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Chapter Five

T he light in the parlor was absurdly bright compared to the subtle illumination of the dining room, and Hugh allowed himself to squint for only a moment.

The women were clearly all quite nervous about what was to follow.

Despite the fact that he was sure they would wish to get the discussion moving, Hugh took the time to pour himself a glass of whiskey from the collection of liquors available.

Silence hung through the room, and as he turned from pouring his glass, Hugh cast a skeptical glance across the faces assembled.

Selina’s mother put on her usual abrasive grin, doing her best to hide her apprehension.

In contrast, her two younger daughters did nothing to keep the anxious tension from their faces.

Even Myra looked concerned and had not picked up her book once since they had sat down on the small settee in the parlor.

Selina stood just behind the settee, guarding over her sisters like a protective hawk. He raised a brow as he met her stare. She only narrowed her eyes at him, utterly unconvinced of his motives, even as he remained as calm and composed as ever.

She knew he had something planned, a few rods in the fire as it were.

I’ll give her credit for being so observant.

Hugh sipped at his whiskey, using the drink to ease the tension he felt gripping his spine. He was not nervous, on the contrary. Whenever he was around Selina, as unfortunate as it was, Hugh was intrigued, curious, and a bit too enraptured by her for his liking.

“Would you care for some port?”

His stare did not leave Selina’s, but it was her mother who answered first.

“That would be delightful. Thank you, Your Grace.” She turned over her shoulder. “Selina, surely you wish for a refreshment from our most gracious Duke.”

The stony expression on Selina’s face did not waver, her eyes locked on Hugh’s.

“Of course.”

Setting his whiskey down on the mantle above the fireplace, Hugh proceeded to the liquor cart and poured two glasses of port. He delivered the first to Bridget, giving her a small smile as she beamed up at him with that ridiculous grin of hers.

Stepping around the settee where Selina still stood, he held out the glass for her. As Selina reached for it, the Duke pulled away slightly, teasing.

“Come now, Selina. You must sit. Relax.”

“I assure you, Your Grace. I am quite comfortable.” She took the wine glass from his fingers, sipping at the port as she glared at him.

Hugh held back the chuckle that wished to break free, instead progressing the evening by retrieving his whiskey and getting on with his announcement.

“Now that I have returned to London and have made myself acquainted with the estate, I wish to see each of the young ladies in my charge married as quickly as possible.”

“What?” They all spoke in unison, but it was Selina who stepped forward, her fingers on the stem of her glass threatening to break it.

He looked to her, addressing her directly as the former Duchess of Soulden.

“I will not be so cruel as to arrange a marriage before your sisters are of age.” Hugh swiveled his attention to Myra and Lydia, mentally noting the very opposing expressions they wore.

“They will each have a Season after debuting, which does provide quite a length of time to set things in motion before they debut, should anyone be aware of a good match.”

Nervous tension swelled in the room, and even as he’d seen excitement in Lydia’s eyes during dinner, she looked overwhelmingly nervous now. Myra looked downright heartbroken, but it truly was for the best.

No lady in existence should be in my care for longer than an evening.

“If your sisters are not able to find matches on their own within that timeframe, I will do it for them. Still…”

Hugh stepped closer to Selina, pinning her with his stare. It was terrible how much he loved to see her squirm beneath it, and his thoughts turned devious yet again. It was indeed a good thing he had come to this arrangement because he could not have her in his home for much longer.

Not without tremendous consequences for both of them.

“… you have had ample time to find a suitable match, and yet you are still here. It is clear that you have made no effort to find a husband as ordered.”

“I have not, nor have I sought to hide that fact. I have told you that I do not wish to marry again. I have already given my hand to someone, and I will not be of the mind to give it again.” Selina took a step forward herself, unwilling to give up ground.

“You cannot demand that I wed solely for your own comfort.”

Hugh narrowed his eyes on Selina, increasing the intensity that he drove into the stare as they stood nose to nose in opposition.

“I should think you would know better than to speak out against me, Selina. We had had such a meaningful conversation during the ball.”

Her mouth dropped open gently, and a delightful blush spread from Selina’s cheeks down to her chest. Hugh silently marveled at the way her skin warmed so beautifully, and he felt a strain behind the fall of his trousers.

She was a devious, fetching thing, and Hugh loathed how much he wished to tear her from the room and drag her to his chambers.

Rolling her lips between her teeth, Selina sucked in a deep breath, which only served to press her bosom to the neck of her dress. Still, she composed herself, the pink fading from her flesh.

“Why, Your Grace? Would you at least be gracious enough to explain why you are in such a hurry to see us all married off?”

He had to pull himself away, create space between them, so Hugh tilted back his head, swallowing the last of his whiskey and walking to the bottle once more to refresh his cup. He had quite the tolerance, so he was not concerned about making a fool of himself because of a bit of the drink.

No, it was Selina who threatened his ego tonight.

Once the glass was refilled, he turned his attention to Myra and Lydia, trading stern glances between the two younger sisters.

“Do you intend to marry someday?” The question was clearly posed to each of them, and Hugh crossed his arms over his chest, waiting for the response. “Speak earnestly.”

Lydia perked up in her seat, eyeing him hopefully. “Of course, Your Grace. I have been looking forward to it. It is expected of me as well.”

Hugh focused on Myra, and he already knew what the girl likely felt about the entire business of marriage. But he was keen on hearing what she might say.

“I-I will get married as it is expected of me as well. But…” Her courage took some mustering, but Myra met Hugh’s stare once again. “…should it not occur, I would not be overly dismayed.”

That I believe is an extraordinary understatement.

“I should think, then,” Hugh began, idly sipping at his whiskey to keep himself from glancing Selina’s way, “that you might both be grateful that I would arrange it as soon as possible. It would allow you to live freely with your husband, instead of feeling pinned down living under the mercy of my estate.”

And protected from the reputation of a rumored rake.

Selina stamped her foot, forcing his attention to her, and he glared, unable to keep the frustration from his features.

“You cannot just force them out into the world and rush a match purely because you wish to rid the estate of my family. This was the home of my late husband, and I am his widow. They are my family. They have a right to be here.”

The woman was far too gorgeous when she was upset, and Hugh felt his blood stir, beckoning him toward her like some madman. Selina’s very presence was intoxicating, and he knew precisely what he was like when his desires blazed like this.

He kept his dalliances to those that would not do significant harm, and they were few and far between though rumors might suggest the contrary. Selina could not be brought into his life that way. He needed to remain detached and keep a strong distance from her.

And the Duke had no issue with marrying Selina off to keep him from seizing her for himself.

“You might want to focus on finding yourself a match instead of arguing with me, Selina.” Hugh could feel every set of eyes in the room staring at him, drilling into him from every angle.

“Your debut has, of course, come and gone. As such, you will have until the end of the Season to find a suitable husband. I have been more than generous with my timeline. Use what you have wisely.”

Selina balked, her eyes the size of tea saucers. “That is a month away.”

“Better work with haste then, Selina. Your clock is ticking.”