"Lady Rosalyn." "Your Grace," she said. He looked at her father. "May we speak privately?"
Her father nodded slowly and led them toward the small sitting room near the back of the house. Rosalyn followed. Her mother stayed behind, worried eyes tracking her daughter until the door closed. Inside the room, sunlight spilled through tall windows, touching the carpet with warm gold.
The Duke stood near a low table, hands clasped behind his back. Her father sat but did not invite the Duke to do the same. "You wish to speak about Rosalyn?" he said. "Yes," the Duke replied.
"I wish to marry her." It was said so simply, so plainly, that even the walls seemed to tense at the sound. Her father folded his hands. "Your Grace, do you not think this is a hasty decision?"
"No," the Duke said. "You barely know my daughter." "That is true," the Duke said. "But I know her character."
Her father raised a brow. "From one brief conversation?" "From her honesty," the Duke corrected. "Most people speak only to impress."
"Your daughter speaks with sincerity." Rosalyn felt her cheeks warm. Her father frowned. "Even so, Your Grace, this arrangement benefits you more than her."
"What assurances can you give her?" The Duke turned toward Rosalyn. His eyes met hers, steady and unshaken. "I will not mistreat her," he said.
"I will not confine her. She may manage her own affairs. She may keep her own friendships. She will not be pressured to produce an heir before she is ready."
Her father's eyebrows rose in surprise. The Duke continued. "She will have control over her household. Her opinions will be respected.
"She will be safe." Rosalyn's breath caught. No man had ever spoken of marriage this way. Her father leaned forward.
"And what do you expect from her?" "Loyalty," the Duke said. "Truth. Nothing more."
Her father looked thoughtful but cautious. "Do you care for her, Your Grace?" Rosalyn felt her heart stutter. The room seemed to quiet.
The Duke paused before answering. "Care is not the right word," he said. "But I find her presence steady, and I wish for steadiness." Rosalyn did not know what to feel.
Her father said, "And if I refuse you?" The Duke's voice turned cool. "Then society will wonder why a Duke was denied so abruptly. Rumors will form, none of them kind."
Rosalyn's father stiffened. "Is that a threat?" "No," the Duke said. "It is the world we live in."
Her father opened his mouth to argue, but Rosalyn stepped forward. "Father," she said quietly. "May I speak?" Both men turned to her.