Page 9 of Drawn to the Duke
Hopefully, her playing would deflect the attention of Mrs. Piggott and Lady Saunders.
Selina enjoyed playing the pianoforte and could play from memory, which meant she could look out into the audience to check that her drawings were safe.
Music also calmed her—which she sorely needed right now. So she ignored Lady Saunders and Mrs. Piggott’s impoliteness and instead focused on Schubert’s lyrical, romantic melodies.
They transported her to a time when she’d been happy.
She hadn’t regretted running away with Samuel in the beginning. Despite being barred from Boothe Hall, she and Samuel found a cottage and, thanks to Selina, he soon got painting commissions. That had made Edward jealous.
And, as news of ‘Samuel’s’ talent had spread, a carriage had followed.
But Selina was only a woman, so the talent had to be advertised as Samuel’s.
After Samuel died, having squandered the money Selina had earned, Selina had been forced to move in with Edward and Anna.
Edward had quickly advertised to the local neighborhood his ‘charity’ towards his sister in taking her in when she had nothing.
He had, just as quickly, taken advantage of both Selina’s business mind as well as her talent.
But even though he relied on Selina, Selina was still dependent upon his goodwill.
Just as they were now both dependent upon the duke’s goodwill.
So, would Edward forgive her for embarrassing him in front of so important and influential a person as His Grace? Edward was hoping for many more commissions to result from his work here and if word went around that his wife was a liability, then Selina’s plan to accompany her brother on future commissions might not come to fruition.
By the time the final notes of her piece died away, the room was silent and Selina looked up.
Miss White was clapping politely, a smile of appreciation upon her pretty countenance.
Lady Saunders and Mrs. Piggott were also clapping politely.
A smile of satisfaction upon theirs.
And it took only a shift of perspective as Selina’s gaze encompassed the smoking fireplace for her to understand why.
With a gasp she rose, her hand to her breast, causing Miss White to ask in concern, “Lady Boothe, are you all right?”
Selina forced her gaze away from the sight of her sketches now smoldering in the drawing room fireplace and managed a shaky smile.
“Music always touches me deeply,” she replied, taking a seat, determined not to look at the evil sisters who’d managed to slip under their hostess’s gaze. Not only had they destroyed her wickedly good sketch of Mrs. Piggott, they’d also destroyed Selina’s preliminary sketch of the duke.
“Oh, my dear Mrs. Boothe, I understand the sentiment only too well,” said Miss White with touching sincerity before adding with concern, “Why, Lady Boothe, you’re crying!”
CHAPTER 8
The tears were real, but they did not signify weakness.
Indeed, they’d proved a useful excuse for Selina to slip out of the room to compose herself. If she could locate His Grace’s library, perhaps she’d find more paper to furnish Edward with the drawing of His Grace that was needed to shore up Edward’s reputation and consequently their fortunes.
With a rapidly beating heart, Selina quietly turned the doorknob to the second room on the right. This, she had gleaned in casual conversation, was an annexe that led off the library.
Raising her candle high, she surveyed the room.All she needed was one sheet. Two would be preferable, but if Lord Chauncy had writing implements laid out on his desk, he’d surely not notice the absence of one sheet?
To her relief, not only had his lordship laid out writing implements, he’d set aside four sheets of paper for the correspondence he’d just begun.
Selina hurried across to the desk and glanced at the letter.
“Dear Sir Simeon,
