Page 66 of Seduced By the Rakish Duke

Jenny gave a wistful smile. “I remember. You wanted a formal ceremony, and Thomas talked the minister in doing the shortest wedding ceremony in the history of mankind so he could?—”

Frances threw her hand up to cut her off. “We don’t to go into the reason why your brother did what he did. Or what we did afterward,” she added with a devilish wink.

“Frannie!” Jenny let out a genuine laugh that helped loosen the knot that tightened around her heart since their discussion of David and his sister.

Frances pulled Jenny in her arms. “Oh, it is so good to hear you laugh. I was beginning to think you forgot how.”

Jenny cringed.

I guess I’m not getting better at hiding my true feelings.

“What is it? Is Harry not treating you fairly?”

Jenny scrunched up her nose. “It’s not that at all. As I said, he is being perfectly agreeable with wedding decisions, and he talks lovingly about our future. It sounds like everything I wanted.”

Her eyes dropped to the floor.

Frances dipped her head, hoping to catch Jenny’s eyes. “Is it Elizabeth? I’ve heard she is quite the handful. He’s lucky to have found Mrs. Winslow. There are stories of a constant rotation of nannies because she is a terror that scares everyone away. Mrs. Winslow is the only constant.”

Jenny shrugged. “I’ve only met her that once.” She furrowed her brow. “I think he may be keeping her away from me for fear I may change my mind about marrying him,” she mused.

Frances’s eyes widened. “Is she really that bad?”

Jenny shrugged. “I don’t think so, but what do I know? I’m not a mother. She was energetic and easily excitable, but she seemed like any other curious child to me.”

“You’re not marrying him just for the sake of the child, are you?”

Jenny barked out a laugh. “What? No! Why would you say that?” She paused. “Although, I do think she needs more of a mother figure than Mrs. Winslow, and I do think someone needs to rein in Harry’s discipline. Plus, I could do for her what you did for me.” She shook her head. “But no, I’m not marrying him for the sake of Elizabeth.” She eyed her sister-in-law. “Why are you asking me these questions?”

“Because you do not seem like a woman who is happy to be getting married. It used to be all you talked about, and now that it’s happening, you look as if you’re walking to the gallows, not to a loving husband.”

Jenny sighed and looked out the window to avoid Frances’s gaze.

“Oh…” Frances murmured, her voice low. She closed her eyes and brought her hands up to her face. Behind her hands, her voice was muffled. “Please do not tell me this melancholy is because of a certain duke.”

Jenny screwed up her face.

Frances peeked from behind her hands. “Jane! You cannot be serious.”

Jenny straightened her spine and looked at her sister-in-law. “I’m not going to lie and say I haven’t thought of him. I have. His rejection still hurts, but Harry is the man for me. I’m going to marry him because, unlike David, he wants me. From what I hear, that is a good start to a marriage.”

Frances studied her. “My dear sister.” She paused as she hugged her once more. “I wish I could tell you that it gets easier. I warned you against love. It’s a horrible affliction.”

Jenny chuckled against Frances’s shoulder. “Spoken like a woman in love.”

Frances swayed them back and forth as if Jenny was a babe. “Oh Jenny, if you only knew.” She pulled away and peered into Jenny’s eyes. “Hmm. Maybe you do.”

Jenny swallowed, fighting the tears that were forming along with the lump in her throat.

“I have a feeling it will all work out in the end.”

Jenny sniffled. “How do you know?”

“Because, my dear, you and your brother share some traits. One of them being stubbornness.” Frances led them out of the library and towards the stairs.

Jenny arched an auburn eyebrow. “Is that a compliment?”

Frances laughed. “For the sake of this discussion, yes. You are simply too stubborn to give up on what you want. If you’re anything like your brother”—she leaned in—“and you are, you will get what you want. One way or another.”

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