Page 24 of Dubious about the Duke (Second Sons of London 5)

“I will hold you to your promise to come to us,” he said.

Sera and Tessa embraced, with her new friend saying, “Write to me, Sera. I shall do the same and let Analise draw on the pages I send. I will see you at Louisa’s next month.”

Tessa kissed her cheek and then said her goodbyes to Minta and Percy. The three of them stood and waved as the carriages rolled down the lane.

Percy slipped an arm about Minta’s waist and they turned toward the house.

“Coming?” Percy asked, looking over his shoulder.

“I think I will go spend some time in the gardens,” she replied.

Sera made her way there. The gardens were by far her favorite place at Kingwood and she went deep into them, finding her favorite bench and sitting upon it.

The upcoming house party worried her. For once, it was not the strangers she would have to be introduced to. She knew she would have numerous friends there, knowing she would claim the other cousins and husbands among them during the next six weeks.

No, what worried her was those very friends might push her toward the Duke of Woodmont. A man who didn’t seem all that interested in whom he married. A man who didn’t believe in love.

Sera felt the exact opposite. She had lived with the shining example of her parents, a couple deeply in love after more than two decades of marriage. She also saw how happy Minta was with Percy.

Her mind was made up. She would not wed for any reason other than love. It would take a special man to love someone with her shy nature but she would settle for nothing less. She deserved love. She needed a special man who would love her completely and love her just as she was.

That man would never be the Duke of Woodmont.

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