “He wants me to make a love match. I was just informing him that such matches are rare and not everyone is fortunate to make such a match, especially women.”

“Herbert, you are a good brother,” Diana said.

Herbert’s cheeks flushed with pleasure, but she soured his good mood with her next statement.

“But Selina is a grown woman capable of making her own decisions. She has the right to make her own choices. Besides, who would not love her? She is so nice and beautiful. I would be happy to attend another wedding in this house. Stephen’s wedding was lovely, even with all the tension in the air. I should hope that Selina’s would be free of such drama.”

Selina resisted the urge to roll her eyes. She loved Diana, but her sister was prone to daydreaming, and she did not always seem to be in touch with reality. It was just like her to be talking about planning a wedding when Selina wasn’t yet sure of receiving a marriage proposal.

“I think we might be getting ahead of ourselves here…” she began.

“I would never support a terrible marriage, no matter how grand the wedding is,” Herbert muttered, before getting up to leave.

The moment he stepped out of the room, Diana’s smile dropped, and she came to take his place beside Selina on the settee. She took her sister’s free hand in both of her own, forcing Selina to look at her in surprise.

Gone was the happy, carefree expression that she showed the world, and in its place was the expression of worry and wisdom that seemed to exceed her years.

“You seem to have some suitors whom you hope might propose marriage. It is my sincere hope that you will choose someone good for yourself even if it is not a love match. I do wish for a love match for you, but I am not so naïve that I do not know that it is rare.

“You have been like a mother since Mama and Papa died, and for that reason, you have been forced to mature faster than you should, sacrifice more than you should. I will not allow you to sacrifice your happiness for my sake this time. I will be very angry with you if I find out that you did. I might even help Herbert ruin the wedding.”

“Just how long did you eavesdrop?” Selina asked, a chastising look on her face.

“Long enough,” Diana replied, studiously avoiding her gaze.

“Dearest Diana,” Selina began, patting the back of her sister’s hand. “I’m sure you know me well enough to know that I will always be practical in my decision-making. I would never make a decision that would be bad for me, I promise you that,” she said, keeping her tone as reassuring as possible.

Diana kept hold of her hand as she searched her eyes carefully for any signs of deception.

Everyone thought that Diana’s bright personality made her less sensitive to other people’s emotions. However, she was sensitive to every shift in emotion in every room.

It was why she had struggled in the early days of Stephen’s marriage, when the tension that came with him marrying the daughter of their former enemy underlined the time they spent together as a family. She had also been the first to accept Elizabeth into their family despite her lineage.

Diana seemed satisfied with whatever she had seen in Selina’s eyes because, in the next moment, she stretched. “I need to take a nap. I do not want to nod off at the ball this evening,” she said, before leaving the room and Selina alone with her thoughts.

Not for the first time, Selina envied the ease with which Diana conducted her life—pushing worry aside for what was important to her. She had been the bright sunshine that had kept them sane at home after they had buried their parents following their gruesome murder.

She was the only reason why their family remained together despite the tragedy they had endured. That was why she deserved nothing but the best, and Selina was going to make sure that her sister got it, even if it was the last thing she did.

That evening, while she prepared for the ball, sitting still while Betsy brushed out and styled her hair, she planned her entrance with the concentration and strategy that a war commander might use to plan a siege.

She had to be flawless in both appearance and carriage. She had been reading books about deportment in her free time, and she was confident that she had gleaned enough knowledge to keep her afloat for a night in the ballroom.

She was going to be the enchanting noblewoman that Richard wanted her to be, so much so that everyone’s eyes would be on her, including his. Knowing that he was going to be watching her ensured that she took special care with her appearance.

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