Page 55 of The Duchess in His Bed
“He is a man to be reckoned with, a man who will not take lightly being made a fool of. Three of his siblings have married into the nobility. Eventually they will be skirting the edges of Society, and he will be right there with them. Should he ever catch sight of your son, should he realize—”
“I can handle him.”
“Do you know what he did tonight? He came to his club and challenged me to a game. Just the two of us. He wagered my debt to him. Twelve thousand pounds—”
“Twelve thousand pounds? Are you mad? That is my income for six years! That money could have been put to much better use than card play.”
“You’re missing the point. He wagered it as though it was nothing. We each drew a card. The one with the higher card won. I won, Selena. He canceled my debt, then forbid me to ever return. He was angry at me for winning.”
To his surprise, her face softened as she shook her head. “I don’t think that’s the reason he warned you against going to his club.”
“Of course it is. That’s the sort of man he is. No one crosses him. No one. He will not take kindly to your using him.”
“I am well aware of that fact.”
“You were supposed to choose some lowly commoner who there was no chance in hell you’d ever see again. What were you thinking to select a man whose family is the talk of all of London? That’s hardly being discreet.”
“I liked his smile.”
“Selena—”
“Don’t worry yourself so, Winslow. My secret will be safe with him.” She made to move past him, stopped, and turned back to him, her brow deeply furrowed. “Where is the statue of Atlas that resided in that far corner?”
He’d sold it. The few coins it had brought allowed him to keep his mistress happy with baubles. “I rearranged a few of the knickknacks.”
He watched as she slowly gazed around the room, knew each time she noted the absence of a treasure.
“You’re selling things,” she said quietly.
“Here and there,” he admitted.
She faced him. “The statue was Father’s favorite.”
“He’s not here to enjoy it, is he? It serves us better elsewhere.”
“I gather this is not the only room that is not as it once was.”
“Nothing about our life is as it once was. I’m sorry, Selena, that I have been negligent in my responsibilities. I will step up and do my part.”
“That’s all I ask.”
He did hope she’d ask at a more reasonable hour in the future.
Chapter 16
The following afternoon, as the coach rumbled through the streets, Selena decided she didn’t care if she were castigated for behaving in a manner unbecoming of a woman so early into her widowhood. The girls’ delight at a distraction from their mourning was worth any glares of disapproval she might have to endure.
“I don’t recall Lady Aslyn calling on you the day of the funeral,” Connie said, sitting on the bench across from her with Flo.
“Her husband is not yet fully accepted by the nobility,” Selena told her. “She would not attend without him, but she did send me a rather nice missive, expressing her condolences.”
“And that’s when she invited us to join her today in this worthy endeavor?”
“Yes.” No. Her letter had expressed only her sorrow over Lushing’s passing. She did hope Aiden informed Lady Aslyn that she was to have issued an invitation to Selena and her sisters. Otherwise matters could become quite awkward.
“I’m not quite convinced we should be on an outing,” Flo said, her brow deeply furrowed.
“We shall be engaged in a good deed, helping a young lady earn her way in the world. Even while mourning, one is forgiven for partaking in good deeds.”
