Chapter 1
1816
Selina Oliver sat on a chaise in the corner of her brother Robert’s parlor, a drink clenched in her fingers as she watched the rest of the room from a distance. It was an elaborately embroidered seat, stitched with peacocks strutting across vistas. She was fairly certain some of the threads were real gold. No wonder it felt so uncomfortable beneath her bottom.
Not because itwasn’tcomfortable. No, her brother and his wife had never been one for show and not substance. But more because Selina knew she didn’t belong on a chair that was possibly worth the wage some people made per annum. Most of the time when she encountered such luxury she was trying to figure out some way to…
Well, it didn’t matter what she would normally be trying to do. She wasn’t about to do that here.
She continued to watch the room. Her brother Robert and his wife, Katherine, were the Duke and Duchess of Roseford. He was the only legitimate son of the long-dead and never-mourned last duke. And Selina…well, she was one of many bastard children that terrible man had left in his wake. Ones who had been taken care of financially, but never welcomed into the fold.
Until now. Until Robert had opened his arms and his home to them with varying degrees of success.
Even now, Robert stood with her two older half-brothers, Morgan Banfield and Nicholas Gillingham. Although one could see the similarities, neither of them looked as like to Robert as she herself did. She shared his sleek, thick dark hair, the angles to the face. Only her eyes were her own, blue when her brothers shared Robert’s dark brown ones.
She shook her head as Nicholas turned toward her and speared her with a smile. He moved across the room, slowly and with a pronounced limp that made her heart ache. He had entered the army and served admirably. Until he was nearly killed in battle nearly two years before. He was still recovering from the injuries.
She forced her reaction from her face as he reached her and settled in beside her on the settee with a grimace. “Is this where the outsiders sit?” he asked.
She shot him a side glance. “The only outsider here is me, Nicholas. You belong anywhere you go. You’ll belong even more if they grant you that title for your bravery.”
His lips thinned at the comment, but she thought she saw a flutter of emotion in his eyes. He shrugged. “That isn’t certain.”
“It should be,” she said softly. “No one deserves recognition and land and a pile of money more than you do.”
“Hmm,” he murmured, and shifted as if uncomfortable, though she wasn’t certain if the discomfort was more physical or emotional. “Well, I think we’rebothoutsiders now, if only because the couples there are so exquisitely happy.”
She followed his stare back to their brothers and their wives. Robert had been married to Katherine for years, but there remained a chemistry between them that one would have to be blind not to see, even if they didn’t always seem to need to touch each other.
And their other brother, Morgan, had very recently married his wife, Lizzie. Less than six months before, actually. The newlyweds were clearly blissful and had been enjoying their time in London before they returned to the estate of Lizzie’s brother, where Morgan now worked as his man of affairs.
Robert looked across the parlor at Nicholas and Selina with a smile, and his voice elevated to reach them. “I was just telling Morgan and Lizzie how sad Katherine and I are that they cannot join us for our fete in Roseford next week.”
Morgan smiled, and Selina was happy for him in that moment. Her once-wild brother had always had a strained relationship with Robert. Now they were growing closer and he was obviously much…happier now that he was settled. She would have been jealous of that, perhaps, except she had no interest in being settled. It wasn’t her nature, after all.
“We are disappointed as well, but I know my brother and Amelia require our help now that the baby is so soon to be born.” Lizzie’s face lit up with happiness for her own beloved brother. “And I do want to be there.”
“Of course you do,” Katherine said with a reassuring smile. “But unlike the two of you, who have a prior engagement, I think Nicholas and Selina might be able to join us. Won’t you both?”
Selina stiffened and felt her brother do the same beside her. Though she guessed their reactions had very different origins. Nicholas cleared his throat as he slowly pushed to his feet.
“I-I’m afraid I am not in any shape to travel, at present,” he said, motioning to his body. “It is…difficult still.”
Katherine’s cheeks paled. “Of course.”
Robert’s brow wrinkled. “Have you seen that doctor the Duchess of Willowby suggested? She’s a great healer, Nicholas. She knows of what she speaks.”
“I’m sure,” Nicholas said, and it was clear the words were pushed past clenched teeth. “I’ll be certain to look her up. But I cannot attend.”
The eyes of the room moved to Selina and she got up to stand beside Nicholas. “I-I’m afraid I have things to do,” she said, and forced herself not to think of those things so she would reveal nothing on her countenance. Robert was good at reading people. Morgan was even better. She didn’t need either of them digging around in her affairs.
Katherine shifted. “It won’t be a large party, Selina. Mostly friends.”
Robert made a rude snort and speared his wife with a look. “The ridiculous Earl of Winford and his nasty wife are not our friends.”
Selina stiffened at that name. “You’re inviting Winford and his wife?”
“Yes,” Katherine said, distracted before she pivoted to face Robert. “Of course they aren’t. That woman is a nightmare and her husband has the personality of a trout. But you knowwhywe’re inviting them.”
