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Selina had no idea things were that bad. Oh sure, she was vaguely aware of her family’s financial issues, brought about by the death of her father. But she had not known they were so serious. And she had certainly not known that her family’s entire future rested on her shoulders.

“I am sorry, Mother,” she sighed. “I should not have yelled at you.”

“It is alright, dear.” Her mother took her hands and squeezed them. “I understand perfectly well why you are upset, and I do not begrudge you. All I ask is that you at leasttrywith Lord Edmund. Yes, his reputation is a tad?—”

“Grotesque.”

Lady Langham chuckled. “That is just because he has not met the right woman yet. And if I know one thing about my daughter, there is hardly a man who can resist her charm. Win him over, Selina. Make him realize how lucky he is to have you as his wife, and I promise that if you do that, your marriage will not only be strong but also happy.” She smiled softly, her eyes twinkling as if holding back tears.

“I will, Mother,” Selina said, squeezing her mother’s hands back and returning her smile. “I promise.”

Although Selina could not feel any excitement at the prospect of marrying Lord Edmund, she realized now that she had no real choice. Worse, too, that, unlike the last time she was betrothed, she would have no choice but to proceed with this marriage.

For her family, if nothing else.

Oh yes, Selina had been engaged once before. It was last Season when she had been engaged to the Duke of Thorne—an engagement she had not wanted, for the Duke was said to be a cold and cruel man incapable of love.

She had wanted a love match—ever since she was a little girl, that was all she had wished for. Sensing such a thing would not occur between herself and the Duke of Thorne, she had used trickery to end the engagement, orchestrating a scandal involving the Duke and her cousin. This saw the Duke marry her cousin instead, thus allowing her to escape the betrothal so that she might have a chance to marry the man she wanted, not the one foisted on her.

The irony was bitter to swallow, and if Selina was not feeling so positively crestfallen, she might have even seen the humor in it.

Her only hope was that the man she had met this morning was not the same who would share her bed for the rest of her life. Surely, there was more to Lord Edmund than what the rumors said?

Something was wrong. And for once, it was not Selina’s fault.

The ball was in full swing, and Selina was desperate not to appear as if her world was about to end. She smiled as she wandered. She laughed as people joked. She feigned excitement the best she could, all the while wondering to herself what would happen when she was forced to speak with Lord Edmund for the first real time.

Lord Edmund, however, was nowhere to be found.

The Duke had arrived late at the ball, and once he had, he asked to have a word with Lady Langham. Selina had seen it happen from across the ballroom, but caught up in conversation with her sisters, she was unable to excuse herself in time to follow them.

The Duke and her mother had disappeared for five minutes, and it did not escape her notice that while the Duke was here, his brother was not. In that, Selina allowed herself to feel hope. She dared to dream. She even hurried out of the house, found the carriage that the Duke had arrived in, and confirmed that it was empty.

Lord Edmund… Where is he?

When she returned to the ballroom, she found the Duke standing in the middle of the ballroom, trying to capture the room’s attention. Lady Langham stood beside him, and when she saw Selina, she beckoned her over.

“There you are!” Lady Langham grabbed her by the arm and pulled her beside her. “Where did you go?”

“What is going on, Mother?” Selina asked, tempering her excitement. “Where is Lord Edmund?”

“Do not worry yourself with such things.”

“He is not here,” Selina noted, still doing her best to refrain from sounding relieved. “Where is he? What has?—”

“I said, do not worry.” Her mother squeezed her hand warningly. “His Grace is about to speak, and all your questions will be answered.”

The Duke stood tall and firm as he patiently waited for the chatter to die down. Selina had forgotten just how powerful the man’s presence was. The scars were one thing, and it did not escape her notice that a few people were looking at them and gasping. But it was his stature that made the murmurs die down quickly, his steely gaze which he swept over the room and fixed on the few who were a bit too slow to stop chattering.

“I wish to make an announcement,” he began, his voice deep like the rumble of thunder. “The reason why Lady Langham is hosting us at her estate this week might not have been spoken about openly, but I am sure that many of you have guessed the reason. Now, it is my pleasure to reveal that reason.”

Selina frowned as she listened. And that frown deepened as she noticed the resigned look on the Duke’s face. He did not seem eager or excited, nor did he seem upset.

Again, Lord Edmund was not here. But the way the Duke spoke suggested that this marriage was still going ahead. Only, if that was the case…

“Oh no…” Selina gasped as realization dawned on her.

“It brings me great pleasure to announce that I have asked for Miss Selina Gouldsmith’s hand in marriage and that she has graciously accepted. We are to be wed!”