Her instinct was to jump to her feet, run across the room, and throw herself into his arms, but she knew she couldn’t. This was another chance to show the dowager how well behaved she could be. Instead of giving in to her desires, she rose and offered a demure but genuine smile. “Your Grace. I’m so glad to see you.”
It felt funny to return to addressing him formally after they had spoken more intimately to one another, but she didn’t want the dowager to think she was too improper.
But Seth laughed. “I’ve told you to call me by my name, Lavinia,” he said. “We’re going to be married, after all.”
Lavinia couldn’t help returning his smile. It was the same thing that always seemed to happen when Seth was around—it made her feel alive in ways she almost never did. But things had changed between them too. Where once she had felt almostparalyzed with nerves in his presence, now she felt relaxed and happy. It was much easier to be with the dowager now that Seth was here.
Seth came over and sat down beside her. “What have you three ladies been discussing?” he asked, smiling over at Edwina. “I hope I haven’t missed much—I’m sorry I kept you waiting.”
“It was no trouble,” Lavinia assured him.
“It was a little bit of trouble,” Edwina countered. “Did you know that your mother doesn’t think you ought to marry Lavinia?”
“Edwina,” Lavinia reprimanded. “That isn’t right, Seth. That’s not what your mother said. She’s rightfully concerned about the dukedom and my future place in it and asked for reassurance that I would be willing to learn from her how to be the best duchess possible. That’s all.”
It wasn’t the truth, and she could tell by the skeptical expression on Seth’s face that he didn’t quite believe it. But, for once, Lavinia felt that she knew what she was doing.
She wanted to show the dowager that she knew how to smooth over a situation. But even more than that, she wanted the dowager to see that she, Lavinia, was not going to be a source of conflict. Let the dowager choose to create a conflict if she was determined to do so, but Lavinia would not contribute to that.
“I’m sure you’ll be a remarkable duchess,” Seth said. “After all, I knew from the moment we met how unafraid you were to assert yourself, Lavinia, and that’s a quality a duchess must have.”
“What do you mean?” the dowager asked, looking from one of them to the other. “I don’t think you ever told me how the two of you met, Seth. What happened?”
Seth and Lavinia glanced at one another. That was one tale Lavinia knew she would never tell—the story of how she’d dragged Seth into a bush. It would be up to Seth whether or not he wanted to share that one with his mother.
He laughed, and Lavinia found herself laughing right along with him.
His mother looked back and forth between them again. “Well, I still don’t know how I feel about all this,” she said. “But it’s clear that there’s something between you two—something I myself wouldn’t have known to search for. Very well. I approve of this marriage. I don’t know if I think a marriage based on love is something that can truly succeed or not, but I can see one thing—you care for one another. You clearly share a bond, and I won’t be the person to try to separate my son from someone who means so much to him.”
“Thank you, Mother,” Seth said.
“Don’t thank me. You would have done as you wished regardless of my approval.”
“I would,” Seth said. “But I’m happy to have it all the same, and I’m sure Lavinia is as well.”
“I am,” Lavinia agreed fervently. “I promise not to disappoint you, Your Grace.”
Seth reached out and took Lavinia’s hand, and Lavinia felt full of an unshakeable confidence—a feeling she knew that he had helped her discover.
EPILOGUE
“Idon’t think I could have asked for finer weather for my wedding day,” Lavinia observed.
“No, you couldn’t,” Edwina beamed. “It’s as if the whole world is celebrating along with us today—as it should, frankly. This is the most special and important day I’ve had the privilege to be a part of in all my life.”
“It’s not so special as all that,” Lavinia countered, blushing.
Edwina laughed. “Even you don’t think that’s true, Lavinia. I can see how excited you are to be marrying the duke. You know, it’s a funny thing.”
“What is?”
“I just never would have thought I would see you this excited to marry! I remember when it was something you spoke about with dread—as if it was the worst thing you could imagine.”
“Well, all that changed when Seth proposed,” Lavinia smiled. “To be honest with you, I can still remember the way it felt to dread marriage. I can still imagine that if I was pressured to marry someone else, I wouldn’t like it. It’s Seth I really want, not the idea of being married.”
There was a knock at the door.
“That will be Father,” Edwina said, looking at Lavinia. “Should I let him in?”
