Page 33 of A Virgin for the Ruthless Duke

“Nothing you should bother yourself with.”

“Yet, it is important enough to have you cross Lord Pembroke off the list.”

“Indeed.”

“You’re insufferable!” she scoffed.

“And you’re not as knowledgeable about the ton as you claimed,” he retorted.

She turned away from him, and he sighed.

“I am sorry I cannot give you a better explanation than I already have, but you must believe that I only have your best interests at heart,” he offered in a soothing tone that cooled her anger. “You must not settle for any gentleman who is likely to gamble your dowry away—or, worse, resign you to a life of loneliness and grief you do not deserve.”

“I… I cannot just rely on your assistance to secure a match, Your Grace,” Selina told him, turning back to him, yet she was unable to look him in the eye.

She had begun to feel vulnerable, exposing her deepest fears to him.

“If I am to avoid marriage to a man much older than me who only seeks to use me as a broodmare, then I must be successful in this endeavor. I do not want to waste such an auspicious opportunity. I’m sure you understand.”

Richard nodded, the pity so obvious in his eyes that tears pooled in hers before she blinked them back. Now was not the time for a pity party, even though it was well deserved.

“I do understand, and that is why I will take it upon myself to teach you the necessary skills to convince a better man to marry you. Your skills are so desperately lacking.”

“What skills?” Selina asked, affronted.

His eyes glittered as a small smile that didn’t spell good tidings crossed his face. She had seen that look on more than one occasion, and she was starting to resent it.

It seemed that he derived immense joy from scaring her with mischievous intentions.

Seeing as he didn’t have many friends, she reasoned that he mostly used her for entertainment. After all, he didn’t seem to have any hobbies.

“The good old art of flirtation,” he stated as though it was blindingly obvious.

“You’re just being ridiculous now, Your Grace.” She laughed, unable to believe her ears. “Flirtation?”

“Yes,” he said with a nod. “It is one of the oldest tools women have used over the years to win the hearts of men they desire. It is rather powerful, but unfortunately, its effects wear off after a few months of conjugal bliss. Still, one cannot deny that it gets the job done.”

Surely he has to be jesting. Does he really view marriage through such a dark lens?

“I understand that you are trying to make me feel better about my situation by jesting, but I assure you I’m not so morose as to need it.”

He smiled and came to stand beside her, his eyes scanning the party going on around them. He adopted such a casual tone that one wouldn’t suspect he was discussing a subject of such a scandalous nature.

“I see you still do not believe me.” He shrugged his shoulders, cutting a fine picture in his evening coat. “Look over there at Miss Pembley and Lord Salsbury. Note how he flushes and how her eyes are narrowed. Watch her body language and the way she uses her fan to speak of promises she should know nothing about.”

Selina watched and was amazed to see how Lord Salsbury appeared entranced by the fan, his eyes following its every movement.

She found herself growing warm with embarrassment at the impropriety Miss Pembley showed when she ran the edge of her fan along her collarbone, dipping it slightly lower, then all at once pulling it away, her smile turning innocent once her mother returned.

Her amazement grew when she saw Lord Salsbury pandering after her when her mother excused herself from theconversation. The trance might have been broken, but the spell had worked its magic. It was almost too unreal to believe that she had witnessed something so improper in the middle of the raging party, yet no one had spared them a second glance.

“You might want to close your mouth, dear. It is not very polite,” Richard said from behind her, amusement heavy in his voice.

Selina closed her mouth and turned to him, chagrined that she had been enthralled by Miss Pembley’s skill. Still, she couldn’t help but think Richard mad for thinking that she could ever hope to wield the skill as effectively. Even the thought of behaving so… crassly brought a hot flush to her cheeks.

What would Martha say if she saw her niece behaving so provocatively?

“I do not think this a particular skill I would like to learn, Your Grace. I must politely decline your offer,” Selina told him with a frown.

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