Selina glanced down at her pale green muslin. There was nothing wrong with this dress. But if the duchess expected a fancier dress, then Selina would have to figure out something.
“I shall meet you back here at half past six. Then we can go downstairs together.” Selina walked back up to her room and glanced at her meager selection of dresses. Her best dress was a dark blue muslin, so that would have to do for dinner.
She rang for help from one of the lady’s maids. Betsy helped her dress and put up her hair. Selina looked in the mirror and again wondered why the ladies insisted their hair be put up. It only made her look older.
“You look beautiful, Selina,” Betsy said, clapping her hands together like a child.
“Thank you, Betsy.” Selina glanced at the clock and decided to walk down to Kate’s bedchamber.
She knocked and was told to come into the room. Selina strolled inside and stopped dead. Kate’s expression said it all . . . gaped mouth and wide eyes.
“Selina, that dress will never do,” she gasped. “It’s muslin.”
“It is the best dress I have.” As she examined Kate’s dress, Selina noticed the differences—silk for one. Handcrafted ivory silk with real pearl buttons down the back and seeded pearls at the waist. She could never afford a dress as beautiful as the one her friend wore.
Kate shook her head. “No, I must have something that will work for you.”
“I cannot wear one of your gowns.” Although, the idea of wearing a gown such as that made her ache with envy. She wanted a dress of silk, even if it meant wearing her hair up in some tight, uncomfortable style. It would be worth the pain.
“I know just the thing. I was thinking about giving it to my maid since she is smaller than I am. It never fit just right. Madam Duvall’s apprentice made it instead of the expert.” Kate giggled. “Instead, I shall bestow it upon you.”
Kate pulled out the most beautiful moss-colored silk dress. She held it up to her and Selina immediately noticed that it was too small for her friend’s taller frame. It might be a bit long on Selina but right then she didn’t care if it dragged on the floor. She wanted to wear that dress even if it was only one time.
“Come along, then. Try it on,”
Selina nodded. Only a few minutes later, she looked in the mirror and gaped at her reflection. The color was perfect for her skin tone and eye color. And the sensation of silk on her skin was like sin. Tempting her to think thoughts about Colin that she shouldn’t, such as what he would do when he saw her in this gown. Would he want to strip her naked slowly . . . languidly? Undoing one button at a time, kissing her skin as it was bared by his adept hands?
“It’s perfect,” Kate exclaimed, drawing Selina out of her erotic musing.
“I don’t even recognize myself.”
“Good. Then perhaps my brother won’t either.”
Selina glanced over at the devious look on Kate’s face. “What do you mean by that?”
“My brother is far overdue to realize there are other women in the world than his late wife. While Mary was a lovely person, it’s past time for him to desire another woman. Maybe even marry again.”
Desire.
Selina assumed that’s all they had between them. After being intimate with him, she knew he definitely desired women again, no matter what his sister thought.
“That may be but I doubt I am the woman he would do either with.” Especially the marriage part. That was never a thought that had entered Selina’s head.
“At least he shall notice you in this gown.”
Perhaps he would. But perhaps he shouldn’t.
Colin paused in the salon by the small table where the decanters stood like soldiers waiting to die. He’d already killed one half-empty soldier of brandy this afternoon. Perhaps he should retire to his room so as not to embarrass himself again today. Once was definitely enough.
But he turned his head, all thoughts of leaving the room drained from his mind. The only way he wanted to depart the salon was with Selina in his arms. She looked like one of the women he would see at any London party . . . only more beautiful. The green of the dress matched her eyes as if it had been made specifically for her, which was beyond mad since he knew she couldn’t afford such a dress. Where the bloody hell had she gotten that silk dress? Seeing the look of pleasure on his sister’s face, he understood exactly what she was up to this evening.
The low-cut gown emphasized her perfectly rounded breasts and the long length of her neck. He wanted to shower her graceful neck with kisses until he reached those peach nipples. Feeling his penis react to her presence, he squelched his degenerate thoughts.
“Good evening, ladies,” he said with a quick bow to them.
“Where is Mother?” Kate asked as she sat on the gold velvet divan.
“Her maid said she had a headache and wouldn’t be joining us. But I am especially pleased to see you up and about tonight.” He walked over and kissed her cheek.
“Thank you.”
“And you, Miss White,” he said stiffly. He was not about to let his rampant desires get the best of him again. That could never happen where Selina was involved. Although, as he stared at her in that seductive green dress, he wondered why he couldn’t have her one more time. Not one logical reason came to him.
“Thank you, Your Grace,” she said in a more demure tone than he’d ever heard her utter.
“Sherry?” he asked as he glanced back at his sister.
