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They entered the dining hall to find a steaming plateful of kippers, roasted tomatoes, freshly baked bread, butter, jam, and kettles of tea waiting for them.

“Mmm, what a feast,” said Robert.

“Yes indeed,” Georgiana agreed and took a seat.

To her surprise Daisy also took the seat opposite her, while Robert sat at the head of the table, perusing the day’s mail.

Georgiana lifted an eyebrow at Daisy, wanting to know what she was up to.

“I thought I would keep you company,” she said with a shrug.

Georgiana gave her a skeptical glance but let it go. If Daisy wanted to sit with them, she was more than welcome.

“It seems we have been invited to a ball,” Robert said.

Georgiana looked at him in surprise. “Who has invited us?”

Robert read the invitation before passing it to her. “It is from the Windermeres. Strange that Lady Susan did not mention it.”

“Well, you hardly give her a chance,” Georgiana said absently as she read the invitation.

There was a personal note to the duke:

We are so excited that you are in town in time for this ball and are looking forward to seeing you.

Lady Susan Windermere.

Georgiana frowned in annoyance. She was starting to develop an active dislike for the oldest Windermere daughter.

“Is it not exciting?” Daisy exclaimed. “Ariana says this will be the most prominent ball of the Season. We are going to go, are we not?”

Georgiana looked at Robert to find that he was already looking back at her with the same question in his eyes. She was very tempted to just say no, but Daisy was gazing at her imploringly.

“Of course, we will attend,” she said with a strained smile.

Robert gazed at her with concern. “Are you sure?”

She nodded jerkily, although she was not at all sure. “Of course.”

Robert lifted his eyebrows at her and pursed his lips but did not say another word.

Instead, he reached for the kettle of tea. “Shall I pour you a cup?” he asked.

“Yes, thank you.” Georgiana was thirsty and ravenous.

She decided to put the ball out of her mind for the moment. She knew it would do no good to dwell on it, but she already felt like she was treading on slippery ground.

She could not help but see Lady Susan as a threat, looming over them and upsetting their precarious stability.

When Selina had asked her what she wanted for the future, she had been unable to articulate it, even to herself. Now, she knew she wanted a fair chance at making her marriage work. She was standing at the cliff’s edge, deciding once and for all whether to jump or run away screaming.

We will see how it goes.

Robert was generally not a fan of balls. If presented with the option, he would rather sit around and play cards with his friends, or even retire to a darkened library with a book.

He strongly suspected that one of the reasons he had settled upon Angela at the debutante ball was that he could not abide having to attend a tiresome succession of soirees.

If he did not feel that it would be damaging to their relationship, he would have told Georgiana that he did not want to go. But he was savvy enough to know that, if he truly did want to give their marriage a chance, he had to make some compromises—including attending balls.