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“I agreed to have tea with them and discuss the possibility. We were lucky enough for Duke Danton to actually agree to wed you.”

“But why? We have never met. I don’t even think I’ve ever seen him before.”

“I hardly see why it matters what he sees in you. He has agreed to marry you, and considering your prospects you should consider yourself lucky.”

“No, I only meant to ask why you put my name forward to begin with.”

“I thought that would be obvious. Can you think for even a moment?”

Rebecca’s heart pounded in her ears. This couldn’t be happening. Even her father as awful as he was would never do something like this to her. She clenched her trembling hands in her skirts. She couldn’t let him see her terror. It would only make everything that came next worse. She just wanted all of this to be over as soon as possible. “Forgive me, father, but I think I need you to explain it to me.”

He signed. “Our family is doing well, but we can always do more to improve our family name. For once you can actually do something to help it.”

“But how?”

“Marrying him,” he said as though it should have been obvious, and perhaps he was right. He wouldn’t have to say things like this all the time if she wasn’t constantly doing something wrong. “It would be good for our family to have ties to a duke. I must say I was rather surprised you were the only one put forward. I would have thought there would be at least a few other families putting their daughters forward.”

Rebecca hesitated. “Perhaps that might be because Duke Danton is known to be a–-” she hesitated again. She needed to be careful here. It wouldn’t help her case if her father thought she was insulting him. “Rather harsh person,” she finally settled on. It was an understatement to be sure, and quite an extreme one at that, but it was as much as she dared to say.

“I thought you hadn’t met him before.”

“I haven’t but his reputation precedes him. I have heard people talk.”

“So you’re telling me you have not only been engaging in gossip, but talking negatively about someone of a higher status than you?”

“No, of course not! I-”

“Then what were you trying to say?”

“I was only trying to explain that I don’t know if this is such a good idea.”

“Is that right?” his face darkened as he leveled her with a glare cold enough to freeze the sun. “And you know what is good for this family do you?”

She stiffened at his sharp tone. Her heart pounded in her chest. She knew she needed to tread carefully. She had clearly alreadydug a hole for herself; she couldn’t let it get any deeper. “I only have concerns.”

“Clearly. I just don’t see why you think you need to voice them.”

She looked down, knowing when he didn’t want her to actually reply.

“This is a chance for you to finally do something good for this family and you want to throw it back in my face? You should be honored by anyone, much less a duke, is even willing to marry you.”

She locked her eyes on the ground.

“Who is the head of this family?”

“You are, father.”

“And who knows what is best for this family?”

“You do.”

“So who do you think you are to question me?”

“No one. I wasn’t trying to and I shouldn’t have done anything to make it seem like I was.”

“That’s right, so let’s try this again, shall we?”

“Yes, father.”