“Yes. And one for Selina.”
Or maybe more than one for Selina so she might forget the utter mess he’d made of this afternoon. “Very well.”
He poured the glasses as his hand shook with desire and longing and the need to have his wise woman once more. That would cure him, he decided. After handing one glass to Selina and one to Kate, he turned toward his sister. “Have you decided what you shall do about the wedding?”
“I wrote to John this morning. I told him we should postpone until his mourning time is over. I also told him I might just stay the summer here.”
“Stay the summer?” he asked incredulously. He’d assumed she’d want to leave as quickly as she could to be with her betrothed.
“Yes. John is a rather private person. He will need to be alone with his grief before he’s ready to talk about it.” Kate sipped her sherry and then stared down at the reddish liquid in her glass.
“Did you tell him about the baby?” he asked softly.
“I told him there was no need to rush the wedding. And that I hadn’t been feeling well lately. I couldn’t take the chance that someone else might read the note.”
“I’m sure he will understand your meaning,” Selina commented before sipping her own drink. “With you deciding to stay for the summer he will understand what happened.”
Kate nodded and blinked quickly. “I can only hope that the added distress over the loss of our baby won’t upset him in his grief.”
Colin turned away from the women and glanced outside. “Was he pleased when he found out you were with child?”
“Yes. Once we both overcame our initial shock, John was very excited about becoming a father. He told me he didn’t care if it was a boy or a girl.”
He turned back toward the women just as Kate wiped a tear from her cheek. “I’m sorry, Kate.”
She nodded. “Mother told me we received an invitation to Mrs. Littleton’s ball. I believe we should attend. It will get our minds off current events.”
“If you wish to go, we shall,” he replied before looking over at Selina who appeared uncomfortable. He wondered if she had ever been taught to dance and immediately realized how stupid a thought that was. A woman like Selina did not dance or go to balls. But he wished she could attend, wearing that dress.
He would love to see the flickering candlelight dance off the silk of her dress. Or the catch of light from a diamond necklace around her slender neck. She should go to a ball.
Roberts cleared his throat at the doorway and then announced dinner. Kate rose from her seat and quickly walked toward the dining room, leaving Colin and Selina alone.
Colin held out his arm for her. “Shall we?”
“Yes,” she replied in a shaky tone.
He had no idea what to say to her as they walked to the dining room. Bringing up the topic of this afternoon’s misstep was not an option. He didn’t know how he’d ever be able to speak of what happened . . . although he knew he must. “Lovely weather today.”
“Yes.”
Well those few choice words did get him ten steps closer to the dining room. “My sister looks quite well. Thank you again for all your assistance with her.”
“It is what I do,” she murmured.
“Yes,” he replied for a lack of anything better to say. Thankfully, they reached the dining room. Three place settings were arranged near the end of the table for a more intimate conversation space. Kate had a smug little grin on her face as they entered the room. Obviously, her quick departure from the salon had been planned.
He held out a chair on one side for Selina who sat down and flashed a knowing smile for his sister. Then Colin assisted Kate with her chair before taking his own seat. A footman immediately brought a plate filled with roasted lamb. Guilt seemed to kill his appetite. He had to make things right with Selina, even if that meant telling her the truth.
And he intended to do that just as soon as Kate retired for the evening.
“Kate, do not tire yourself out tonight. I want you to get to sleep early,” he said in a gentle tone.
His sister rolled her eyes at him. “I am quite well thanks to Selina. I do believe I might be able to stay up for some card games or maybe even chess.”
“I think it might even be good for you,” Selina commented. “You have been stuck in your room for days. An evening with some light entertainment will do you wonders.”
Kate smiled over at him. “There, you see? Even Selina agrees.”
As dinner progressed, Colin found himself watching the two women intently. They seemed to have formed a tight bond of friendship in a very short time. He knew it was good for his sister to have a companion while here.
“It’s such a shame you cannot accompany us to Mrs. Littleton’s ball. You would love the music and the dancing,” Kate said enthusiastically.
“I don’t dance,” Selina said, staring down at her food. She pushed the peas around on her plate.
“Oh but you could learn,” Kate replied. “The steps are not difficult to learn or half the ladies in the
ton
wouldn’t dance.”
Selina smiled. “It is not my place to go to a ball.”
Colin felt Selina’s embarrassment from across the table. He stared at his sister, trying to make her understand without words that she needed to end this conversation.
“You would love a ball,” Kate continued without even a glance at him. “The women are dressed in their finery and the men,” she paused with a wistful sigh, “they are glorious in their dress clothes. I can just imagine the crush of men who would want to dance with you.”
“I doubt that,” Selina mumbled.
