New York, November 1884

Once Sabrina indulged the surrounded family members in great detail as relayed to her by the family solicitor and his English counterpart, supplemented with countless telegrams, the gravity of the news momentarily rendered everyone utterly speechless.

Rodney Scott, scratching his forehead, finally broke the heavy quietude in the room. "Sabrina, I'm not convinced you should agree to such an unsubstantiated request, regardless of your father's reasons for signing it. It's an absurd—no, preposterous—notion to bind the lives of two individuals who, until now, were completely unaware of each other's existence!"

"If it were merely a matter of pop's reasoning elusive to us all, I could dismiss the whole ordeal as a mere jest concocted by my father and Lord Clarke. It is the repercussion I shall face should I refuse to marry the lord's son that has kept me awake these past few nights."

"Oh, dear, what repercussion?" asked Patricia in disbelief.

"A significant sum must be paid to the current Duke of Grantchester if I decide not to accept him as my husband."

When Sabrina disclosed the amount, Patricia exclaimed, "Oh! Oh, Good Lord in heavens!"

Her husband's eyes widened in astonishment, while Alice covered her parted lips with her hand in shock.

"So?" asked Rodney, his brows arched and spirits unruffled. "That sum is but a fraction of your fortune, mayhap not even a half of it. You certainly will not become a pauper for sending the stipulation along with the duke to the devil. With your investments spread across several enterprises, you could easily recover your loss in a few years."

Sabrina nodded, though she was loath to relinquish even a single cent earned by her father or herself. "But it is my money, Rod. Why should I allow some Englishman to profit from my fortune? Simply because my pop could not foresee the possibility of me being a content spinster?"

And perhaps he did, just as the late Lord Clarke expected his son to be a bachelor at his age, she added inwardly. Why else would they devise such an impossible stipulation if the schadenfreude was not coloring their reasoning?!

Rodney stood up from his chair and regarded the Worthingtons. "Please, may I have a moment alone with Sabrina?"

Patricia, her husband, and their younger daughter nodded knowingly and swiftly took their leave from the sitting room.

"Why are you doing this?" Sabrina remarked in a chiding tone. "They will be convinced that you intend to sway my decision by using every objection of yours, demand our nuptials even."

"Because that is exactly what I intend to do," he exclaimed in a low voice, placing his hands on his hips. "You do realize this is not a story from one of your books, don't you? This is a damned reality—a stark, ruthless reality in which a forty-one-year-old man usually has a good reason for remaining a bachelor! A reason you won't like one bit, of that I am certain!"

"I too have a good reason to be a spinster," she said defiantly. "Or should I say—others perceive my disability to be a good reason for such."

Rodney regarded the floor briefly as he took a deep inhale. "Do not say that, Sabrina... Here, you are surrounded by people who love you. I love you dearly too; you know that well already, I believe. Over there, you will be surrounded by people who don't and may not even want to know the real you, possibly including the duke himself."

He then approached her closely and took her face in his hands. "I am prepared to do anything in this world to make you happy, just do not venture to England, I beg you. You are the finest flower in its bloom, and in England, you will likely wither. If not because of Englishmen, then because of the dreadful weather that the isle is known for."

"I shall think about it, Rodney," Sabrina replied in a tone that made him retreat, walk away a few feet, then regard her anew.

"You're going there, aren't you? You already made the decision in your mind," he said, his voice betraying deep disappointment. "While I've been nothing but supportive to you even in your most audacious endeavors, I cannot and I won't support your cause here."

It was indeed a wild idea that she could fool a person who had known her all her life.

Sabrina observed him as he did a minor bow, ready to take his leave, when she spoke up, "Why do you consider it impossible that I may find my happiness in England?"

Rodney pursed his lips briefly, then cast a smile askew. "I don't want to see you hurt, unhappy, or broken. And I'm afraid that's what you are going to encounter given your only reason to forego everything you've known is a monetary one. Does a possible loss of such a large sum warrant you leaving your family behind? Do you realize we may not see each other ever again?"

"Now you're exaggerating," she defended, to which a faint smile appeared on his face.

"Yet another confirmation of you making the choice already."

He slowly walked outside the room, closely followed by Sabrina.

"I will send you the manuscript of Tempting The Hermit from England as I'm a few chapters away from finalizing it. The outline for the third book is also in progress," she said, effectively halting his step before the entrance door. "Everything is as intended, worry not."

"I doubt that as a duchess you will possess much time to devote to writing books, Sabrina," Rodney remarked.

Sabrina shook her head in disagreement. "I shall find the time to write and remain Bryant Alsher, a writer of erotica cherished by so many readers," she whispered. "Do not cancel my printing slot, I beg you, the book will be delivered on time."

"Fine, fine, have it your way, as always," Rodney retorted, his voice betraying his great and unrelenting displeasure with her attitude and decisions made so far. "My advice never mattered to you anyway, did it?"

Sabrina parted her lips to answer, but he didn't wait and took his swift leave. She observed his retreating figure from the Worthingtons' house, standing at the door threshold despite the November chill biting at her shoulders.

What if he is right and I find nothing but my personal damnation in London?, she mused.

But then again, it wouldn't be Sabrina Hartley if she didn't take risks in her life. Poppycock, even Rodney Scott's printing business flourished because of her risky investment in his plans and beliefs that others considered far-fetched, almost impossible. Should her decision prove unwise this one time, Sabrina was convinced she could manage to gain the maximum from the minimal situation.

