Page 48 of His Scandalous Duchess (Icy Dukes #4)

CHAPTER ONE

" H ave you seen my sister?" Emma's voice cut through the hum of the ballroom. She stood before Lavinia and Alice, blinking repeatedly as she waited for them to respond. "Have you seen Cecilia?"

Emma swallowed, but the lump in her throat refused to budge.

She could hear her heart beating loudly in her chest, and it was making it almost impossible to breathe or concentrate.

Her hands clenched at her sides and the fine silk creased under the pressure of her grip as she moved through the ballroom rapidly as her gaze darted from face to face, her heart sinking each time she didn't find the one she was looking for.

Where is she?

It wasn't her idea to come to the ball. In fact, if it had been up to Emma, she would have stayed home, curled up in her favorite chair by the fire with a book in hand.

The quiet solitude of her own company was far preferable to the stifling heat and noise of yet another ball.

After attending tens – or rather, what seemed like hundreds – of them over the years, the novelty had long since worn off.

Now, they were merely tedious, a tiresome obligation she endured for the sake of her family.

But tonight was different. Tonight, shehadto be here.

"Tell me," Emma pressed, staring desperately at her friends.

Alice and Lavinia exchanged a quick glance as their conversation, or rather, their gossip halted mid-sentence.Alice's smile was the first to wane on seeing the worry plastered on Emma's face. Lavinia straightened her posture and her expression softened too.

"Cecilia?" Lavinia asked, her tone gentle. "I'm afraid I haven't seen her for a bit. Not since the opening dance. Why? Is something the matter, Emma?"

"She's missing," Emma said, panting. "I cannot find her anywhere.

We came together and then we separated at the refreshments room.

" Emma glanced over her shoulder, as though expecting Cecilia to materialize out of the crowd.

"But that was nearly half an hour ago and I have not set eyes on her again.

I've looked everywhere, the ladies' retiring room, the terrace, even the card room. "

"Calm yourself, Emma," Alice said to her, stepping forward. "It is a ball after all. I am certain she likely just wandered off to chat with someone or stepped outside for some air. You know how she dislikes being in a crowded room."

"That's why I worry," Emma continued, turning to quickly scan the room again.

"Cecilia isn't used to the scornful gazes of the ton , or their whispers about our family's.

.. situation. She's always been so sheltered.

.. sogood. She doesn't know how to steel herself against their cruelty the way I have–" she paused to scan Lavinia and Alice's faces.

"–the way we have had to. But lately, she has been acting quite oddly and I don't know what to make of it. "

Lavinia's expression softened, and she reached out to take Emma's hand. "Has it gotten that bad?"

Emma nodded, pressing her lips into a thin line.

"It's worse than ever I'm afraid," she admitted, her voice barely above a whisper.

"The debts... they are more than we can manage.

Father tries to hide it, but the creditors have started calling at the house.

And Cecilia... well, at first she couldn't understand why we have had to let go of so many servants or why we cannot host dinners anymore.

But I fear that she knows now and it bothers her more than she lets on.

I don't know how much longer we can keep up the pretense. "

Alice hesitated, then reached out to place a hand on Emma's shoulder.

"Emma, you have done an admirable job shielding your siblings.

I am sure that they understand the situation and won't do anything to worsen it.

Stop worrying too much about Cecilia. She might be shy and reclusive, but she is a sweet and a smart girl. "

"I know." Emma sighed. "I should keep looking for her. Just so I know where she is."

Emma turned to leave, grabbing a handful of her skirts as she prepared to resume her search for Cecilia. But before she could take a step, Alice's voice stopped her in her tracks.

"Wait," Alice said, holding her hand out. "Don't go just yet, Emma. You should hear what we were talking about before you came."

Emma hesitated, torn between her urgency to find Cecilia and her curiosity about what could possibly be so important. "Can it wait? I should find Cecilia quickly before–"

"Oh, but you'll want to hear this," Alice interrupted and glanced at Lavinia. "Apparently, there is an eligible duke here at the ball. It's all the debutants have been talking about. I hear he's quite the sight."

