Page 39 of Second Chance Prince
She leaned into the door and said quietly, “Estelle? It is me, Roberta. May I come in?”
There came the sound of bedclothes moving and then a shaky, “Roberta?”
She didn’t wait for anything more, even for permission. There was something very wrong happening, and she had an ominousfeeling she knew just what it was. Roberta opened the door and peered inside. The curtains were still drawn and it was very gloomy, but she caught sight of Estelle’s white face as she lifted her head from the pillow. Her hair was loose and tangled about her, not at all as it usually was, because Estelle was very particular about her hair.
“Oh, Roberta,” she choked, and burst into tears.
Roberta hurried to take her in her arms.
It took some time for the truth to come out. Estelle had sobbed until she was too exhausted to sob anymore, and then she had agreed to Roberta asking the maid to fetch tea and some toast, to restore her strength, and after that, she was finally able to speak.
As Roberta had thought, Karl had gone with her to the ball and then persuaded her to be alone with him. It did sometimes happen that young women were inveigled into the arms of rakes, and Roberta was persuaded that was what Karl was. Yes, it was unfortunate and painful for Estelle, but it could have been buried from gossiping tongues with some careful maneuvering. Unfortunately for Estelle, she and Karl were discovered by their hosts in a position that left no doubt as to what they were doing.
“It won’t stay a secret,” Estelle admitted bleakly. “The word will be out this morning, and I have no one to blame but myself.”
Roberta was momentarily too angry to speak. “He is an experienced older man, and you are a young innocent girl. If anyone is at fault, then it is Karl.”
“I wanted him to overcome my doubts,” Estelle admitted softly. “I liked him. Very much. And can I say that I liked what he did to me?” Her eyes filled with tears. “At least I liked it up until the end. Then I wanted him to stop and I…I told him so,and hedidstop, although he wasn’t very happy about it. But before we could put our clothing in order, the door opened and…We were caught. I wept, and when I said he would have to marry me he—he laughed, Robbie. He laughed and said that was never going to happen, and he walked out and left me.”
“Appalling,” Roberta said, her voice shaking.
“Mother will say it is only what I deserve,” Estelle responded. “She has always warned me I must not encourage gentlemen until I am married to one.”
“That may be true, Estelle, but Karl should have been a gentleman instead of a cad. What he did was wrong, so very wrong.” She dampened her emotions and tried to think clearly. “I will tell Niki. Something must be done. Karl must make this right for you.”
Estelle’s eyes rounded like saucers. “No! Please don’t tell the prince. Karl will say it is my fault. He will blame me, and the prince will believe him.”
“He won’t believe him,” Roberta said with certainty.
“And besides, what can he do?” Estelle began to cry again, tears leaking down her cheeks and into the sopping bodice of her nightgown. “It is too late. I am r-ruined.”
“It is not too late,” Roberta said firmly. “You are not ruined, or at least, only in the eyes of the gossips. Karl persuaded you into a ruinous situation, but you stopped him.”
“Yes, I did.” Estelle sounded gratified. “Thank you for believing me.”
Roberta’s heart ached. “Of course I believe you! Now what of your mother? Should you tell her? You will need her support.”
Estelle gave a heavy sigh. “The story will reach her soon enough. I know I will have to tell her first, but she will be soangry with me.”
After she had persuaded Estelle to rise and get dressed, they made their way downstairs. Lady Longhurstwasangry, but most of her anger was aimed at Karl. She made threats and ranted and raved, tears streaking her cheeks, and then opened her arms and held Estelle tight.
“If any of our friends and acquaintances say a word of censure then I shall remind them abouttheirown frolics inmyhouse!”
But it was not the Longhursts’ cronies who would do the damage—it was the members of polite society who disapproved of Estelle and her family and would enjoy tearing them down.
When Roberta finally set out for Matilda’s town house, she was tired and emotional, but relieved that Estelle and her mother seemed resolute. “Let them say what they want!” Lady Longhurst had declared. “They will not break us.”
Roberta wanted to speak to Niki before he heard the news. She wanted him to tell her he would help Estelle, and that Karl would be punished. It was a fundamental case of right and wrong, and surely Niki would see that?
It occurred to her that the prince may not be at his aunt’s house, but she would know where Roberta could find him. She could not wait. Her best friend needed her help right now.
Matilda looked at her as if she had grown two heads.
“You want me to interrupt him when he is speaking to Chamberlain Francis? Would you expect to interrupt a gentleman who is in conference with your prime minister? Because it is the same thing.”
When she put it like that, Roberta accepted she was overstepping the mark. “When will he be finished?” she said, resigned.
“They will dine together. It will be finished when it is finished. The chamberlain has come all the way from Holtswig to speak to Niki on an urgent matter. I cannot interrupt, Lady Roberta. Indeed, Iwillnot.”
