Page 72 of His Tempting Duchess

“Anna,” Emily whispered, “do you think I am making a mistake?”

Anna met her eyes in the mirror. “Have you fallen in love with him, Emily?”

Emily missed a beat. “N-No, of course not. This is a marriage of convenience. We’ve thought this over and decided that this marriage is simply the best idea for us both.”

Was that disappointment in Anna’s eyes?

“Well,” she murmured, shifting her attention to Emily’s hair, “then you have made a practical and logical choice. You’re a clever girl, Emily, and I do not doubt that if you believe this is the best decision for you, then it is. You cannot back out of the marriage this time.”

Emily chewed on her lower lip. “Do you think he’s angry with me?”

Anna sighed. “I… I don’t know. You forget, Emily, I was jilted at the altar once, too. Before I married Theo, I tried to make a marriage of convenience of my own, to his brother. I should not have done that, I know that now, but at the time, it seemed like my only choice. I don’t resent him for not marrying me—we would have been desperately unhappy, for many reasons—but I do remember how I felt at the time.”

“I did wrong, I suppose,” Emily whispered.

Anna squeezed her shoulder. “You did what you had to do, Emmie.”

“It’s just that all the scandal sheets?—”

“Don’t listen to such nonsense. They thrive on gossip, and they love to cause trouble. Those cowardly, anonymous authors would love to see you abandon the Duke a second time, or see him abandonyou. They don’t care about your security or happiness—they only care about selling their silly papers. This is your wedding day, and all of us are behind you.” Anna bent down, pressing a kiss to Emily’s cheek.

“It’s true!” Daphne called, swinging her legs off the bed and making her way over to them. “We’re here for you, Emily. If you want to run away from him again, just tell me, and I’ll cause a distraction to give you a head start.”

Anna and Emily snorted at that.

The three sisters wrapped their arms around each other, squeezing tight. They stayed like that for a long time, nobody speaking. A lump formed in Emily’s throat.

“That’s enough of that,” Anna said briskly, pulling away first. “We have to get you ready. Daphne, go downstairs and see if Emily’s bouquet is ready. I shall finish styling her hair, and then we can get ready to leave.”

“What’s the big rush?” Daphne sniffed. “She’s a bride. She can be late to her own wedding if she wants.”

Anna grimaced. “Generally, yes. However, on this occasion—and given our history of ruined weddings, and Emily’s specific history with this specific groom—I think the safest option is to get you there in good time, lest people start worrying.”

* * *

The Clapton chapel was very small and was filled to the brim. It had once been off-limits to everybody but the family. During the lifetime of the late Duke of Clapton, nobody had attended church much. Things had changed after Cassian took over as duke.

Emily stood outside, her nerves jittering. Her sisters had gone inside, at her request. Octavia was standing with her, adjusting her skirts.

“Are you sure you want to do this, darling?” Octavia asked quietly.

It was the first time she had asked Emily that question since she had given Cassian permission to marry her.

Emily breathed in. “I… Yes, I am.”

“Very well.”

“Mama, I…” Emily paused, gulping. “Mama, how do you know if you’re in love?”

There was a long pause after that, long and silent enough for Emily to hear the muted chatter inside the church. All of the guests were in there, waiting for her.

“Darling?” Octavia whispered. “Darling, are you in love with the duke?”

Emily closed her eyes. “That would be foolish, wouldn’t it?”

“No. Love is never foolish. That is to say, love isalwaysfoolish, and therefore is never foolish, if that makes sense.”

Emily smiled wryly. “It very much does not, Mama.”

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