“I suggest you accept the reality of the situation, my lady. I will announce our engagement tomorrow, and we shall be married three days after that. Greystone Manor will be your home.”
Anger radiated off of Dominic as he went inside. The interaction with Selina had filled him with adrenaline and desire. He had wanted to pull her into his arms and kiss her even as she glared at him and talked passionately. Now he was feeling too many emotions and was doing a poor job of concealing them. He scared one of the maids half to death when he inquired about his son’s whereabouts.
“H-he is in his room, Your Grace,” she said, her face turning pale. “I took him there myself.”
He nodded. “Thank you.”
Now that he knew his son was safe, he went back to the ball. Many couples were now dancing, while others mingled off to the side, their faces flushed from alcohol. He flagged down a footman, who quickly poured him a glass of wine. Dominic wished it were stronger.
He made eye contact with Austin, who quickly smiled at the young lady he was talking to and made his excuses before coming over to Dominic. “What is with you tonight?” he asked as a servant refilled his wine glass. “You’re hardly the Duke of Sunshine and Happiness, but you seem even grumpier tonight than usual.”
“Something has happened,” Dominic said. “Thanks to my beloved grandmother, I am engaged.” He told the full story to Austin, who looked thoroughly amused.
“Only a scandal could make you get married again,” he said. “It was quite clever of the dowager duchess.”
“It is not funny,” he snapped. “Percy’s well-being is at stake. Lady Selina has made it clear that she did not want to marry me. If she takes out her anger on him…” he trailed off, not wanting to think about how crushed his son would be.
“Lady Selina and I have only spoken briefly, but she did not strike me as someone who would hurt a child.”
“I don’t think she would hurt him,” Dominic quickly amended. “I think she might ignore him, or even resent him. I don’t see why she wouldn’t. She thinks marriage to me will be like prison.” He took a large gulp of wine, wishing it were stronger.
The words sat heavily on his tongue. Maybe he was being unfair. Or maybe he was just cautious; cautious because he’d seen it happen before.
His late wife had hated the very sight of Percy. Hatedhim. From the moment the boy was born, she’d acted like he’d stolen something from her. And in the end, she’d left them both with nothing but silence.
Austin looked hesitant for a moment before speaking. “Are you sure it is Lady Selina that you are thinking of at this moment? Or perhaps you’re thinking of someone else.”
Dominic shook his head, as if dislodging the memory, dragging himself back to the present.
“She told me she would choose the life of a maid a hundred times over than marry me.”
Austin’s lips twitched in a smile. “That is bold, even though I’m sure your winning personality did not do you many favors during that particular conversation.”
Dominic rolled his eyes. “Charming ladies is your favorite pastime, not mine.” He took another sip of his wine, thinking for a moment. “I saw her talking to Percy.”
His friend’s eyebrows rose. “Percyspoketo her?”
“No. But she was speaking to him. He seemed… I don’t know. Happier.” He wasn’t sure if that was the right word when his son had the same somber expression that he had worn ever since his mother died. “He ran away when he saw me.” He remembered Selina’s concern for Percy’s well—being when he ran away, and he relaxed slightly. No, she wasn’t the type of person to treat a child poorly just because she disliked the father.
Austin’s brow furrowed. “Are you troubled by his running away from you?”
Yes.But he waved his hand dismissively, not wanting to talk about it at the moment. “He always runs away from me. That’s beside the point. I’ve just never seen him interact with a stranger before, at least not since his mother died. I didn’t even make him attend the funeral.”
For a full week, Percy refused to leave his bed. It took him another week before he left his room, and even longer to venture into the garden. Dominic could hardly blame him. That was why he was happy to let Percy roam all over the grounds now, despite being only five years old.
Austin’s smile turned sad. No doubt he was remembering that time, too. “Your son has come a long way in only a year,” he said. “I know it’s been hard for him.”
“Yes,” Dominic said. “But maybe… maybe Lady Selina will be good for him.” Regardless of her opinion of him, he could not help but be intrigued by her. Instead of staying at the ball and dancing the night away, she had chosen to sneak off and look at the stars with a child she didn’t even know.
She had also looked so beautiful in the moonlight. He would have given anything to strip off that ill-fitting dress to see what she looked like underneath…No.He couldn’t be thinking thoughts like that. Selina would be Percy’s mother. He wouldn’t mess it up for his son.
Eight
Selina went to bed early that night. She was irritated from her argument with Dominic, but also conflicted. For a moment, when she said she would rather be a maid than marry him, he’d looked hurt. Maybe even devastated.
It was gone the next moment, replaced with anger. But that moment of hurt made her curious. Why would that statement affect him so much? It wasn’t like he wanted to marry her either.
The next day, breakfast was served to the guests in the manor park. A wide, grassy field behind the manor was adorned with cloth-covered tables and canopies to shield them from the sun.
