Page 58 of The Duchess' Ultimatum
Dorian thought to say yes to Nicholas, his mouth opening to speak those very words. But he hesitated, thinking now about his sister and what she might want. Well, he knew what she would tell him what she wanted – to be left alone. Beyond that, he could not stop himself from wondering what shereallywanted. If Nicholas had what it took to make her happy.
Funny that he’d never thought this way before. He’d never considered such a thing. But his recent failings with Penelope had forced him to consider marriage and love and all that went with it from a different angle. That of the woman and how she might view such things.
As well as all of that, there was something else stopping him.
It niggled in the back of his mind, the emptiness felt when he looked ahead and pictured his life with Barbara in it. For years now, his entire purpose had been to watch over her, and what would he do with himself when that purpose came to an end.
The truth was, such a thought as that terrified him.
“Let me speak to her,” he said with a soft smile to ease the lord’s worry. “I do not want to put words in my sister’s mouth. So, I shall ask her personally and I am sure that as you feel this way about her, she will feel the same for you.”
Nicholas beamed, the stress seeping from him. “Thank you, Your Grace. I would appreciate it more than you know.”
“As I am sure will she.”
Dorian was quick to ready himself after that, skipping his bath, throwing on some clothes, and rushing through the house to his sister’s bedroom. The home was already a hive of activity, and he could hear his guests getting ready and making their way to the ballroom.
He ignored it all, finding himself at Barbara’s door on which he knocked and then gently pushed the door open.
“Barbara…” He stepped inside. “Are you decent?”
She was still in bed. Not sleeping, but one look at his younger sister and he knew well enough why she was struggling to pull herself from the comfort of her bedding.
“I told you not to drink,” he said with a soft chuckle as he approached the bed. “And now you know why.”
She groaned and pulled the covers overs her ashen face. “I only had a few glasses of wine…” Another painfilled moan.
“And a few more than that, I am sure.”
She shoved the blankets down and scowled at him. “Is that why you are here? To mock me?”
“As much fun as I am having with it, that is not the only reason.” He was sitting on the end of her bed and he made sure to be looking right at her, the humor gone from his expression, the seriousness shown in his eyes because this was a most serious topic. “I just had a young visitor come and see me.”
“Do I need to guess who?” Barbara’s skin was pasty and her eyes glassy. “I don’t have it in my right now, Dorian.”
“It was Nicholas Wood,” he said, noting the way that she flinched. “As he tells it, he had a fine time meeting you yesterday and he was hoping that I might give him permission to court you.”
Again, Barbara groaned. “And what did you tell him?”
“What do you think I told him?”
“Dorian, why do you pretend to come here and ask my opinion…” She shifted in the bed, her lips curling and her stomach grumbling. “When you know already the answer you are going to give.”
“Is that what you think?”
“It’s what I know,” she said. “This entire weekend…” She grimaced as she forced herself to sit up. “I told you I did notwant it, but you did it anyway. And yesterday, I told you I did not want to spend it speaking with random men who want me only because of who my brother is, but you made me do it anyway. So why would I think that now you have suddenly changed your ways.” She forced herself to meet his eyes, her brow furrowed, her stare angry. “You told him yes, didn’t you.”
Dorian was not surprised by his sister’s response. But he wasn’t ready to let her out of it that easily.
“What did you think of him? Tell me honestly.”
She sighed and fell back in bed. “He was nice enough – but that is where the positives come to an end. There was nothing wrong with him, Dorian, not in a typical sense. But… I didn’t feel anything when I was with him.”
“Such as?”
“You must know what I mean!” she cried. “I didn’t feel… you know.Thatfeeling.”
“You will need to be clearer.”