“Kate,” Colin spoke up to end this embarrassing conversation. “I believe we need to discuss the refurbishing of the house.”
His sister turned her head toward him. “Now? There is no hurry to complete the work. John and I cannot marry until his mourning time ends in three months. If we then rush to the altar, it will only cause talk. I’m quite certain he would agree that a six-month wait is more appropriate.”
“But that will be the dead of winter,” Selina commented. “Surely, you wouldn’t wish to have your guests travel here in bad weather.”
Kate fell silent for a long moment. “I hadn’t thought about that. Oh, how I wish John was here to help with this decision.”
Selina nodded in sympathy. Perhaps with a little more prodding on her part she might change Kate’s mind about marrying here. “If you wait until spring, very few people will want to travel all this way for a wedding. Maybe a wedding in town would be better.”
And then she wouldn’t have to see Colin again. He would leave the estate for good. That thought should have made her feel better but a bitter taste filled her mouth. She sipped her wine only to have it taste like vinegar. She slipped a quick glance at him. His lovely lips were turned down as if he, too, found either his food or this topic of conversation distasteful.
“I cannot wait an entire year to marry, Selina,” Kate finally said. “What am I to do?”
“Why not have a small wedding in town after Easter?” Colin suggested.
He also seemed to want the wedding in London and not here. From a practical standpoint, she could see his reason. Why waste money refurbishing a house that no one will live in and no wedding will take place in?
Selina looked over at her friend as guilt sliced through her. She truly enjoyed Kate’s company and didn’t want to see her friend in anguish after what she’d just been through with the miscarriage. “Why not have a small wedding here right before Christmas?”
Had she really just said that? The entire point was to push the wedding to London, not have it here in the middle of winter. She needed a certain man out of her life, not returning in a few months . . . or worse, not leaving at all. She must have control over her life again. And that could never happen as long as he remained here refusing to allow her to live in her cottage.
“That could be rather pretty if we have snow,” Kate said slowly. “We could transform the ballroom so it looks like a snowy day. If we have it here, we could invite the neighboring families and I’m sure some people from farther away would attempt to come if the weather holds.”
Selina wanted to bang her head against the table. Instead of getting the man out of her life, she’d managed to make sure he returned in a few months. Plus he would still have to refurbish the house so he would remain here longer. There had to be a way to dissuade her.
“But won’t it be more difficult to get people to attend the wedding at that time?”
Both Kate and Colin stared at her. Colin’s dark brow raised in question.
“Didn’t you just suggest this idea?” he asked with a smirk.
“Yes, but your sister needs to think through all the details. Planning a wedding is a tremendous ordeal.”
“Not terribly,” Kate said, again contradicting Selina’s plans. “It’s far less difficult than planning a ball. The wedding would be mostly family with a few friends. Probably no more than a hundred people.”
That sounded like a huge undertaking to Selina. If a wedding of one hundred people was only a small party, how many people were invited to a ball? She shook her head in confusion. The life these people led was so different from her simple existence out here.
“I do believe this is settled,” Kate announced. “John and I shall marry before the new year.”
“Don’t you think John should have some say in the matter?” Colin asked. “After all, he is the groom.”
Kate’s smile lit the room. “We are in love. He will want to marry me as quickly as possible.” She pushed her plate away and rose. “In fact, I believe I shall write to him this very moment. After that, I will check in on Mother and go to bed. Good night.”
Selina felt panic rush through her veins. She could not be alone in the same room as Colin after their disastrous day. Already as Kate reached the threshold, Selina could feel the room closing in on her . . . and him. Without Kate as a buffer, Selina feared what she might say or do. There had to be some reasonable excuse she could use to leave.
“Shall we retire to the salon?” Colin asked as he scraped his chair back.
“I believe I will just retire for the evening. Thank you.”
“Before you do, might I have a word in private?”
What did he mean by that? She could only think of one thing that required privacy and that would not happen again. “Is that necessary?”
“Yes,” he replied stiffly. “In my study.”
“Very well.” She walked down the long corridor to the study. After entering the room, she took a seat by the window and glanced out into the dark night. She started, hearing the door click shut.
“I . . . I . . .” he muttered, then walked to the brandy. He poured two snifters and brought one to her.
“What did you want to say, Colin?” She took the glass and sipped the heady drink. Warmth spread throughout her body. Was it the drink or his nearness that caused such a reaction? She prayed it was the brandy.
He took a mouthful and swallowed. “I wanted to apologize for my behavior this afternoon. I . . .” He walked away from her. “The truth is, I haven’t been with a woman in many years and I embarrassed myself and should have taken more time with you and made sure you enjoyed yourself.”