Page 41 of A Duchess Untouched

Selina froze, her newly filled glass already raised to her lips. Was it the third now? The fourth? She had lost count. Everyone was watching her. Her grandmother studied her, one hand resting on the rim of her spectacles.

“I will have you know, Margaret,” Harleigh said after clearing his throat loudly. “I am quitting drinking. In fact, I have not had a glass in days.”

Lady Marlow’s eyebrows shot up as she narrowed her eyes at Harleigh.

“Are you sick, Harleigh?” she asked. “Or perhaps you are dying and living your life as a better man before you meet your maker?”

“Of course not,” Harleigh said, placing a hand on his chest as if making a pledge. “I am in perfect health even with all the drinking. I have simply decided to mend my ways, once and for all. A man must come to a point when he wants to be worthy of more… refined company.”

“Wonders will never cease,” Lady Marlow muttered as she almost stabbed her mutton hard. “I may have to make sure the world is not ending today or tomorrow to make such a change possible.”

Lord Marlow frowned, straining to hear what his wife and son-in-law were talking about. He leaned toward his wife and asked, “Did you say the world is ending? Margaret, why did nobody tell me? Should we not be sending for the vicar, or at the very least finishing the good port before it happens?”

“I never said that, Norman! Harleigh says he is giving up drinking!” Lady Marlow shouted into her husband’s ear.

“Giving up drinking?” Lord Marlow’s eyes widened. Then, he let out a hearty laugh as he clapped Harleigh on his back, nearly sending the younger man’s fork clattering. “Giving up drink takes more courage than facing a battlefield, especially for you. Good on you, Harleigh!”

The table erupted into loud chatter. Even Oliver conversed with Harleigh and the Marlows as if he were part of that family. Only Selina and Matthew were generally quiet. However, because everyone was occupied, only the young duchess noticed a small, ginger shadow leap onto the sideboard. Fat and ill-mannered, Napoleon landed with a soft thud, his eyes fixed on the array of food.

At the foot of the table, Maximus opened his eyes. Soon, he bounded from his restful spot near Matthew’s feet and ran toward Napoleon. Napoleon let out a bloodcurdling screech, his fur puffing out before he bolted off the sideboard with Maximus right on his heels. The cat scrambled between a footman’s legs. The footman, not expecting an attack, yelped as he tried to balance a silver tray of dessert.

“Maximus, stop this instant!” Matthew bellowed.

The mastiff immediately obeyed, drawing to a halt with his chest heaving and his tongue lolling as he panted louder still. However, Napoleon was already up the curtains, clutching the fabric. His claws tore holes in the silk as he tried to hang on for dear life.

“Oh, my years!” The Dowager Duchess looked as if she were about to faint, and Selina’s father was at her side at once, fanning her face with a napkin.

“I am here, Antoinette. There is nothing for you to worry about!”

“Norman! I told you never to bring that infernal beast anywhere! Especially after he had set the chapel on fire at the wedding all those years ago! He could have been left behind in the carriage or at home!”

“Oh, nonsense!” Norman retorted. “Napoleon gets lonely at home! And you never told me how long we would be here for!”

Napoleon yowled mournfully before he finally let go of the curtain rod, dropping on the floor gracefully. Then, he leaped onto the table and ran into Lord Marlow’s lap, as if he knew who would support his every whim.

“There, there, my sweet boy. Did that bad dog scare you?” Lord Marlow coddled Napoleon, who looked quite smug.

Maximus was already next to Matthew, with his front paws on the table’s edge, sniffing at his master’s sleeve, still upset from the chase.

All the tugging at the tablecloth sent Selina’s glass tipping wildly toward the edge. She instinctively reached for its stem to catch it, but at that exact moment, Matthew’s hand shot out and closed over hers.

Selina gasped. She knew the feel of that hand, but its sudden touch seared through her skin. Everything around them seemed to fade away. When she lifted her head, Matthew was looking straight at her.

And those eyes… Those brown eyes were hard to read, but intense and burning at the same time.

“Are you well?” he asked.

Selina stared at him, confused by the question. He had not seemed to care before, and now he was asking how she was after spending two days away searching for another woman.

Selina decided he did not deserve a response, at least not yet. She emptied her glass, then reached for her father’s untouched glass of wine and drank it dry.

She would need all the courage she could muster if she were to confront her husband.

Chapter 20

“Who is up next?” Lady Marlow clapped her hands together as she turned to Selina.

“Oh, I believe it is Matthew’s turn, though it seems slipping away from his responsibilities is one of his strongest suits!”