Page 11 of Ravished By the Beastly Duke

“Indeed, you should have,” Ava replied, worrying her bottom lip with her teeth. “But it has happened now, and there’s nothing we can do about it. I only worry about how this will affect Stella in the future.”

Their youngest sister was only sixteen and was as stubborn as they come. With her debut just a year away, she was excitable and hell-bent on giving Ava headaches for the ideas she was already harboring.

Eveline had not exactly been a good influence on their youngest, as she also was adamant about finding a love match. Now that her reputation was muddied with Ava’s unmarried state, it could only spell doom for their sister’s chances of finding a husband who would not look down on their family.

“I truly have ruined everything, haven’t I?” she sighed. “I was being so selfish by wanting something I should have probably waited to find in my marriage.”

Ava’s eyes softened, and she took Eveline’s hand in her own.

“I understand that you’re not one prone to impulsive action,” she told her. “What spurred this turn of events? Why did you dowhat you did? I do not need to ask for the truth because I trust you not to be reckless.”

Eveline felt better knowing that her sister still trusted her, but the softness in her tone brought a fresh wave of tears as she realized just how much her foolishness would hurt Stella, as well as the words that were about to spill out of her mouth.

“I… I have… I just wanted to feel beautiful. If only for a moment,” she confessed. “Look at you, Ava. You are the perfect standard of beauty, yet you are not married. I, on the other hand, am not like you. I know I am more voluptuous than is accepted, and a few gentlemen have told me they do not want a wife like me. I began to fear I might never secure a match.”

“Oh, Evie. Why did you never tell me?”

“Because I feared you would not understand.” Eveline bit her lip. “You seem well comfortable with the prospect of never getting married. You seem to thrive on it. I do not think I will be happy in a life without love or passion. I do not want it.”

“You think I am happy being a spinster?” Ava asked with a humorless laugh.

“I do not know,” Eveline answered. “You never complain or look sad. I always assumed…”

“That is because you never look. You are always consumed by your dreams and ideals and disdain for my decision that younever see me. I do not mean to blame you, but I just… I need you to understand that I, too, do not desire a life without love or passion. I just found a purpose outside of it,” Ava replied, a lone tear rolling down her cheek. “You and Stella gave me purpose outside of securing a match for myself, but I also have begun to fear for my future. I fear what will happen when you are both married and I have nothing left to do but manage Father’s household until his heir assumes the title.”

“I did not know?—”

“No, you did not,” Ava interrupted. “I chose not to marry so I could help you and Stella. I had prospects too, but if I had left to my husband’s estate, who would have cared for you two? Father was too deep in his grief to care, and there was no one else I could trust to help you without dimming your spark, so I sacrificed my future for your sakes. Never complaining and hiding my loneliness until I was safely behind my doors so you never feel guilty for it.”

Guilt descended on Eveline like a shroud as she watched her perfect sister crumble before her. She had always assumed her sister was content with the duties she performed—thrived, even. But seeing the broken girl before her, she realized that they were all cut from the same cloth.

Ava was also a little girl with dreams, and now that they were far from her reach, she too would be suffering the gnawing fear of the future that had plagued Eveline as well.

Ava’s arms wound around her sister’s shoulders, and they wept in each other’s arms, finally bonding beyond the veil they had both been wearing. Just as Eveline had been battling insecurities and fear of the future, Ava had been as well—even longer than Eveline could imagine.

When their tears finally subsided, the air between them was pregnant with the weight of the truths that had been revealed, and it was hard for them to meet each other’s eyes.

The vulnerability of the moment left their skin crawling with discomfort, both wondering how to proceed, going forward.

“Was it at least what you hoped it would be?” Ava asked suddenly, breaking the silence.

A cold draft from the window blew out the remains of the oppressive air.

Eveline turned to her sister with wide eyes and raised eyebrows. Had she heard her correctly?

“Surely you cannot mean to tell me that the Duke wasn’t an interesting man to fall into scandal with?” Ava continued.

“Do you know about the Duke?” Eveline asked, letting her curiosity show.

She wanted to know a little bit more about the man she had kissed and then dragged into their current predicament.

“Only a little,” Ava confessed. “He left to join the army at nineteen and returned six months ago, but no one has really seen him since he returned.”

“And I ruined it for him!” Eveline cried.

“Not really,” Ava said with a naughty smile. “It is not every day that a gentleman gets to kiss a pretty girl.”

“Ava!” Eveline gasped, hiding her face in her hands as memories of the Duke’s lips on hers flashed through her mind.

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