Page 6 of His Ruined Duchess

But before she could exit the room entirely, Selina felt an inescapable need to leave the Duke with more to consider. He was clearly the type to expect everything to go according tohisplan, but this was an active estate before he arrived, and there were plans already in motion that he couldn’t disrupt.

“In addition,” Selina looked back over her shoulder, offering the Duke an expression of mock serenity, “there is a ball being put on in your honor that is to be held in two days’ time in case my mother failed to mention it to you. We look forward to seeing you celebrate your arrival in Soulden among all the ton in attendance. And there should be several going by the returned invitations.”

Just as hoped, the Duke’s expression hardened at the news. He did his best to keep it neutral, but Selina could read the slight tick to his brow and the hard set of his jaw as the irritation built within him.

“Do as you please regarding the ball. I shall not be a part of planning it.”

“Not to worry,Your Grace,” Selina smiled, but it did not reach her eyes, “we have everything well in hand.”

“You’re dismissed,Selina.”

With that, she left. And while the flame of annoyance and dislike still burned brighter than it ever had, it was softened by the tiny victory she’d just claimed.

The Duke remained out of touch with the estate for the next two days. Almost no one saw the man aside from his solicitor, a Mr. Jonah McMills, whom Selina only learned about through asking the staff. Both of them were aloof snobs who didn’t so much aslookat the rest of the household. The Duke didn’t even bother to dine with them, taking his meals in the study and only leaving when he turned in for the night to sleep.

To say that Selina was unimpressed would be a gross understatement. She was enraged by the Duke’s cold attitude and the way he had so casually demanded things of her. It was an easy hypothesis to assert that the new Duke of Soulden and his solicitor were likely the two most conceited and rude people to have ever existed.

And Selina was fed up with it.

It was the day of the ball, which was still being held in that pompous ass’ honor, and the unfortunate duty to welcome guests had fallen on Selina as well as her mother and sister. Standing there at the front door of the estate with a gracious smile on her face had been perhaps the hardest thing Selina had done in her entire life.

At least in this place, a party where the attention was focused on her, Selina felt in her element. This was precisely what she trained her entire life to do. Of course, the training had been the dutiful tutelage of her mother. Still, Selina remained an expert at chambering her feelings to be dealt with at another time and carrying on for all those around her in the brightest, most appealing way possible.

This, she knew how to do.

From the corner of her eye, a few times, Selina had spotted the Duke roaming about, seeming to drift from conversation to conversation as quickly as he could. He’d yet to approach her or her family once, and while she was secretly glad for it, Selina also knew how that might look to everyone who had come for the party.

His introduction to the assembled was approaching. It, of course, fell on her to do as the Dowager Duchess of the estate. As much as Selina dreaded it, she needed to locate the man and gather him up to be presented.

And perhaps giving him a piece of my mind before his introduction will stick some sand in his craw.

Scanning her eyes across the expanse of the foyer and the halls beyond, Selina decided to begin her search for the Duke on the veranda. He appeared to be attached to his pipe in nearly every situation she saw him, so he might very well be outside taking in the air and smoking on it.

“Mother, please excuse me. I shall retrieve the Duke for his introduction.”

Her eyes flared, glancing briefly at the large clock on the wall before flicking her attention back to Selina.

“Of course. Make haste, darling. We shall not keep the guests waiting.”

Selina offered a slight nod and a curtsey, hurrying off toward the veranda. As she peered outside through the large glass windows that led up to it, she saw no sign of the Duke. With a frustrated sigh, Selina turned on her heel, raking her mind for another location where the man might have gone off to hide.

And then, from her position, Selina could see that light spilled from the library just down the hall. The door was cracked open as well, and she wondered if someone had left it that way by accident. The library was to be off-limits during the party as it contained several more of Easton’s prized books—items that Selina, too, had come to treasure.

Whoever might be dallying inside would be shooed out at once, and Selina took off down the hall to ensure it herself. And should it be an accident and the room vacant, she would close theFrench doors and lock them using the key she’d procured from the housekeeper which she now wore on her chatelaine.

I request one simple thing: that the library and study be kept closed and off-limits to guests. Must I do everything myself?

Determined to ensure her cherished library was untouched, Selina moved as quickly as possible to the door, slipping inside the cracked doors in an attempt to not draw attention to herself. But as soon as she was inside and glanced up from the floor, Selina froze in shock.

The Duke’s stern glare met her immediately, and Selina fumbled over her words as she tried to process what she was seeing.

“Y-Your Grace?”

The man was across the room, his back against the far wall near the window that sat in the middle of the wall. The Widow Darrington was plastered all over him, and Selina could make out the shape of his hand on her lower back, his skin fair compared to the dark swaths of fabric that she wore.

He is in my library… with that woman…alone.

Stare as sharp as a blade, the Duke focused his attention solely on Selina, demanding, “And just what areyoudoing here?”

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