Page 34 of Dubious about the Duke (Second Sons of London 5)

“By success, you mean landing a husband,” Sera said flatly.

“Well, yes. Isn’t that the goal?”

Sera didn’t respond but, suddenly, she wasn’t so sure. All her life, she had been subtly nudged toward marriage, as every woman was. She did love children and always wanted ones of her own. But what if she were meant to teach and love other people’s children instead of ones of her own? She had worried about what it took to get children. How you came together with a man. She wasn’t certain that was something she was interested in doing. She had heard servants gossiping about men and women coupling and how it hurt. Sera had planned to ask Minta about it though since her sister was overly affectionate with Percy, it must be good between them physically.

She worried with her innate shyness that she would never find happiness in the bedroom, much less satisfy her husband. Her thoughts turned to the very large and physical Win. He would expect a wife to submit to who knows what in bed, as well as have a string of mistresses, if he truly followed the typicaltonmarriage. That alone told her to push aside any notion of him as a future husband. She merely had an infatuation regarding him. He was handsome beyond words, affable, and interesting. She would relegate him to a status of friend of the family, which is all he could ever be. Adalyn would find him a wife at the house party and Sera would do her best to always be pleasant to the new duchess since she supposed it was inevitable they would see each other frequently over the years.

Unless Sera chose not to wed and pursue the idea of governessing.

“You seem to like Win,” her sister pointed out. “You haven’t been shy around him in the least.” Minta paused, her eyes widening. “Are you interested in him, Sera? If you are, staying at Woodbridge—”

“No,” she said quickly, hoping she would not blush. “He is just easy to talk with. I simply want to help him.” She looked at her sister steadily. “Besides, do you see me as a duchess, Minta? The last thing I would be suited to be would be a duchess.”

Her twin gave her a sympathetic look. “I understand.”

They arrived at her bedchamber and Minta rang for a maid to help with the packing. Sera laid out her night rail and three gowns, with the accompanying undergarments, for the servant to pack.

“This should be enough until you and Percy bring me more to wear,” she said.

Minta fingered one of the gowns. “Oh, Sera, these are hopelessly out of date. Let me send a few of mine with you instead. I have been too wrapped up in Percy to even notice what you have been wearing since you arrived in England. I’m so sorry.”

“No, you can send along the rest of my wardrobe and some of your gowns in a few days. I will be with boys and hope to spend a lot of time with them outdoors. I don’t want to ruin any of your gowns. My old ones will suffice.”

“But what about dinner each night? Surely, you will eat with Win.”

She hadn’t thought of that. “I doubt it,” she said quickly. “I will most likely eat with Freddie and Charlie.”

Her sister frowned. “That sounds as if you’ll be a governess.”

“Well, I will be caring for them around the clock, Minta. Sharing a meal with my charges would be expected. If I didn’t, can you imagine what they might do in the nursery? Or perhaps the schoolroom. If there is one at Woodbridge, I believe that would be a good place for us to eat together.”

Minta laughed. “Oh, there will be a schoolroom. And a room for everything else imaginable. Sera, Win is a duke! His estate will be far larger than Kingwood, as will his house.”

“Larger than Percy’s?”

The thought boggled Sera’s mind. It had taken her a good three days to find her way around Kingwood’s house. The grounds were large and she hadn’t finished exploring those yet. She couldn’t imagine Win’s holding to be larger. But Minta was right. After all, Win was the Duke of Woodmont. A duke was just a step below a prince. She supposed Woodbridge would be enormous and the surrounding estate vast.

The maid arrived and quickly assembled Sera’s things. Sera asked for her sturdy boots to be packed as well.

“If Win’s estate is as large as you say, then I will be exploring quite a bit of it with the boys. I don’t want any of my slippers to suffer the dust or mud we might encounter.”

They returned to the drawing room and Win rose. “Are you set?”

“Yes, a footman is taking my things to your carriage now,” she replied.

“Then I suppose we should be off. I’ve been gone longer than I expected as it is.”

Minta and Percy walked them out. While the ducal carriage was large and very nice, it wasn’t as grand as Percy’s. Then she remembered that Win had sent the governess to London in it. To think this was his spare carriage allowed Sera a small idea of just how wealthy he must be. Her family had never owned a carriage. To maintain one in London, along with horses and a coachman, was prohibitively expensive. They had made do with walking or hailing a hansom cab when necessary. Often, Uncle West would send his carriage for them whenever they went to dinner at his townhouse. Sometimes, Aunt Phyllis would arrive in it and take them shopping or to a bookshop, as well.

Sera was happy for her sister, having married well. Not only did Percy provide for Minta financially, but she could see how happy the couple was together. The babe would only strengthen the bond between them. She thought how happy she would be to be an aunt and decided she needed to start knitting items soon in order for them to be ready by the time the baby came.

“We will come not tomorrow or the next day but the one following,” Minta promised. “That should give you enough time to establish whatever routine you wish.”

Her twin hugged her tightly and whispered, “Take care.”

Percy also embraced her. “We will see you soon, Sera. I hope you enjoy your time with these boys. And remember, there is no shame in deciding you want to come home before the house party.”

“And leave me stranded?” Win joked.

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