Page 45 of The Unwanted Duchess

“You shall never guess who is attending your wedding,” he smirked.

“The Queen?” she asked, and he laughed in her face.

“No, it is someone far more important to me. To both of us.”

“I do not know, Father. I really ought to go to sleep now, though, as the final preparations are to be done tomorrow, and I cannot be overtired for them. The wedding must be perfect after all.”

“Yes, especially now.”

Samantha froze.

“Why now?”

“Because,” he grinned, “your brother has sent word. You shall be meeting him at last.”

CHAPTER 15

Samantha had final preparations to make, but that all had to come to a halt. Diana would cover for her, she trusted that. She simply needed a day to not think about it all although it was not going to happen. She was too frightened for that.

Each time that she thought the worst was over, and that she could no longer be surprised, one more thing came and knocked the air out of her. The arrival of her half-brother was the final straw. Her wedding day, even if she did not want it, should have at least been about her, but now, it would not be. It would be about her father’s long-lost heir and how perfect he was and how good it was that he was there, and Samantha was not the focus. She did not want to care, but she could not will herself to feel less hurt by it all.

By nightfall, she was still in her room pacing. Nothing had helped, and she was quite convinced that nothing would. Then, she realized that a walk might. It was no time for a young lady to be out unchaperoned, but a servant? That was another thingentirely. Fortunately, she knew her father was long since asleep which made her escape even easier.

She knew exactly where to go. She would go to Diana’s and speak to her once more, making it utterly clear how she was feeling about everything so that Diana could talk some sense into her and make her feel ridiculous for worrying in the first place because of course, Graham preferred his soon to be wife over his soon to be sister-in-law, and of course, the day would not be overshadowed by Adam’s arrival. It was what she wanted to hear, and the household was not far from her at all.

Except that she did not go to Diana’s home.

She had not noticed until she was there and had already knocked, but she had arrived at Graham’s lodgings. She looked like a fool, standing in the darkness. She hoped there would be no answer so that she could go home and pretend that it did not happen, but of course, his butler opened the door, looked her up and down, and then invited her in.

“It is awfully late, Lady Samantha,” he said gently. “Are you quite well?”

“Yes, of course,” she replied. “I apologize for the late hour, but I required a word with the Duke. Is he here?”

“He is in his study. I shall take you there.”

Samantha followed the butler to the study, and then he left her at the door. She had to knock for him herself which was perhaps more humiliating than appearing there in the first place. Regardless, she had taken herself to him for a reason, even if she did not know it, and so she had to follow through.

“Samantha?” he exclaimed when he saw her. “What are you — Why are you here?”

“I do not know,” she whispered. “I apologize, I should go.”

“No, stay,” he said gently. “Stay. Come and sit with me. Has something happened?”

Samantha did not know how to explain that no, nothing had happened necessarily, but she felt as though something had, and she did not know what to do.

“There hasn’t been anything in particular.”

“Do you require a drink?”

That was an even worse question as he was holding a bottle of brandy, and Samantha remembered all too clearly what had happened the last time she had drunk that.

“My brother will be there tomorrow,” she said as it seemed the easier response to give.

“Ah, in which case I shall pour you two.”

“You know what happened to me the last time I had two drinks! I ended up blackmailed into an engagement.”

“Well, as you are already engaged, it cannot end much worse, can it? You might as well enjoy yourself.”

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