Page 57 of It's All About the Duke
“If I can,” she said, feeling a little wary at having no idea what he might ask of her.
“Could you arrange it so I can visit Mr. Portington and inquire about his collection at a time Miss Everard isn’t home? I would hate to arrive at her door and distress her in her own home.”
“Yes, of course,” Marlena said, thinking Eugenia and Veronica needed to be away from the house and not see the duke. “That’s very thoughtful of you.”
“I’m only keeping my promise to see if I can persuade him to relinquish some of his fossils and artifacts so that money might be returned and Miss Everard can have her Season as planned.”
“I’m grateful—as you know.” She cleared her throat and clasped her hands together before she did something foolish like hug him as she had in the garden a few days ago. Though this time she wasn’t fearful the hug would end in a kiss. But she could very well be caught in his arms. “Let’s plan it for tomorrow afternoon. I’ll prepare a picnic and take Veronica and Eugenia to the park at half past two. Would that work for you?”
He nodded. “And then, since you are right next door, I’ll come to your house and wait for your return so I can fill you in on what I find out.”
“Yes, yes, thank you.” Excitement that she might be able to help Eugenia make the Season bubbled inside Marlena. “I’d like that very much if we can find a way to get Justine to give us a few minutes alone.”
He smiled. “I’ll think of something.”
“I have no doubt you will,” Marlena said, and looked up to see two beautiful ladies walk into the drawing room. What startled her for a moment was that both were so young. She expected one of them, the one who would be assisting her with the Season, to be much older thanthe duchess and even older than Justine. Both these ladies were younger than her cousin.
The duke greeted them: the Duchess of Griffin andLady Vera. After she heard that name the rest of the introductions were like a reverberating echo in her ears. Lady Vera was one of the Duke of Griffin’s twin sisters. She was another young lady Marlena had written about.
Heaven help her! What was Lady Vera doing here? Maybe the duke knew she was Miss Honora Truth after all, and he was proving it by bringing these two ladies to taunt her. Marlena went through the motions of following the introductions even though she was once again swamped with guilt.
Coming face-to-face with the duchess and her sister-in-law was even worse than meeting the duke for the first time. He deserved being written about in the scandal sheets after the secret admirer letters. The two ladies standing in front of her were completely innocent of any wrongdoing, yet she’d splashed their names all across London and beyond with her quill.
Marlena’s thoughts scrambled again as she tried to remember what she’d written about Lady Vera. She couldn’t remember it word for word but something about:It was Lady Vera and Lady Sara’s misfortune that it was up to their brother, the Duke of Griffin, to see they married. And it may be his twin sisters who pay the price of his misdeeds.
Oh, my. Marlena wanted to sink through the floor. The fear the sisters must have felt, thinking someone might want to do them harm or ruin their Season. There was no doubt that the worst thing she and Eugenia had done was to talk Mr. Bramwell into going to White’s with Mr. Portington to start that rumor.
She remembered clearly what she’d told Mr. Bramwell to say because she’d taken such pains with the wording:The Rakes of St. James never had to pay a price for their scandalous behavior of sending the secret admirer letters. Maybe it is time they did. Would it be fitting if something happened to ruin the Duke of Griffin’s sisters’ first Season?
Why had Marlena ever thought that was a good idea? Was it because she was a young, rash seventeen-year-old who thought to do something good and punish someone who’d done something bad? Was it because she was in London with nothing to do but wait for her debut into Society? Was it because at heart she was a horrible person?
No. She didn’t want to believe she was a horrible person. Maybe it was only that she’d been too zealous in her approach to help her neighbors. She really didn’t know, but she had to remain calm. And remembering that her parents were watching over her was always a good way to settle conflicting emotions.
“Miss Fast,” the duchess said.
“Yes, Your Grace.” Marlena answered the duchess with what she hoped wasn’t a hint of the turmoil leaping in her thoughts.
“I was telling Lady Vera about you. How the Duke of Rathburne was now your guardian and I mentioned you needed someone who could help you with your Season. Lady Vera offered to do that for you.”
Marlena looked at the lovely young lady with light-brown hair and eyes as blue as the sky. “You’re to be my finishing governess?”
“Heaven’s gates, Marlena,” Justine exclaimed. “Lady Vera is not a governess of any kind for anyone.”
“Indeed I am not,” Lady Vera answered pertly. “I can understand why you thought I might be since I offered to help you with the particulars.”
“I meant no disrespect, my lady,” Marlena said.
“None taken. I am not shocked, offended, or embarrassed easily, Miss Fast.” And as if to prove it, she walked over and slid her arm around the duke’s elbow, and looked into his eyes. “I am doing this for Rath. He knows I adore him and I’ve wanted him to marry me for years. He won’t give me the pleasure of offering for my hand. Perhaps my helping him with you will entice him to favor me.”
“You have and always will have my favor,” the duke said to her.
Marlena watched Rath smile down at Lady Vera and felt her whole body stiffen. It was quite clear the duke and Lady Vera knew each other very well. The way she smiled at him, spoke so brazenly to him, and had touched him. Marlena was astounded by how forward Lady Vera was being, and that the duke had responded so honestly. That was when Marlena realized shewasjealous!
Jealous of Justine.
Jealous of Lady Vera.
Jealous of any other lady who tried to lay claim to the duke.
