Page 6 of Three Nights with the Beastly Duke

Curious, Arthur unfolded the letter to read its contents.

Meet me in the library. We must discuss your engagement.

It was short and unsigned, but even so, Arthur deduced that it could have only been one person. Was Kenneth pulling out of the arrangement? Probably so. It had been impossible not to notice the look of horror on his daughter’s face. Perhaps he’d deemed the marriage too cruel to go through with.

Oh well,might as well get this over with.

He left the ballroom, and after some confusing navigation of the house, found the library. He was pleasantly surprised when he opened the door to see that it was not Kenneth waiting for him at all. But his eldest daughter, Lavinia.

“You,” he stated, looking her up and down in surprise.

“Me,” she replied coolly, her shoulder lifting in a careless shrug. “You were expecting someone else?”

Not wanting to go into his most recent thoughts, he merely nodded and tucked the note into his pocket.

“Well, this is quite scandalous, isn’t it?” he mused, taking a look around the empty room before he approached.

“Only if handled improperly, Your Grace,” Lavinia replied matter-of-factly. “Come. Sit. I have a proposal.”

Intrigued, Arthur took a seat in one of the large, cushioned, chairs, and then looked at her, waiting.

“Are you not going to have a seat as well?” he asked, slightly amused.

Lavinia looked around her as if she was not sure of what she wanted to do, then took a seat on the chaise across from him, her posture reeking of anxiety.

“My sister does not want to marry you,” she told him.

Arthur chuckled at her bluntness, unable to believe she’d just said such a thing. Her honesty, though, was refreshing.

“I gathered as much,” he said in way of agreement. “And yet, despite her revulsion toward me, I am still not open to an affair.”

Anger glowed from Lavinia’s eyes as she suddenly stood up. “Ibegyour pardon, Sir?” she asked.

“Well, that’s what this is about, isn’t it?” he asked, waving a hand around the empty room. “A secret note, a quiet room, the acknowledgment of my fiancée’s unhappiness. This…situationscreams affair. And though it would be fun, I must politely decline. My mother insists I do not bring home a scandal.”

Lavinia’s dark eyes glittered with rage as she stood in front of him, shaking. The idea of having an affair with him obviously displeased her, and he wasn’t sure whether to feel relieved or offended. But then, he realized he did feel something—disappointment. He suddenly felt that his joke was poorly played, and he apologized.

“A poor jest on my part, clearly,” he murmured, waving at the chaise. “Please, sit back down and tell me what is on your mind. Clearly, it must be important if you are willing to risk a scandal in such a public place.”

“Yes, it is,” Lavinia agreed, her stance relaxing. Eventually, she did sit back down but crossed her arms protectively in front of her.

Unconsciously, Arthur began to trace each of her movements. She wasn’t trying, he knew, but every subtle shift seemed like some sort of dance.

“As I was saying, my sister does not want to marry you,” she continued, “but not for the reasons you may think. You see, she has already promised herself to another nobleman. One she is in love with.”

“I see,” Arthur retorted, crossing his legs as he leaned forward. “Well, this is disappointing. But not devastating. I shall, of course, withdraw my offer as soon as you tell me who the gentleman is. Tell me, does your father know of this?”

“No,” Lavinia replied quickly, “and you must not tell him. Rebecca will not tell anyone who it is yet. Not even me.”

“Well then, I withdraw my withdrawal,” Arthur replied calmly.

“What? Why?” Lavinia asked, flustered.

“How do I know this gentleman even exists and is not an excuse to avoid this marriage?” he asked with a shrug. “If there is no proof, there is no reason to cancel the engagement. I feel for your sister, I do. But it is my future that hangs in the balance as well. I must marry, according to both the rules of Society and my mother. And your sister fulfills all of the necessary requirements of a good wife. So, unless you can prove with hard facts that she is already someone else’s intended, I will continue to move forward with the engagement.”

“Her love for this man is real,” Lavinia protested.

“Even if that were true, love is just an illusion. A fairytale for children. It will pass.”

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