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“Nothing that concerns you.”

Sarah let the moment settle before nudging her sister.

“It may not concern me outright, but it concerns you, and you are my sister. Are you all right?”

Eleanor sighed. Her heart was tired of the push and pull with the Duke. She never knew where she stood with him, and it was becoming exhausting.

“I will be. Once I settle with a husband, all will be well, and we can move on with the rest of our lives. I just need to get through this season.”

Sarah nodded solemnly. “It’ll all work out, Eleanor. You always find a way to come out on top. You’re quite the catch, you know.”

Eleanor slipped her hand through Sarah’s arm.

“Thank you, sister.”

Sarah smiled. “And I wouldn’t worry about what the Duke thinks of your choices. In the end, he’s not the one marrying them, you are. If you’re happy with someone, then that’s all that matters.”

Sarah rested her head on Eleanor’s shoulder as they continued to walk.

Eleanor didn’t know how to reply to her sister because it wasn’t just up to her. Not when the business of marriage was something wars were fought over. And she felt a war brewing between her and the Duke. One that might destroy the whole family.

CHAPTER 15

The next night, Eleanor followed her mother and the Duke through the main doors to Lady Weller’s grand ballroom. Lady Weller’s balls were the highlight of the season and therefore drew quite the list of names.

As soon as they entered the ballroom, Eleanor split off from her mother and the insufferable Duke. She made her way through the crowds and spotted Caroline.

“Oh, Eleanor, you look ravishing in your dress. Is that the new one you were talking about? It makes your green eyes positively pop!”

Eleanor leaned in to give her friend’s cheek a kiss and blushed. “Thank you, Caroline. I didn’t know if yellow would suit my coloring and blonde hair, but Mama said it was the perfect shade for me.”

Caroline squealed. “They’re really pushing you out there, aren’t they?”

Eleanor nodded in agreement. “Third times a charm,” she said, referring to her third season.

Her friend laughed. “Well, if it is to happen anywhere, it may as well be here. Anybody who is anybody is at this ball.”

Eleanor scanned the room. There were the regular faces she had come accustomed to seeing—even the Viscount of Hountshire was there. He gave a slight nod in her direction. She responded with a smile.

She was sure she would end up dancing with him at some point in the night, but for tonight’s purposes, she had bigger plans. Caroline was right when she said they were doing everything in their power to make sure Eleanor was noticed tonight. Only Caroline got the coordinators wrong. It was Eleanor’s own doing that her cheeks were rosy, her eyes sparkled, and her dress lay just so to accentuate her frame.

She was on a mission to not only find a man but to make sure the Duke was well aware of her operation.

Caroline and Eleanor walked around the ballroom, gossiping about who was there and who, if anyone, caught their interest.

“Did you see Lord Malson’s son is back from Oxford?” Caroline whispered while nodding to her right.

Eleanor’s eyes followed the movement and fell onto the boy who used to pull her hair when they were young.

Although, he was no longer a boy. He was all man.

“Well, time away certainly has done wonders for him,” Eleanor murmured.

Caroline gasped before covering a giggle with her hand. “Eleanor! Where did you learn to speak like that?”

Eleanor took a moment to consider her friend’s shock. She normally would never think something like that, let alone actually say it out loud. Not before meeting a certain duke.Drat.That man is slowly dissecting my very being.

She turned to Caroline to apologize when her eyes clashed with dark blue ones behind Caroline. Graynor was standing by a wall; a man was talking to him, but his attention was fully on Eleanor.