The duke spoke up. “She may stay. It is her wedding, after all, and people do not get ill from emotion.” He raised his eyebrow slightly at Marina. “Besides, Miss Shirley has already demonstrated that she is not afraid of getting ill from any sort of ailment. She jumped into a river to save my dog, after all.”
Her cheeks flamed with embarrassment, and she glared at the ground.
Her mother was a little disconcerted by the duke’s words. “Of course, Your Grace,” she said faintly.
“Do the ladies have dresses fit for a wedding?”
Lady Shirley looked indignant. “Of course they do!”
The duke did not look at all offended by her angry tone. In fact, it looked like he had not noticed it at all. “Excellent. I would have been willing to provide for everyone’s attire, but if it is covered, then that is all right.”
“Oh,” Lady Shirley said, her voice higher-pitched than usual. “I-I mean, it is a special event. We have wedding attire, but nothing suitable for a wedding between a duke and a duchess. You are most generous, and we would be honored if you provided us with new attire.”
Marina exchanged a look with Amelia, who was cringing with shame and embarrassment at their mother’s behavior.
The duke did not appear to be offended, however. “Very well,” he said. “I shall return tomorrow for the details. I can see myself out. Good afternoon.” He bowed slightly before giving one last look at Marina, who glared at him as he left the room.
Lady Shirley grinned at her daughters. “Well, this is a delightful turn of events,” she said. “I never would have thought Marina would catch the eye of a duke, and to be honest, the position of duchess is absolutely wasted on her. But this is still splendid!”
“I do not like this,” Amelia said softly. “He does not seem like the kindest man. I do not see how they could have a loving marriage.”
“Love,” Bethany scoffed. “Everyone is always concerned about it, but who cares? She will not have to go to America! The HeartlessDuke is not ideal, to be sure, but we will be able to see her far more often than if she were across an entire ocean!”
The three ladies started to argue with each other. Everyone had seemed to forget that Marina was standing right there, and no one felt inclined to ask her for her opinion on the matter, so Marina took the opportunity to leave the drawing room.
She broke into a jog and hurried down the hallway and out the front entrance to where the duke was about to get into his carriage. “Wait! Your Grace.”
He turned to look at her. “Miss Shirley. Did I forget something?”
“Your manners, perhaps.” She crossed her arms and glared at him. “What in the world just happened?”
His brow furrowed. “I proposed marriage,” he said slowly as if talking to a child. “Are you feeling well, Miss Shirley? If you are prone to fits of amnesia?—”
“I am certainly not!” She wondered if she would ever understand this bewildering man. “How can you make a proposal like that?”
“By speaking the words out loud.” He stepped away from the carriage, giving her his full attention. “I do not see why you are so angry. I am being perfectly rational.”
“Yes, you are killing two birds with one stone.” She rolled her eyes. “We cannot get married. We do not know anything about each other.”
“I know your name is Marina Shirley,” he said. “You are the second oldest of five sisters, and you are prone to reckless and improper behavior. I also know that your family received tragic news right before my arrival.”
She blinked. “What?”
“Both of your sisters were quite distraught. I would assume they were distraught at the thought of marrying me, but your eldest sister also said that you had received bad news.” He did not look concerned or insulted about this. Merely curious.
“Our mother announced that I was to go to finishing school in America after the scandal I had caused everyone yesterday. That is, until you arrived and asked for my hand in marriage.” She had barely been able to hold off her own tears at the thought of never seeing her sisters again, even as her mother pulled her out of the library to present her to the duke.
“That explained your comment about Boston. I had wondered about that.” He gave a satisfied nod. “Although I do not understand why you would rather go to America than marry me. Surely marrying me causes you less inconvenience than moving to the other side of the world.”
She scoffed. “How can I marry you?”
“By standing with me in front of the altar.”
“No, I mean…I do not even know your name! Just your title.”
“My name is Evan.”
“I do not know the first thing about being a duchess.”
