Page 8 of Courting the Duke (Reimagined Regency #2)

Which was the gist of the conversation Serena had had with Hoxton.

She stared at her cousin for a long moment as an idea began to form.

“I think I have a solution. What if you write him a letter? That way, he can know you for who you are and nobody has to know about it but you, me, and of course Hoxton.”

Her gaze lit up, and she nodded eagerly. “That is an excellent idea.”

Serena stood as well and went to the small, traveling lap desk that she often used for writing letters to her brother.

Roxanne never took an interest in learning her letters, nor was she an avid reader.

Of course, as a lady, she need not have those skills, but as a duchess, she would need a rudimentary understanding of household accounts.

Although Serena had never brought the subject to Roxanne’s attention, once she married, Serena would become her personal assistant.

It wasn’t unusual for a woman of Roxanne’s stature to have multiple people help her run her extensive household.

And eventually she’d have children, which would make it more complicated.

She lifted the pen and pulled out a piece of paper, looking at Roxanne. “Tell me what you would like to say, and I will write it down unless you prefer to do it yourself?”

Roxanne waved one delicate hand and shook her head. She gave Serena the answer she was expecting, but she needed to ask, anyway. Unlike everyone else in Roxanne’s life, she wanted to treat her with respect. The woman was very kind, and she didn’t deserve to be ill-used.

“You can start by telling him how flattered I was that he complimented me on my gown.” Roxanne twirled on her heel, her skirt billowing out for a moment, her entire frame radiating joy. Despite her mother’s attempts to bring her down, she maintained a positive attitude most of the time.

Serena’s hand hovered over the paper as she considered her words.

While the ink bled into the paper, everything inside of her screamed that this was the wrong direction to go.

“While I am sure he will appreciate your appreciation, I think you need to say something a bit more that reflects your interests. You have a fine hand at painting. Perhaps you could volunteer to draw one of his birds for him, and the two of you can collaborate on a book similar to the one he lent to me.”

“Birds frighten me, you know that.”

“But you love animals.” At the age of fourteen, Serena had a pet squirrel when her mother moved the family to Clarkingham due to her increasing illness.

Her aunt had refused to have the animal in the house, but Roxanne had secretly kept the squirrel in her bedroom on Serena’s behalf.

Even at nine years old, she’d shown her compassion for others.

“I do, but not birds.”

From the stubborn tilt of her chin, she would not take Serena’s advice.

Either Serena could continue to guide her in the right direction, or come out and bluntly tell her the truth.

She decided on the latter. For far too long, Roxanne had been treated like a child.

She was a woman full grown and needed to know how to shape her own destiny.

“When I told you I ran into Hoxton this morning, I didn’t tell you the entire story.

I overheard him and Lady Imogene talking about the engagement.

He’s having reservations, and I think it behooves you to curb that before it goes further. ”

The pacing stopped, and Roxanne shoved the rest of the bread into her mouth, her cheeks bulging. She often ate when she was uncomfortable or scared, which Serena thought was unhealthy, but again, the woman was half-starved most of the time, so she deserved to have some food.

“Are you saying he doesn’t wish to marry me?” The color had drained from her face.

“I am saying he doesn’t know you as the wonderful and kind lady that you show to me and to those in your family.” Movement caught her eye, and she looked over in time to see Brutus eating from Serena’s forgotten plate. “Oh, bother, he ate the apple.”

“Brutus, you little scamp.” Roxanne moved to the table but made no attempt to discipline the animal.

She lifted Serena’s cup, draining the tea.

Brutus watched her with keen interest, licking his chops.

With a nod, Roxanne said in a tiny voice, “I will do what I must to get Hoxton to marry me. Mama will not be happy if he loses interest.”

“Never fear. We will make this right. You have to trust me.” Serena nodded at her own words. “What else would you like to say?”

Roxanne bit her bottom lip, her brow furrowed in concentration. “I don’t know what to say. You know I am hopeless when it comes to these things.”

Serena kept a patient smile on her lips. Roxanne sometimes became flustered, and once that happened, she shut down. “Why don’t we start out by listing what you enjoy, and then you can compose the note from there.”

Her face lit up. “I like flowers. Pink flowers to be exact. Stiller brought me roses the last time he called on me in London.”

Serena listed flowers but left out the part about Stiller.

Roxanne went back to the table and began chatting about the new dress she ordered while devouring the rest of the fruit.

Serena realized as she wrote that Roxanne had little idea of her own strengths.

To add to her epiphany, from what she’d observed about Hoxton thus far, he and Roxanne had few common interests.

To give her cousin a fighting chance, Serena would have to use her own observations about Roxanne to entice the duke into asking for her hand.