Page 6 of The Spinster and Her Rakish Duke (The Athena Society #3)

The duke’s jaw ticked once, but he nodded. “I shall be at your disposal.”

“Come, girls,” Lord Norfeld said, taking Jane’s arm and gesturing for Samantha to follow. “We’re going home. Immediately.”

The carriage ride to Norfeld Hall passed in oppressive silence. Samantha sat rigid in her corner, staring out at the dark countryside while Jane fidgeted with her gloves and shot worried glances between her sister and their uncle.

Finally, as they turned up the drive to their estate, Lord Norfeld spoke.

“Samantha,” he said, his voice heavy with disappointment, “I am at a loss to understand how you could have been so careless.”

“Uncle—”

“Do you have any idea what this will do to your sister’s reputation? To our family’s standing in society?”

“It was a misunderstanding,” Samantha said desperately. “I was looking for Jane, and I encountered the duke by chance. We were searching together when we came upon Lady Willington and Lord Eastwich in a compromising position. She lied to protect herself.”

“Oh no!” Jane exclaimed.

“Where were you?” Samantha asked, turning her sharp gaze on her sister. “Lord Ashford said you’d been gone for fifteen minutes.”

Jane’s cheeks flushed. “I… I thought I might be getting my courses. I was afraid of staining my dress, so I went to check. But it was a false alarm.”

“This is precisely what I mean,” Lord Norfeld said heavily.

“Natural concerns that any young woman might have, but in the current climate, every absence will be scrutinized, every action questioned. The ton is ruthless when it comes to scandal, and this…” He shook his head.

“This is precisely the kind of gossip that destroys reputations.”

“Uncle, you must believe me,” Samantha said. “I’m telling the truth about what happened.”

“I believe you,” he said quietly. “But belief and proof are different things. And unfortunately, the ton’s imagination prefers scandal involving certain characters, this one involving a notorious rake and a ‘spinster’, rather than respectable married lords and ladies.”

The carriage came to a stop before their front door, and they climbed out in heavy silence. Once inside, their uncle led them to his study, where he poured himself a generous glass of brandy.

“How will we handle this?” he asked, more to himself than to them.

“We’ll weather it,” Samantha said with more confidence than she felt. “Gossip dies down eventually.”

“Not this kind of gossip,” Lord Norfeld said grimly. “Not when it involves a duke.”

A knock at the front door interrupted them. The butler appeared in the doorway, his expression carefully neutral.

“My lord,” he said, “the Duke of Valemont requests an audience.”

Uncle William’s eyebrows rose. “At this hour? I thought we had agreed on the morning.”

“He says it’s urgent, my lord.”

Lord Norfeld glanced at his nieces, then nodded. “Show him in.”

The duke entered the study with his usual commanding presence, but Samantha noticed lines of tension around his eyes. He bowed formally to her uncle.

“Lord Norfeld. I apologize for the lateness of the hour, but I felt this matter required immediate attention.”

“Your Grace,” Norfeld said carefully. “I had expected to see you tomorrow morning.”

“I prefer to address problems directly rather than allow them to fester.” The duke’s gaze flickered to Samantha, then back to her uncle. “I’ve come to confirm Lady Samantha’s account of this evening’s events.”

“You needn’t—” Samantha began, but he continued as if she hadn’t spoken.

“Lady Samantha spoke the truth. We encountered Lady Willington and Lord Eastwich in a compromising position, and she deflected suspicion by falsely accusing us.” His voice was matter-of-fact, but Samantha could see the tension in his shoulders.

“However, I recognize that the ton’s imagination prefers scandals involving certain characters. ”

“Your Grace,” Lord Norfeld said slowly, “while I appreciate your honesty, I’m not certain how this helps our situation.”

“It doesn’t,” the duke said bluntly. “Which is why I’m here to propose a solution.”

The room fell silent. Samantha felt her heart begin to race, because she was certain she would not like this… ‘solution’, as he put it.

“I offer for Lady Samantha’s hand in marriage.” He said, tone solemn.

The words hung in the air like a death sentence. Samantha stared at him, her mind reeling.

“Absolutely not,” she said, finding her voice at last. “That’s… that’s ridiculous.”

“Is it?” The duke’s green eyes met hers steadily. “Marriage would solve both our problems. Your reputation would be restored, and the gossip would die a natural death.”

“You could use your influence,” Samantha said desperately. “Bribe the scandal sheets, ensure the story doesn’t spread?—”

“You know how the ton works, Lady Samantha. Once a story like this takes hold, it develops a life of its own. Denial only makes it more interesting.”

Samantha looked at her uncle, hoping for support, but saw only resignation in his eyes.

“It may be the best solution,” Uncle William said quietly.

“Uncle—”

He could not possibly be considering this, could he?

“Samantha,” he said gently, “consider your sister’s future. Consider our family’s reputation. This scandal will touch everyone connected to us.”

Samantha’s gaze flew to Jane, who was watching the exchange with wide, troubled eyes. The guilt suffused through her system, freezing her blood. Jane’s debut season, her chances for a good match, her entire future—all of it hanging in the balance because of Samantha’s reckless search tonight.

“Jane,” she whispered.

“I’ll be fine,” Jane said softly, but her voice shook slightly. “Don’t worry about me.”

But Samantha could see the fear in her sister’s eyes, the understanding of what this scandal would mean for them. And she knew, with sinking certainty, that there was only one choice that would protect the person she loved most in the world.

Slowly, she hung her head.

“I accept,” she said, her voice barely audible. “I accept your proposal, Your Grace.”

“Excellent,” Uncle William said, his relief evident. “Your Grace, shall we discuss the arrangements?”

“I’ll handle everything,” the duke said. “I’ll obtain the special license, arrange for the ceremony, and ensure that the transition is as smooth as possible. You’ll hear from me within the day regarding the details.”

He bowed formally to her uncle, then to Jane, and finally to Samantha. But she couldn’t bring herself to look at him, couldn’t bear to see whatever expression might be on his face.

“Good evening,” he said, and then he was gone, leaving behind only the faint scent of his cologne and the weight of what she’d just agreed to.

Samantha remained seated, staring at her hands folded in her lap, while her uncle and sister spoke in low voices around her. She felt as if she were drowning, pulled under by forces beyond her control.

In the space of a single evening, she had gone from protective sister to reluctant bride, bound to a man who had made it clear that what she remembered as significant had been merely an evening’s entertainment.

And now she would spend the rest of her life wondering what she had gotten herself into.