Page 7 of Married to the Cruel Duke

“Then I suppose I can’t make you fight this one.”

“I think we both know there was never any chance I would.”

She sighed. “I know, but that doesn’t mean I could just go along with it.”

“I can understand that, but you don’t need to worry about me so much.”

“Don’t I? After who you told me you are about to marry, how can you expect me not to worry?”

“I understand it might be difficult, but you know me. I always find a way to manage, don’t I?”

“Perhaps. But don’t you see, you should be doing more than just managing?”

“Of course I want to do more, and I think this will help. All I’m asking is for you to trust me.”

“It’s starting to sound like you genuinely want this match.”

“As I said, it can’t be worse than here.” She hesitated, chewing her lips. “Penelope, I have never been in a position to chose anything, not the food I ate, or the way I live, not the people I see or even the very clothes on my body. I can’t say I want this. I don’t know that I’ve ever let myself want anything. All I haveever hoped for was a way out of this house. I don’t know if I will get another.”

She sighed again. “Then I will try to be glad for you, but we can talk more later. If you feel all right at the moment, then I need to get home. Mama will be expecting me for dinner soon.”

“Of course. We can talk more tomorrow.”

Penelope got to her feet and made her way back to her side of the fence. Rebecca stayed outside for a while after she left.

She hadn’t lied. She did feel better about the engagement now that she had talked it over a bit, but fear and anxiety still wrapped around her heart like vines on the trellis.

The sun had started to go down and it was close to dinner time when she went in. In most homes, Rebecca would be going to dress for dinner. But this wasn’t most home,s so she simply headed up to her room to wait.

Rebecca’s legs were growing tired when she finally made it to the top of the narrow back stairs. It probably would have been faster if she had used the main stairs, but then she would have risked running into her sister or her father and she just couldn’t take seeing either of them again in that moment.

Finally, she made it to her room. While Dorothy and her father had rooms on the main floor, Rebecca’s was tucked away in the dark, drafty attic, where they wouldn’t have to see or hear her.

The room itself was actually rather large. Rebecca did her best to make the most of the space, laying out rugs she managed to get off of servants before they threw them out, and drapes she made herself from an old blanket.

It went a long way to keep out the harsh chill, though when winter came in there was nothing to be done for it. Attics weren’t known for their insulation and warmth, but she did what she could to make it work. After all, it wasn’t as though she had many other options.

“I doubt Duke Danton will force me to sleep in an attic,” she mumbled to herself. “Even if he is said to be cruel, I doubt he would do something like that without provocation.”

She nodded to herself.

It would be alright. All she needed to do was make a good impression then stay out of his way.

It would hardly be all that different from what she was doing now at worst and an improvement in her circumstances.

She was still thinking this over when there was a soft knock at her door. Forcing a smile, she got up and went over to it to see Janet, the maid who usually brought her her food.

“Here’s your dinner, miss.”

“Thank you, Janet.”

She handed her the tray then hesitated.

“What is it?” Rebecca asked.

“I heard Lady Dorothy talking. Are you getting married, miss?”

Rebecca forced a smile. “Yes, I am.”

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