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“For the way I treated you when you first joined our family. I did not realize how difficult it is to join a new family. I should have been more welcoming.”

“I come from your enemy’s family, Selina. I would have been more wary and afraid if you had embraced me at first sight, especially knowing the bad blood between our families.”

“Thank you for taking a chance on us.”

“Nothing good comes easy,” Elizabeth said, rubbing her growing belly. “I had the chance to meet the love of my life,” she added, staring adoringly at the resting profile of her husband. Turning to Selina, she continued with a smile, “The gift of meeting my Duke and this beautiful family is worth more than a few weeks of discomfort. However badly you thought you treated me, just remember that I was treated ten times worse by my own blood. Family is more than blood ties, my dear, and I know you are about to acquire new family members who will love you wholeheartedly.”

Selina had always dreamed of having an elder sister, and fate had given her Elizabeth. She firmly believed that she could not have asked for better.

In no time, they were at the Seymour estate, and when they stepped down from the coach, Selina took a deep breath to gather her composure. It would not do to appear anxious before the Dowager Duchess.

She walked to the door, matching Elizabeth’s pace. Her sister-in-law walked a little slower because of her delicate state.

By the time they got to the door, Stephen was already annoyed. The short tapping of his shoes on the marble threshold was evidence of his impatience. Nevertheless, he smiled widely when his wife came into view, wrapping his arm around her shoulders as he pulled her to him.

It was those small movements, those small changes in his expression, that told the story of how in love the Duke of Wilkins was with his Duchess. Selina thanked God every day that he had married Elizabeth; she was the only woman who had smoothened his hard edges.

He was practically putty in the woman’s hands, and he did not care. She was grateful to her friend for the transformation she had wrought in such a rigid man.

Stephen lifted the heavy knocker and rapped two times.

The door was opened by Felix, the elderly butler.

“The Duke of Westall and his family to see the Dowager Duchess,” Stephen announced.

“Right this way, Your Grace,” the butler said, opening the door wider to allow them in.

He led them into a drawing room where the Dowager Duchess sat, sipping her tea. She looked up when she saw them, then stood up to greet them.

The woman was in her fifties, but even Selina could attest to the fact that she looked good for her age, with her high taste in fashion and her natural gracefulness. She was sure the woman still attracted the attention of men.

Seeing her in her home shed light on the rumors that she had many lovers. Selina wondered how on earth she was going to get along with a woman who was from a different league of women and had higher taste than she could hope to acquire.

“Good afternoon, Duke,” the Dowager Duchess greeted, approaching Stephen.

He accepted her handshake with a bow.

“Good morning, Duchess. We are glad you took the time to receive us,” he said, releasing her hand.

A shadow of a frown crossed the older woman’s face, almost like she had expected him to kiss her hand.

But then Stephen was not the sort of charming gentleman who paid attention to all those rules. The only woman who had his attention was his wife, and everyone in the ton knew this, so they didn’t take offense when he acted a little outside the books of etiquette.

“I have been expecting you,” the Dowager Duchess continued, retaking her seat. “Please make yourselves comfortable.” She waited till they were all seated comfortably before she continued. “Perhaps you could introduce your family to me.”

“Forgive my manners, Duchess. May I present my wife, the Duchess of Westall,” Stephen said, gesturing towards his wife. “My brother, Herbert, and my sisters, Diana and Selina,” he continued, waving in their direction as he introduced them.

“Which one is to be my daughter-in-law?” the Dowager Duchess asked, taking a tiny sip of her tea.

“That would be Selina, Duchess,” Stephen replied, tugging his sister forward so she stood before the Dowager Duchess.

Selina bobbed a deep curtsey, then stood still while the Dowager Duchess scrutinized her from head to toe, her eyes remaining uninterested in whatever it was that she saw.

“Do you have any talents, young lady?” the Dowager Duchess asked.

“I’m good at embroidery.”

“Do you play the pianoforte?” she asked hopefully.