Page 32 of The Spinster and Her Rakish Duke
“It’s… an adjustment,” Samantha managed, hoping her voice didn’t betray the chaos of emotions swirling within her.
“All marriages require adjustment,” the Marchioness of Knightley observed, looking up from her book with a knowing smile. “The key is patience and understanding.”
“And wine,” added Lady Witherspoon cheerfully. “Lots of wine.”
The group erupted in laughter, and Samantha felt some of the tension leave her shoulders. This was what she’d needed, the company of women who understood the complexities of navigating society’s expectations.
“Now then,” the Duchess of Marchwood said, settling into her chair, “shall we discuss this month’s selection? I believe we’re reviewing Miss Austen’sPersuasion?”
“A timely choice,” Lady Ashworth remarked with a meaningful look at Samantha. “The story of a woman who gets a second chance at love with the man she once refused.”
Samantha’s cheeks warmed. “I hardly think my situation comparable to Anne Elliot’s.”
“Perhaps not,” the Duchess of Westmere said gently, “but the themes of regret and redemption are universal, don’t you think?”
“What I find most fascinating,” Miss Weatherby interjected, “is Captain Wentworth’s struggle with his feelings. The way he tries to remain indifferent but cannot help himself.”
Samantha’s breath caught. The description struck uncomfortably close to home.
“Men do seem to excel at emotional avoidance,” she said, perhaps more sharply than intended.
“Indeed,” the Marchioness of Knightley agreed, adjusting her spectacles. “Though in my experience, the ones who fight their feelings the hardest are often the ones who feel them most deeply.”
“You speak from experience, my lady?” Mrs. Thornfield asked with interest.
“Of course,” she replied with a fond smile. “He keeps composing terrible poetry about my eyes.”
The ladies giggled, but Samantha found herself lost in thought. Last night, Ewan had been anything but cold or distant. He’d been direct, intense, demanding answers she wasn’t ready to give. The memory of his heated words sent a shiver through her.
“Your Grace?” The Duchess of Marchwood’s voice drew her back to the present. “You seem distracted. Are you quite well?”
“Forgive me. I was merely… considering Anne’s struggle with trust.”
“Ah, yes,” Lady Ashworth said knowingly. “It’s difficult to open one’s heart again after being hurt.”
“Particularly when one fears the gentleman’s intentions may be purely… physical,” the Duchess of Westmere added almost flippantly.
Samantha’s cheeks burned. How… could it be possible that she knew?
“But surely,” Lady Langston interjected, “physical attraction can grow into something deeper, can’t it?”
“Of course,” the Marchioness of Knightley replied, adjusting her spectacles. “Though it requires vulnerability from both parties. One must be willing to risk being hurt again.”
Oh. Wasn’t… Wasn’t that exactly what she was afraid of?
“But how does one know,” she asked carefully, “if a gentleman’s feelings extend beyond mere desire?”
“Time,” the Duchess of Westmere said simply. “Actions speak louder than words, don’t they?”
“Indeed,” agreed Mrs. Thornfield. “A man may say anything in the heat of passion, but his behavior in quieter moments reveals his true character.”
The conversation continued, but Samantha found herself barely listening. Her mind kept drifting to the previous evening: the intensity in Ewan’s eyes, the desperate hunger in his kiss,the way he’d said he’d turned down other women because he couldn’t stop thinking about her.
But what did any of that mean beyond the physical?
“I do think,” Lady Winterbourne was saying, “that Anne shows remarkable strength in giving him a second chance. Not every woman would be so forgiving.”
“Forgiveness requires understanding,” the Duchess of Marchwood observed. “And understanding requires honesty, something that can be frightening when one has been hurt before.”