The Duke of Grantchester had occupied her mind ever since she learned about his existence and that he would become her husband. Rodney was right to point out his age and the possibility that there was a reason for him not taking a wife yet, mayhap a severe one akin to her own.

Could he be disabled too? Or ugly as a scarecrow? Maybe he cannot impel his cock to rise, and maybe he is interested in men just like Rodney.

Perhaps he once loved someone deeply and decided not to marry after losing the object of his affections. And maybe he was content with bachelorhood but the sudden inheritance of a ducal title presses him into marrying me despite the stipulation, as he needs to begin producing heirs.

At the thought of lying with a man she would barely know, Sabrina felt goosebumps appear upon her whole body. She was not naive to the possibility that her husband-to-be might only use her body for childbearing. And while Sabrina was not one to exclaim in delight at the sight of an infant, nor to rush over just to touch a babe's plump cheeks, she certainly saw herself as a mother in her future. She would gladly provide a child to a man she loved.

But her ideal husband was thus far as elusive as any bird on a tin roof. The Duke of Grantchester, on the other hand, was her proverbial bird within grasp, if not her clutch already.

Maybe she was not destined to meet a man of her desires in this life. Perhaps this was her call to journey to England and explore the world that awaited her there. It certainly would not be without mishaps; yet if her father had been a good friend of the duke's father, it could mean the current duke himself might be a reasonable man.

Perhaps they would form a cordial relationship, navigating their lives in a quiet and idyllic manner, perhaps with a discreet lover on each side to fulfil what their partner could not. But if he were someone outright cruel, a despot, someone to trample upon her mentally or physically... that would be a predicament harder to escape from. Yet even this dreadful possibility did not sway her decision.

To be fair to Rodney, Sabrina admitted inwardly that she was indeed forfeiting everything she had known her entire life for some idea of happiness that might not even materialise. At the thought of forfeiting love, she felt her eyes becoming moist, but she quickly blinked several times to regain her composure.

Sabrina felt a sudden touch upon her shoulder and turned to see Patricia's inquisitive gaze.

"I take it you refused Rodney's advice and proposal. Was it prudent, though, my dear?" asked the older woman. "I know you may feel robbed at the notion of paying the duke off for your freedom, but I would be more afraid of what was to come by becoming his wife."

Sabrina nodded without hesitation. "It was the most prudent decision, Auntie. I do not believe that marrying Rodney would bring me the happiness I seek. A content life, yes, but I dare not settle due to the convenience of his presence and whatnot. And while England may not be the right place for me in the end, I am still willing to take that risk."

Patricia merely shook her head, scarcely able to fathom the reasons behind Sabrina's choice of the great unknown over the familiar embrace. When the aunt informed her husband and daughter of her niece's decision, they all mounted a truly passionate spectacle, citing numerous reasons why Sabrina should reconsider.

Yet she remained unwavering in her decision. Even as she lay in bed at her residence, warmed by a rubber bottle filled with hot water, Sabrina's thoughts were consumed by her intended, the Duke of Grantchester, Henry Clarke. She had to admit she liked the sound of his name and even caught herself giggling as if she were some young maiden before her first kiss.

Well, until recently, she was indeed an untouched and unkissed maiden, anxious to see what fate would bring her next.

But more often than not, she felt regretful over the duke's unfavourable situation. Given that the nuptials were to transpire within three months of his brother's demise, Sabrina doubted he had sufficient time to grieve his loss. Now he had to acquire a new person in his life, a person he had never even seen in a picture and likely did not desire to meet despite his assurances sent in telegrams. The mourning period in England usually spanned six months to a year, so she somewhat expected a minor scandal to erupt despite their advanced age for marriage, the stipulation's requirements, and the private ceremony their nuptials would likely be.

Just before she surrendered to the sweet embrace of sleep, she imagined Henry as this strong man with a very fine cock who brought her waves of pleasure in their slow lovemaking. It aroused her so much that she had to touch herself in her nether regions, feeling the wetness in her slit with which she then teased her clit. Her soft moans crescendoed into a louder one... leaving a faint smile on her face for the rest of the night.

Before she could board the steamship for her transatlantic journey directly to London Port, Sabrina's hands were full with duties towards her estate, financial arrangements with the designated attorney, collecting the necessary paperwork and records, correspondence with the key figures in her businesses, and finally, a small farewell party with her dearest friends and family.

Despite Rodney's solemn face and his reluctance to acknowledge her decision as one made with a sound mind, he gave her a long embrace, whispering, "Do return to us if life on the isle proves miserable, I implore you. We will always be here for you."

Patricia cried, Alice sniffed, and Amanda begged her to stay. Even her usually composed uncle-in-law discreetly shed a tear or two. It was clear as day that the entire family was beyond worried about their dear niece and cousin and rightly so, but in the end, each member provided her with a personal parting gift, so that Sabrina had something to remind her of home while abroad.

During the nine days long journey, Sabrina meticulously studied a book she had brought aboard concerning the aristocratic customs, determined not to appear abrasive or rude upon making her very first impression, and once she disembarked from the vessel at the port, she felt an immediate lump forming within her throat.

She was here, in London, England, and despite her resolute decision, her gait was unsteady as Sabrina walked towards her new life, the great unknown that meant becoming the next Duchess of Grantchester.