Page 18 of A Duchess Untouched

“I have already stayed longer than I meant to.”

It was a painful truth. He knew that if he remained in London, he would find one reason or another to seek Selina out, or to notice when she was gone. That alone told him he needed to leave, and soon, before he found himself with even less will to go.

“Because of Selina?” Oliver asked.

Matthew did not answer. He reloaded the pistol instead, his hands steady now, and did not look at his brother when he finally spoke.

“Because of Robert.”

Chapter 9

“Grandmama, I assure you. The whole thing is completely unnecessary. If I may be frank about it, it even seems rather ridiculous.”

Selina backed away from the mirror in her bedchamber. Normally, she loved watching her appearance as she brushed her hair or put on jewelry. However, after her grandmother insisted that she seduce her husband, watching the mirror had become a different experience. It almost felt like she was being provocative even when she was not.

Her grandmama stood still in the midst of Selina’s room, tapping her cane against the rug. It created a pattern that would be stuck in her head forever. With her was Mrs. Collins, the Baroness’s maid. Lady Marlow believed that she needed someone who could provide her with insight into the younger generation, although Mrs. Collins was not exactly young anymore and had served her mistress for more than thirty years. The maid carried a large valise that made Selina’s eyebrows rise.

“Utter nonsense,” Lady Marlow murmured, gesturing for her maid to place the bag on the settee. “When facing a crisis, one must do whatever one is capable of doing to solve one’s problem. And you are in a crisis! Your husband returns after four years, and he is planning to leave you again! We cannot be subtle anymore, Selina. We need to make him see what he will be losing if he leaves you a second time.”

“Your methods… The ones you are alluding to… will never work on him,” Selina protested.

Her mind scampered toward the time he had almost seduced her, and she would have let him have his way with her if he had not stopped. What could she do against an experienced man like that?

Selina’s cheeks reddened at the idea of her even attempting anything with him. In the corner of her eye, she saw Mrs. Collins open the large valise. Curiosity crept up the back of her neck.

“I assure you, Selina. All men are the same.”

“But Grandmama,” she continued. “Matthew is not an inexperienced youth that can be persuaded by fluttering eyelashes or twirling fans.”

“Oh, trust me, we will be doing far more than that! My methods worked for Cathy, did they not? And Tristan was a well-known rake who was set to marry another,” Lady Marlow reminded her. “However, your sister’s attempts at seduction caught Tristan’s attention. They made him think twice, and now look at them!” Selina frowned, not quite certain if that was how she remembered everything. Cathy’s complaints still resounded in her mind. “Your sister took charge of her destiny. If my tactics helped her, they should work on your husband as well.”

Did taking charge of one’s destiny require being absolutely ridiculous? Why were people not praising her when she made her own decisions, when she chose to support widows through her charity work? Did she really have to act so ridiculously to gain her husband’s attention?

“My lady,” Mrs. Collins remarked, motioning to Selina in approval, but addressing her grandmother. “If I may be so bold, it is fortunate that at least Her Grace will not require a makeover and wardrobe change.”

“Ah,” Lady Marlow sighed. “Yes, that is true enough. We had to work hard on Cathy because, as much as I love that girl, her fashion sense was appalling! I shudder to think of Cathy’s high-necked, drab monstrosities!”

“Grandmama!” Selina gasped, offended on her sister’s behalf. Her hand involuntarily stretched out to her neck, grateful that Matthew’s mark had changed into something she was able to disguise with powder.

“I am merely telling the truth, Selina,” the Baroness said. “You do not have as much of a problem as Cathy did. You are blessed to be one of the most beautiful women in London. It is not something I would say merely because you are my granddaughter. Your beauty has helped you marry the Duke. Now we must make him stay. Make him think of nothing else but you.”

Selina gave a muffled cry. She had to admit she enjoyed the ease of being the belle of the ball, the diamond of her Season. She never had to push herself into someone’s affections. The thought of having to find a way to get her husband to notice everything about her so that he would not leave again seemed arrogant at best.

“Grandmama, I am telling you it is impossible!”

“Mrs. Collins, I believe Selina must try bolder gowns, like the blood-red one,” Lady Marlow commanded.

“I thought we were not changing my wardrobe!” Selina protested as she warily eyed the maid fumbling through the fabrics in the valise.

“Well, you have fashionable gowns, but did they make your husband stay? No, what you need to do is wear your most revealing ones. If a gown does not have a bodice that could throw a young duke into an apoplectic fit, then we do not want it.”

“I cannot always wear an evening gown, much less one that displays too much flesh! I… It is indecent.”

“You can, at least during the times you know your husband will be present. Let us see if we can adjust your day gowns as well. Now, remember everything you learned when you were younger. Stand up straight. Chin up. Act as if you are the most beautiful woman in the room. See? Those things are natural to you. All you need to do is wear the dresses I recommend and follow the rest of my instructions. A man like the Duke thinks that he is always in control. You must shatter that illusion. He will flounder about, wondering what happened.”

Selina doubted the Duke ever floundered. As for acting as the most beautiful woman in the room… This had not worked on him in the past, had it?

Lady Marlow finally approached. She tapped her cane throughout, making Selina wince. The thudding sound grew louder as she got closer.