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Cordelia watched her sister with narrowed eyes. The words nestled deep in her mind, bringing an unexpected irritation to the forefront of her thoughts. What was there to be offended about? Cordelia knew as much as any other that the Duke was a well known beast, a man with tendencies not entirely approved of by the Ton. At the same time, Cordelia knew she was just the same. The Ton never once looked upon her in the way they looked at Irene or Duncan. Cordelia was as much of an outsider as the Duke.

Looking away, Cordelia sought to shove the thoughts out of her mind. Defending the Duke? The exact man who drove her up the wall, who embarrassed her in front of her workers and never once appreciated the amount of work she did on his dated home?

Not an ounce of her feelings made sense, and she had no intention of ruminating over them any further.

“The Duke is nothing more than a challenge,” Cordelia said instead. “Have you ever known me to back down from a challenge?”

Irene sighed, pulling her hand back. “I suppose not, dear sister.”

“There is one thing that rests heavily on my mind.”

“What would that be?”

Cordelia looked over at her sister. “Why do you suppose the Duke agreed to marry me in the first place?”

“Well,” Irene mused, “I don’t quite know.”

“What would give a beastly Duke reason to marry a recently ruined Lady?”

Irene lifted her shoulders. “Father never explained it.”

“Truly?”

“Can you see him telling me such a thing?”

Cordelia pressed her lips together. “Perhaps Duncan would know.”

“Why should it matter?” Irene asked. “You are married now. The reasons can’t change that fact.”

“Of course it doesn’t.”

“Do not ruminate over things that are out of your bounds.”

Cordelia sighed. It wasn’t like she expected Irene to answer the question, but voicing it brought a new interest in the Duke’s past to Cordelia’s mind. Ever since the wedding, she had been more than intrigued with her husband’s past, and why the Ton knew him to be a beastly and wild sort of creature. But the reasons behind their marriage were unbeknownst to her. Did the Duke face his own sort of scrutiny that required a wife?

“Enough of this,” Irene suddenly said. “Let us talk about the ball.”

“Whatever for?”

“What dress shall you wear?”

Before Cordelia could come up with some sort of lie to please her sister’s eager expression, the door to the parlour opened, and Duncan slipped inside, a few books held beneath his arm.

“I don’t believe I heard correctly,” he said. “Is Cordelia attending aball?”

Cordelia rolled her eyes. “You find the oddest times to gain a sense of humor, dear brother.”

Duncan raised a bushy brow. “There is no humor in my question, only doubt. The sister I know would never willingly attend a ball, not without being forced.”

“Well, Idohave a husband now.”

Duncan crossed the room, sliding the books he held back in their spots upon the aging bookcases. Despite the teasing tint to his voice, Duncan never once dropped the serious frown that seemed to permanently rest across his lips. “Who knew that was all it would take?”

“I believe you knew that very well.”

“Not when I heard he hadn’t lived with you for two years,” Duncan quickly said, eyeing Cordelia skeptically. “Don’t get me wrong, sister. I was not surprised the Duke decided to reside elsewhere. You have that charming effect.”

Cordelia shook her head. “I cannot believe you are still unwed. With that charm, every available Lady in the Ton should be following you around like Irene’s delightful wolfhound.”