It is the middle of the night. They are probably asleep.
He did not care. He needed his wife back. He pounded on the door louder.
It was wrenched open by a frazzled-looking footman, dressed in his nightclothes. “Your Grace,” he said, bowing, before letting him inside.
Lady Gillray was standing right behind him, her arms crossed. She was dressed in a nightgown and a dressing robe. “Your Grace, what is the meaning of this?” she said, sounding indignant. “Do you know what hour it is?”
“Is it midday?” he snarled sarcastically. “Of course, I know what time of day it is. Where is my wife?” He was in no mood for pleasantries and formalities, especially with the likes of her. Shehad mistreated Selina in his presence and then exhorted her for money after all but exiling her for years.
And yet, Selina returned willingly to Gillray Manor to get away from the likes of me.
He pushed that horrible thought away. He knew she had come here to spend time with her sister, not because she considered Lady Gillray the lesser of two evils.
It does not matter either way. I shall convince her to come home.
“I shall fetch the duchess, Your Grace,” Lady Gillray said, curtsying. A pleasant smile stretched across her face, but it rang false because of the malicious gleam in her eye. “I take it that you will be taking her home?”
“Indeed.”
“Excellent! I must say, Your Grace, my goddaughter is a very trying person. I think it is admirable that you can be so patient with her. Out of simple curiosity, how exactly did she anger you?”
Dominic glared at her. “You are the one who is trying, my lady. Not my wife. She is a better person than you could ever hope to be. She is more lovely and compassionate than you could ever imagine with your small, bitter mind. If you are looking for gossip from me, then you will be sorely disappointed. You havehurt her enough with the horrible rumors you encouraged for your own entertainment. I will not allow you to hurt her any longer. Either fetch her for me or get out of my way.”
Lady Gillray looked a little peeved. “No matter. I shall be glad to be rid of her.”
Before Lady Gillray could reach the stairs, a small figure appeared at the top. Dominic’s breath caught in his throat when he saw it was his wife. She must have heard everything they said. “Selina? Please, I just wish to talk,” he called upstairs before he started to walk towards her.
He entered the upstairs hallway to see Selina standing in the doorway of her room with her arms crossed protectively in front of her.
“Perhaps we can talk in the morning,” she said.
“Fine,” he said. “If you do not wish to speak to me, that is all right. But you are coming home with me.”
“I am not going back to Greystone Manor,” she said. “There is no need for me there now that Percy is speaking.”
“That is not true,” Dominic said, stepping forward. He grimaced as he realized that Lady Gillray had followed him and was hanging onto every word with a greedy expression on her face.
She just wants more gossip to spread to her friends.
He glared at the older woman. Can we please have some privacy, my lady?”
She looked a little disappointed, but she nodded. “Of course, Your Grace,” she said. “The two of you may use the drawing room. Shall I ring for some tea?”
“That will not be necessary. We shall not be staying that long,” Dominic said.
Selina jutted her chin out defiantly. “Perhaps you will not be staying that long. I do not know why there is anything you need to say to me that cannot wait until morning.”
He did not say anything, preferring to wait until they had some privacy, away from the prying eyes of Lady Gillray.
They went into the drawing room together, and Dominic shut the door. He turned to Selina, whose arms were crossed protectively in front of herself.
“Percy needs you.Ineed you.”
“Percy is perfectly happy with his nannies,” Selina said quietly. “He just needed his mother’s bedchamber restored, and now he is doing quite well.”
“I need you too, Selina,” he whispered.
She shook her head. “You made your feelings about me quite clear.”
