Page 58 of Her Seven Nights with the Duke

It was surprising even that he continued to feed her every time she was supposed to eat, although she was certain it was because he planned to marry her off and did not want her looking terrible when the time came time to marry her off.

To him, she was merely a means to fill his coffers with money. She had never been anything more, and it would be delusional for her to imagine the opposite. Until the day came when she was to marry, she would remain a stranger.

A prisoner in my own home.

“Is anything funny, girl?” Lord Worlington growled once more, coming to stand before her menacingly.

He had been more threatening towards her lately, which she knew was because now he believed she had no right to refuse to act in the way that he wanted her to act..

She shook her head immediately. This was the first time she would be let out of her room, and the last thing she wanted to do was ruin it and be sent back to her room before she could even make it out the door.

“No, Lord Worlington,” she responded somewhat meekly.

She had not lost her fire as he thought. However, it was best that he thought so. Nora did not know what her next move would be. She hadn’t expected her stepfather to find out about her ruining her reputation. Nor had she realized that she would be caught and locked the moment she returned, before she even had time to try to convince her mother to leave once more.

She stared at her mother now, wishing the woman would find her strength and try to help her at least once.

Her mother had come to her room once. Nora couldn’t tell if it was on Lord Worlington’s orders or if she had chosen to do so on her own. Her mother had tried to make her see reasons why marrying the man Lord Worlington had chosen for her might not be a bad choice after all, especially if it would get her out of her room.being locked up.

Her eyes remained fixed on the carriage door, looking anywhere but at her mother. In all the years she had willed her mother to fight back and leave her scoundrel of a husband, this was the first time she had ever truly been exceptionally disappointed in her.

They arrived at the dinner party in the estate that Nora had visited a few times. She looked up when she stepped out. This was the first time she would be arriving without a cloak wrapped around her, and yet it didn’t feel as wonderful as she’d always imagined it would be.

“Remember what I said, Nora. You are to stay within sight at all times. The moment you leave my sight for even a moment,we will all be returning home, and you will face punishment for your actions. I need not try to impress upon you why that would be grave,” the Viscount said in a threatening tone, wrapping his hand around her arm tightly.

“Your future husband will be visiting us in a couple of days to discuss the details of your marriage. You will be married off by the end of the month.” He grinned at her, his smile widening when her mask of composure slipped, showing how horrified she truly was.

Hearing him set a date suddenly made her see how real it was. She would be losing her freedom soon enough and becoming the woman her mother had slowly become under the Viscount’s terror.

He let go and sighed, putting on an air of civility. “Well, come on, then.”

He held an arm out for her mother, who took it and followed him in while Nora walked behind them, her steps trudging, every second leading her to her doom.

Nora walked in, looking around for her friends. She heaved a sigh when she saw Selina waving her hands at her excitedly and rushed over to them.

“Nora, oh dear heavens, I have missed you so,” Selina said, wrapping her in a hug. “Are you all right?”

Thalia looked at her before pulling her into her arms much like Selina had. “Tell me, Nora. What had happened in the past days?”

Nora swallowed back her tears now that she was away from the house and with her friends. “The Viscount was waiting for me when I returned home. He’d found out what happened and was so enraged. I have been locked up in my room all week, and this is the first time I’ve been allowed out since he locked me in.”

She shook her head to clear the sadness she felt. “The Duke was kind enough to escort me back to London when I realized I couldn’t leave my mother behind. I haven’t been able to thank him.”

She frowned. A part of her wanted to tell them all about the night she spent at the inn with him, but it suddenly seemed so private. A memory she wanted to cherish for herself.

“It’s quite clear to me now. I am in love with the Duke, but he is not in love with me. I have decided it is best if I do as Lord Worlington says and marry the man he’s chosen for me. Surely, he cannot be so terrible that he is worse than the Viscount,” she said sadly, her words holding so much pain.

“Oh, but the Duke seemed to be?—”-”

Thalia shook her head at Selina, stopping her words. “Enough, Selina. I’m sure Nora knows more about how the Duke feels than we do.”

Selina heaved a sigh, her usually happy mood suddenly dampened.

Guilt ripped through Nora. She had only just met her friends after over a week, and she had managed to ruin the mood.

Samuel’s eyes continued to drift to Nora no matter how many times he tried not to look at her. He could tell that she did not wish to be there. Her eyes told the story of her tiredness, although every other part of her was so put together that he would be none the wiser if he hadn’t already known all that she’d had to go through at the hands of that swine.

I have to find a way to speak with her alone.

---