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“Even better,” Mary replied, her smile widening as she read over the letter.

“He has found you a match!”

Seraphina’s lips parted in surprise.

“I- I did not realize he wanted to be so involved,” she stammered.

“Of course he does, darling, he is your father!” Mary replied, her tone growing giddier by the moment.

“He is requesting my presence within the next hour so I may meet him.”

“Just your presence?” Seraphina asked. “Not mine as well? Do you not think I should meet this gentleman as well?”

Mary snapped the letter shut and gave her daughter a scolding look.

“Thisis how marital decisions should truly be handled, Seraphina,” she retorted. “A meeting with the parents to gain approval, a discussion of dowry, and a few other things. Besides, I can praise your reputation better than even you can.Let us secure the proposal first, and then we will arrange an introduction.”

“An introduction?” Seraphina asked, feeling a twinge of fear in her stomach, “You mean I have not met this man before?”

“The letter does not mention a name, but rest assured, if he is chosen by your father, he is well-esteemed,” Mary replied dismissively, running to the nearby mirror to touch up her appearance.

“I must be off, I want to get there in plenty of time. With luck I shall be bringing back news of your engagement!”

Mary rushed back to her daughter, gave her a hasty kiss on the cheek, and before Seraphina could say anything else, she was gone. Seraphina stared after her mother, partially in shock. The other part she could not place. A sense of foreboding? Of doom?

She sank to the chaise, unsure of how she should feel.

“What is wrong with me?” she whispered aloud to herself, holding her head in her hands. “I should be relieved.”

To her surprise, an ache formed at the back of her throat, and her eyes began to water.

“Oh, stop it!” She scolded herself, wiping at her eyes as she pushed herself from the chaise. “Stop being so weak!”

“Seraphina?”

Startled out of her wits, Seraphina looked toward the familiar voice, and felt herself pale when she saw Hugo.

CHAPTER NINE

“Seraphina, what is this?” Hugo asked, “What is wrong?”

For a moment she stood frozen, looking in absolute shock at the Duke and her house’s butler staring at her in great concern.

How?She thought, ignoring the relief she felt at seeing him.How was he here?

You should not be here,” she muttered, still trying to decide if he actually was or if her imagination was becoming cruel.

Hugo ignored her, giving her a bemused look, and dismissed the butler as he pulled out a kerchief and walked toward her.

For a moment Seraphina felt the urge to go to him, to let her body rest against his, and sob out the rest of her tears. But then she realized that the man her mother had forbid her from wasin her home. Alone with her. And that if anyone knew, all hell would surely break loose.

“No, no, you cannot be here,” Seraphina said, nearly stumbling to get away from him.

“Well it is good that I am,” Hugo shot back, giving her a hard look as he snatched her wrist and pulled her close, “Someone needs to be taking care of you. Where is your mother? Why are you alone when you are feeling like this?”

With surprising tenderness, he dabbed his kerchief under her eyes, taking away the fallen tears. He was so gentle Seraphina felt fresh tears attempt to fall, and she pressed her lips tightly together in an effort to stop them.

“That is not your business,” she snapped, feeling her anger at him renew as she wrenched herself away.