Emma blinked, momentarily distracted. "A duke?"

"The Duke of Montclaire," Alice answered. "No one has seen him, but he's here and rumor is, he might be looking to get married this season."

Emma raised her eyebrows. "Alice, the Duke of Montclaire is dead. He was an old man and he had no heirs."

"Apparently he did," Lavinia answered.

Emma shook her head. "I haven't heard of him."

"Neither has anyone else," Alice said with a laugh.

"That's the point. The rumor is that he's been a recluse for years, raised as a commoner, if you can believe it.

His father passed away last year, and this is the first time he's shown his face at a society event.

People can't stop talking about him. They say he's a brute, a scary man with no manners and no patience for the ton's games. "

Lavinia shook her head. "That's not entirely true," she said.

"He has been to a ball before, but I doubt he stayed long enough to be noticed.

Andrew has been working with him on a business venture for the past year, and he says the duke is.

.. unusual, yes, but not the monster everyone makes him out to be.

Andrew respects him, actually and he respects Andrew as well. "

"Well, Victor seems to agree with that sentiment," Alice added, nodding. "He mentioned the duke in passing the other day and said that he's not someone to be trifled with, but he's not the ogre the gossips claim, either."

Emma raised an eyebrow. "Did the duke say that to you himself? When did he get so interested in the gossip of the ton ? I'm starting to think that you might be a terrible influence on your husband, Alice."

Alice laughed, a light, musical sound that drew a few glances from nearby guests. "Not in so many words," she said, her eyes sparkling with amusement. "You know how Victor is. He's about as chatty as a stone wall."

Emma couldn't help but smile, grateful for her friends' efforts to distract her, even if only for a moment. But the smile faded as quickly as it came. "While I truly appreciate the gossip," she said. "I really must go. I won't calm down until I find Cecilia."

Lavinia reached out and squeezed Emma's hand. "We understand," she said gently."If we see her first, we'll make sure she stays here with us."

"Thank you," Emma said.

Hastily, Emma made her way out of the ballroom to search the other areas of the mansion.

Alice and Lavinia were her only friends but Emma had noted how much had changed in the past few years.

They were both married now, both to dukes.

Alice... feisty and free-spirited Alice was the Duchess of Ravenmoor, and she was raising a child with the stoic Victor Terell.

Lavinia, ever the gentle soul, was the Duchess of Hargrave, her growing belly a testament to the life she and Andrew were building together.

They had both found their places in the world, their futures secure, their lives full of the kind of stability Emma could only dream of.

And then there was Emma herself. Nearly three-and-twenty, teetering on the edge of spinsterhood, her days consumed not by thoughts of love or marriage but by the relentless pursuit of funds for Cecilia's dowry.

She knew it was a cruel twist of fate...

that she shouldn't be the one to bear this burden.

But Cecilia still had a chance, a better chance than Emma ever had.

If she could secure a decent dowry, Cecilia might find a suitor this Season, someone kind and respectable who could offer her the life she deserved.

Emma never really dreamed of love and companionship.

She had seen firsthand what that had done to her father.

Love was dangerous. It made people very unreasonable.

The cool night air was a welcome relief as Emma stepped into the garden, the noise of the ballroom fading behind her.

It was a beautiful night, even more beautiful in that garden.

She took in a deep breath, letting the tranquility of the garden soothe her frayed nerves.

She wandered down a gravel path, her shoes crunching softly against the stones.

The garden was huge, with hidden alcoves and winding trails.

Emma wondered if Cecilia had sought refuge here and the thought gave her a flicker of hope.

Perhaps Cecilia had simply needed a moment of quiet, away from the whispered judgments of the ton . Emma could hardly blame her for that.

As she rounded a corner, she paused and scanned her surroundings. Certain she was alone, she closed her eyes for a moment, savoring the solitude. But just as she began to relax, a sound broke the stillness...a low, murmuring voice, barely audible but unmistakably human.

Emma's eyes snapped open, her heart leaping into her throat. She turned toward the sound, her gaze darting to a cluster of tall bushes nearby. The voice came again, deeper this time, followed by a soft mumble .