7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

R osalind stood before Alex, her heart pounding beneath her cloak. The drawing room of the Duke's manor seemed to close in around her, the weight of her purpose pressing against her chest. She met Alex's gaze, his eyes wide with a mixture of shock and something else she couldn't quite discern.

"How did you manage to escape your home unnoticed?" Alex demanded, his voice cutting through the tense silence. "And with only a cloak to conceal your identity?"

Rosalind took a deep breath, willing her voice to remain steady despite the tremors that threatened to betray her inner turmoil. "Your Grace, the purpose of my visit is worth every risk I have taken."

She stepped forward, the hem of her cloak brushing against the plush carpet. The firelight cast dancing shadows across Alex's face, highlighting the sharp angles of his jawline and the intensity of his stare. "I have come to make a proposition," Rosalind declared, her words hanging in the air between them. "One that concerns the future of both our families."

Alex raised one dark eyebrow, his posture stiffening. "And what proposition might that be, Lady Rosalind?"

Rosalind's fingers curled into the fabric of her cloak, anchoring herself as she prepared to unveil her plan. "I am here to offer myself as your bride, Your Grace." The words seemed to echo in the drawing room, the silence that followed thick with tension.

Alex's eyes widened further, his lips parting in surprise. "You—you came here to propose?" he asked, his voice laced with disbelief. "You are proposing to me?"

Rosalind nodded, her resolve unwavering. "Yes, Your Grace. I believe it is in the best interest of both our families." She took a step closer, her voice dropping to a whisper. "My sisters, Amelia and Isabella, they...they could not bear a marriage of this sort. It isn't in their natures, and I would not see their hearts shackled in such a way."

Alex studied her, his eyes searching hers as if truly seeing her for the first time. "And what of your own heart, Lady Rosalind? Are you truly willing to sacrifice your own chance at love for the sake of your sisters?"

Rosalind's lips curved into a wry smile. "We may be frank with one another: My chances of finding a husband that would love me, independence and all, were always vanishingly small. Besides, there is nothing I wouldn't do to ensure the continued happiness of my sisters. If my sacrifice can ensure their happiness, then it is a price I am willing to pay."

She paused, letting her words sink in. "Your Grace," she continued, her voice trembling with emotion, "I know that my proposal may seem sudden and unconventional, but I assure you, it comes from a place of love and devotion to my sisters. If Amelia were to be forced into a loveless marriage, it would shatter her very soul," Rosalind said, her voice cracking with the weight of her words. "I cannot bear to see her dreams crushed, not when I have the power to prevent it."

She turned away from the Duke, staring into the fire but not really seeing it. "Isabella's spirit would wither and die if she were confined to a life of duty and obligation," Rosalind said, her words filled with raw honesty and vulnerability. "You've seen how she paints, how she puts her whole heart into it."

The Duke nodded. "Can you imagine her if she were shut up in some grand house, cut off from doing what she loves? She deserves the chance to find her own happiness, free from the constraints of societal expectations."

As Rosalind laid bare her fears and hopes, she could see the shift in Alex's demeanour. His initial shock gave way to a growing admiration, his eyes softening as he listened intently to her words. She could feel the weight of his gaze upon her, the way he seemed to see straight into her very soul.

"I know that our union would be one of duty and responsibility," Rosalind said, her voice steady despite the emotions that threatened to overwhelm her. "But I believe that together, we could forge a partnership built on mutual respect and a shared sense of purpose. We would enter into our marriage free from any clouds of sentimentality."

She took a step closer to Alex, her eyes pleading with him to consider her offer. "Your Grace, I ask that you see the potential in this arrangement, the opportunity to protect not only your own reputation but the happiness of my beloved sisters as well."

Rosalind's heart raced as she awaited Alex's response, the silence stretching between them like an endless chasm. She knew that her fate, and the fate of her sisters, rested in his hands, and yet, despite the uncertainty that loomed before her, she found solace in the knowledge that she had done everything in her power to protect those she loved most.