Page 9

Her head jerked up to look at her sister. “No, I didn’t.” Questions bubbled in her throat, but she didn’t dare voice any of them. She couldn’t risk giving her sister any more words to twist against her.

Dorothy hummed. “Yes, it was only once and not very long.”

“When?” she asked before she could stop herself.

The grin she gave Rebecca made her mistake clear, but it was too late. “It was at the very afternoon tea that father agreed you would marry him.”

“Why were you there for that? If I wasn’t able to be present, it hardly seems appropriate.”

Dorothy shot her a cold look at the audacity of Rebecca’s question, but it had been a fair question. After all, it wasmore than a little odd that she had been there, especially since Rebecca hadn’t.

In fact, not only had Rebecca not been there, not only did she not know about it, but she hadn’t even known her possible engagement was on the table. “Father arranged a formal tea to work out the details after he heard from the gentlemen’s club the duke was looking for a husband. As your older sister, it only makes sense that I would be there to help find an appropriate husband. Why wouldn’t I have been there?”

Rebecca backpedaled quickly. The ride to the church was far too long to be trapped with her sister while she was upset. “I can understand why you were there. Of course you had your reasons, but it just seems like the kind of discussion where only the parties involved would be present.”

“But it does involve me. After all, having a sister married to a duke raises my prospects quite a bit. I hope you know just how lucky you are.”

Rebecca looked away. “Of course. How could I ever forget?”

“You are an ungrateful thing. I’m not surprised you would forget,” she huffed, crossing her arms. “Still, it is your wedding day, so I suppose I can forgive you.”

“Thank you. That is very kind of you.”

“Yes, it is isn’t it." A slow smile curved Dorothy’s lips. “Do you want to hear what he is like?”

Rebecca hesitated.

“Come now. I’m sure you’ve heard the rumors. I’m sure you want to know if they are true.”

“Well, I- I try to avoid gossip as best as I can.”

“I’m sure you do, but in this world it is rather hard to avoid. You can’t tell me you haven’t heard any of them.”

“I suppose I might have.”

“Then why don’t you ask me about them? Id be more than happy to tell you all about him.”

“I wouldn’t even know what to ask.”

“Come now, I’m sure you have questions.”

She didn’t say anything.

“If you don’t want to ask, why don’t I just tell you what I think?” Then she leaned in closer. “Every word is true,” she whispered.

Rebecca felt the color drain from her face. “What?”

“I said, every single word you’ve heard is completely true.”

She was too stunned to speak.

“Why don’t I start by telling you what he looks like?”

She wanted to tell her no. to tell her to stop. She knew it didn’t matter what she said. It was going to happen. There was no point in scaring herself, but she couldn’t force herself to say a word.

“He’s just as hideous as you have heard. Not only that, but he has an awful scar on his neck. I heard his brother gave it to him before he died.”

Rebecca’s heart pounded.