Page 65 of The Virgin in the Rake's Bed
“And that is how it must stay until all is revealed. Promise me you will say nothing to him, Rebecca?” she said, and Rebecca glanced nervously at Samantha.
“I do not like keeping secrets from my husband. Surely, Nicholas has a right to know of the existence of a brother,” she replied.
“And he shall know, but not yet, please,” she said, and Rebecca nodded.
“Very well, for your sake, Catherine,” she replied.
Catherine was glad to have the confidence of her two closest friends. They had been through much together in matters of the heart, and with her own happiness so close at hand, Catherine was adamant that nothing should now stand in the way of her final release from the influences of her father and brother. It pained her to think it, but she wished for nothing more to do with them, and that the dinner might be the final break.
“I am grateful to you both, really, I am,” she said, and her two friends smiled at her.
“We have always been there for one another. That is what friends do,” Samantha replied, and Catherine raised her teacup.
“To friends, and a happier future,” she said, as each of them toasted the other.
* * *
“And you are sure you wish to go through with it?” Catherine asked, as she and Ian dressed for the dinner.
It was two days after Ian’s encounter with the duke, and an invitation had arrived the previous morning, inviting them to dine at the Somerset residence. Catherine was nervous at the prospect of encountering her father and brother, nervous as to what might occur when their hands were dealt, and intentions made clear. She did not wish to see either of them, but she knew she must in order to break free.
“There is no other choice, Catherine. The Duke of Sinclair intends to settle the matter this evening. Do not worry, you will not have to say anything, though I am sure there is much you would wish to say. I will be at your side the whole night, and after it is over, we shall be free to enjoy our happiness together. We can go wherever you wish and do whatever you wish,” he said, smiling at her.
Catherine nodded. Her heart was already beating fast, her nerves rising, but she put on a brave face and finished dressing, examining herself in the mirror for a moment, before taking Ian’s arm. “When I first encountered you in the library at the Somerset residence, I never thought it would lead to this,” she said, and he laughed.
“And when I encountered you there, I never thought it would, either. But love has a strange habit of taking us by surprise. All my self-imposed rules were as nothing. They did not protect me from true love, and how thankful I am for that,” he replied.
“Did you imagine you would live by them your whole life?” she asked, as they descended the stairs together.
“When the dreadful truth of what had happened between my brother and Cassandra was revealed, I thought I would never trust another woman again. I wanted to shut myself off, to never allow my emotions to get the better of me. But that was mere folly, and I could not hope to ever truly prevent myself from falling in love. I thought I would live by them, yes, but I have discovered it an impossibility when faced with the true love that was ever meant to be,” he said, and he turned to her as they came to the hallway and put his arms around her.
“I just want us to be happy together,” she replied, and he kissed her.
“And we shall be, we are, but first we must see to this sorry situation. Come now, the carriage awaits,” he said, ushering her toward the door.
As they rode toward the Somerset residence, Catherine found herself growing more and more nervous. She was glad that Rebecca would be there, but anxious to think about what Nicholas would say when the truth was revealed. There was so much at stake, and as they drew up outside the house, she turned to Ian and put her arms around him.
“I am terrified,” she admitted, and he kissed her on the forehead.
“Of your father?” he asked, and she shook her head.
“Of it all. It seems foolish to admit it, but I would happily have remained forever at Ashcourt Park. The gardens there were so lovely, and that night we spent there… well, I felt as though everything was all right,” she said, and he smiled.
“And if you wish to return there, we shall,” he replied, as the carriage door was opened and they stepped out to face what might be.
Chapter Thirty-Four
Catherine had been to the home of Rebecca and Nicholas dozens of times. It had been her excuse to see Ian, and she and Rebecca had spent many an hour in the salon or taking tea on the terrace. But tonight was different, and Catherine’s heart was beating fast at the prospect of the encounter which was to come. It seemed they were the first to arrive and were admitted by the butler.
“The Duke and Duchess are receiving their guests in the drawing room,” he said, leading them across the hallway.
Catherine slipped her hands into Ian’s, nervous at the thought of encountering not only the duke, but the duchess, too. What would she say, Catherine wondered, when confronted with the truth of her husband’s infidelity?
“It will be all right,” Ian whispered, as the butler announced their arrival.
“The Baron and Baroness of Westwick,” he said, and Catherine could not help but find it odd to hear herself introduced in such a manner.
“Oh, were we expecting you?” The Duchess of Sinclair asked, sounding surprised. She had always been a formidable woman, and whilst the arrival of her grandchild had softened her demeanor somewhat, she was still more than capable of holding her own. Catherine blushed, but Ian stepped forward, bowing to the duchess and holding out his hand.
