Page 398 of From Rakes to Riches

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Victoria knocked on the earl’s door. A kitchen maid stood beside her, holding a tray with tea and biscuits and a vase of flowers. Victoria was tempted to steady the tray because the maid was shaking so badly. When they heard nothing, Victoria knocked again.

“My lord?” she called. “It is I, Victoria.”

She knew he was in there, since the doctor had just left. He’d said that the earl’s condition was deteriorating at a steady pace, and had agreed to increase the dosage of medication.

She couldn’t let the earl wallow in the despair of his prognosis. So she opened the door. The maid gasped and took a step back. The earl’s wheelchair was pushed against a table with a sheaf of papers spread across it. He glanced up at them and scowled. She thought he looked paler this morning, the lines on his face deeper. She knew he wouldn’t want her pity, but he had it anyway.

She gave him a bright smile and motioned for the maid to set the tray on a side table. Then the girl fled, closing the door behind her.

“I picked flowers this morning to brighten your room, my lord. Where shall I put them?”

“Away from me. The smell annoys me.”

Her smile faltered just a little. “Well, the colors are cheerful. I’ll put them in this corner.”

With his spectacles on his nose, he looked down at his papers.

“Am I disturbing you, my lord?”

“Yes.”

She knew he was trying to frighten her away, just as he did to everyone. “I won’t take long. Shall I pour you some tea?”

“No.”

“Then I’ll help myself.”

She was proud that her hand didn’t shake as she poured her cup. After setting a plate of biscuits at the earl’s table, she pulled up a chair nearby.

“Would you care for a biscuit, my lord?” she asked.

When he ignored her, she helped herself to one.

“You’ve had enough of those, haven’t you?”

She choked, then sipped tea until she could swallow, remembering that he was a man in pain.

“I do enjoy biscuits,” she said ruefully. “I’ll have to stay away from them to fit into all the beautiful gowns your son was generous enough to give me.”

“He obviously didn’t want to be embarrassed by you.” The earl calmly turned over a paper to continue reading.

“And I don’t blame him,” she said softly. “I’m the first to admit that I’m uncomfortable in your world.”

He looked at her coldly. “Then why are you here?”

Did he truly not know the real reason for the wedding? She didn’t know what she was supposed to keep hidden.

“Because Lord Thurlow asked me to marry him.”

“Why?”

“You’ll have to discuss his reasons with him, my lord.”

“I think he married you out of pity.”

She remained silent, knowing he was partly right.

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