Now, as he stared at her with wide eyes, the thought occurred to her again. Despite her irritation and annoyance at what had seemed like an accusation and defamation, Selina could not help but note that he was the most handsome man she had ever seen.
It was too bad that his character was jarring, taking away from the beauty of the man. There was no way any woman would find him attractive with the ugly way that he spoke. His beauty was only on the surface and she did not care for such.
Selina tensed, prepared to retaliate as he opened his mouth to speak again, possibly to say something more irritating that the last thing he had spoken but he was cut off by footsteps heading their way.
She did not know whether to be relieved or annoyed by the fact that she did not get to hear what he had to say. This time it was clear to her that it was the dowager’s footsteps, accompanied with a lighter pair.
Selina allowed her shoulder to relax as the older woman walked into the room. She looked between them and Selina knew that she had sensed the tension between the two of them and judging from her warning in the carriage, she needed no one to tell her what had happened.
“Ah! Morgan, I see that you have met Miss Selina Knight,” The dowager said, walking towards him.” She is my companion.”
“Indeed, I have.”
Selina could see his teeth grinding at having to withhold whatever comment he would have uttered if the dowager and his sister were not present.
“Indeed, Your Grace. We have had thepleasureof meeting.” She gave him a sarcastic smile as she knew she had won this round. “Although, I would say the Duke could stand to be a bit more thoughtful towards his guests.”
Morgan’s eyes widened in surprise, clearly expecting her to be meek now that his grandmother was present. Selina looked just in time to see the dowager’s expression flicker between surprise, shock, and a feeling of dread.
Selina knew that although the dowager duchess would not reprimand her for speaking up for herself, she wished that they would have gotten along, but she could not help it if the Duke intentionally decided to be cruel. She would not stand for his cruelty.
“Ha!” The dowager belted out a peal of strained laughter, clearly trying to make light of the situation and dispel the tension. She turned to address the Duke.
“Morgan, I am sorry to come in on such short notice. The fire was really bad and the damage was extensive. There was not much else I could do,” she expertly changed the subject.
Selina saw the Duke’s expression soften as he turned fully to his grandmother. It seemed the Dowager Duchess had averted the crisis for now.
CHAPTER4
Morgan looked through the open doors of the drawing room where he thought his sister would be. He had been searching all over for her but she was nowhere to be found.
As he made his way to the music room, he saw some of his servants hurrying along with their tasks.
“Have you seen my sister by any chance?” he asked no one specifically, hoping that at least one of them had an idea of where she might have been.
“Yes, Your Grace,” the maid answered in a shaky voice. He did not know her name and had not seen her around before so he figured she must be new.
“I saw her head out into the gardens, Your Grace,” she told him, curtseying.
“Thank you,” Morgan said as he abandoned his plan to search the music room and headed outside to the gardens.
It had been only two days since his grandmother and her companion had come to stay with him.
“Selina Knight,”he muttered to himself quietly, careful that no one heard him. He hated the way her name rolled off his tongue so beautifully.
Morgan’s first reaction when he had walked into the music room and saw her standing in front of the harp was that she was beautiful.
Her dark blonde hair had been styled so intricately in a tight updo and he had wished in that moment to see it fall and frame her face.
He did not know if it was that or the fact that he was entranced by the light freckles that dusted her cheekbones and just beneath her green eyes, that made her seem so ethereal to him.
Morgan had also been treated to the very tempting image of her delicate neckline in her modest outfit. Everything about her had screamed beauty and grace in a way he had never seen before.
Still, he had to rein in his fascination. He did not know who she was. He worried that she might be a thief, but the only thing she had stolen was his ability to breathe for a short while.
That was until she had parted those full rosy lips that could utter words that would have many men undone and challenged him.
“Never met a woman so testing in all my days,” he muttered.
