“Referring to those that are close to you as the peanut gallery sounds harsh,” she countered. “And I am sure if you look back at history, you will find many weddings that had a big guest list. It is not unheard of.”
Everyone was listening to their conversation now. It was clear that Deborah had no intention of backing down. She felt that the Duke took advantage of his status and didn’t think that anyone would speak back to him. But she wanted to prove him wrong.
“You are entitled to your opinion,” he said, “but I believe in doing things the right way, and inviting several people simply is not the right way for me.”
“For you,” Deborah reminded him. “But this is not your wedding, so I do not see why you have such a big say. Perhaps it would be better to let the bride and groom decide themselves what they think is best.”
That riled the Duke up instantly.
“I care about my sister a great deal. Anything that I decide for her is in her best interest,” he said.
“In your opinion, surely,” Deborah returned. “But she might not share that same sentiment.”
“I do not think that you have any authority to tell me—”
The Duke’s words were cut short by his mother, who stepped in hastily before the argument could escalate further.
“I believe these things can be discussed at a later time,” she said, calmly. “Let us not spoil the mood too much. Shall we all go to the parlor for a game of cards?”
“That is a great idea,” Nicholas chirped. “It is exactly what we need right now.”
The argument between Deborah and the Duke died down effectively after that, but Deborah was still left fuming. She did not want the Duke to think that he had gotten the last word in.
But he followed his mother out and into the parlor.
“We should go as well,” Emma said, smiling sadly.
“I am sorry if I overstepped,” Deborah murmured. “I just wanted to stand up for you. I could tell that you did not agree with what the Duke was saying, and nor did my brother. It felt unfair.”
“Dear sister.” Nicholas walked over to the two of them. “I must say, your stubborn urge to dispense justice at whatever opportunity you get is admirable. You caused quite the stir today.”
Deborah narrowed her eyes at Nicholas and then turned back towards Emma. “You must excuse my brother,” she said. “He thrives on any kind of drama and likes to tease me about it, whatever chance he gets.”
Emma laughed. “It is quite all right. You do not have to hold back. And as far as your interjection goes, you did not overstep. My brother is used to being the head of the household, and sometimes, he cannot tell if he is imposing his opinion. I am sure he will understand what wishes are, sooner or later.”
Deborah looked at Emma, blinking a few times. “You seem to have a lot of faith in your brother.”
“Of course, I do,” Emma affirmed. “He can come across as harsh, but that is not his true personality. It is just that he is blunt. I am sure he will understand.”
“If you say so,” Deborah said, not seeming convinced.
“Well, we should get to the parlor without wasting any more time.”
Deborah watched Emma leave and was now just left with Nicholas.
“If it makes you feel better, I support you fully,” Nicholas said. “But I could not help but notice that, out of everyone, it was the Duke that riled you up.”
“Oh, not this again.” Deborah shook her head.
“It’s funny, is it not?” Nicholas continued. “Just earlier today, their uncle Jonathan seemed to have a lot of opinions about the wedding as well, and yet you did not feel the need to interject.”
“I only said something because I saw how disappointed Peter and Emma seemed,” Deborah argued feebly.
“Or that you just needed an excuse to argue with His Grace,” Nicholas said. “I had my eyes on both of you the entire time. It was adorable, how both of you snuck little glances at each other the entire time.”
“Ridiculous.” Deborah rolled her eyes. “I cannot engage with you further.” With that, she stomped off and followed everyone to the parlor.
Nicholas’s insistence that her dislike for the Duke was just a hidden attraction was ridiculous.
