Page 3 of Denying a Rakish Duke
Petunia blustered. They all knew very well that should the present Earl of Evans decide that Amanda should focus her attentions on the Duke of Willow, then that was exactly what she would be forced to do. “I am quite certain that there will be a great many gentlemen that will be eager to assist in filling Amanda’s dance card this evening, and should the Duke of Willow be one of them—”
“I will not hear of this!” Vanessa exclaimed.
“Pardon, Mama, but what is the issue with the Duke of Willow, exactly?” Amanda interjected, her melodic voice cutting clearly through the room as she lifted a finger to draw attention to herself gracefully which was ignored.
“Of course, you are not the only one with her heart in mind, Vanessa, honestly!” Petunia pinched at the bridge of her nose. The tension between her daughter and herself was quickly becoming more than she could stand.
“Then am I to understand that you are to allow yet another one of your daughters have a dalliance with a known rake? A most prolific rake at that! There are half-a-dozen women who claim to all be his mistresses! Proudly! I have never seen the like of it! It goes against all polite rules of Society! He is perhaps the most dastardly villain in all of theton, and you are willing to allow my dear sister to fall, mercy, to him?!”
Tobias puffed himself up further and shook his head adamantly. “Now, you hear me, Niece, boys will be boys, and you cannot listen to the jealous gossip of women who wish to be known! Rumors thrive for a reason!”
Vanessa narrowed her eyes at her uncle; she was quite finished with his comments for the afternoon. He seemed determined to undermine each and every word that left her mouth. Never mind that he had just called her a gossip when she was anything but.
“Oh, really?” Vanessa turned toward the back of the room and plucked up a gossip paper that was resting on the table. “Issued only this morning.” She glanced over the table to her uncle before she read the gossip paper aloud in a clear voice.
“You do not need to—”
“Why, yes, Mama, I think that I do. If you are willing to have the man come to court our dear Amanda, then I feel that she should be able to hear exactly what she is getting herself into! Unless, of course, you agree with me that he is not the sort of man that she should entertain?” Vanessa dared her mother to argue with her on this point. She wanted the woman to say that she should not read the paper then her point would be made.
Petunia sighed and sank into the nearest chair with her hand over her eyes. Vanessa straightened the paper in her hands and started to read.
“Spotted leaving the theater early this morning before even the lamplighters had finished their morning chores was His Grace, the Duke of Willow. He was seen with disheveled clothing and ruffled hair. When he closed the door, a young woman poked her head out of a high window and waved an embroidered handkerchief in his direction before the wind grasped the token of her favor and wafted it down to the young gentleman. Is it possible that the heart of our most coveted Duke was stolen by an actress? With the Season only just beginning, will he have time to attend to all of his rumored mistresses and still maintain a reputable social calendar? Perhaps not. One might wonder if he will squander away his most impressive fortune with the upkeep of so many young women.”
Vanessa crumpled the paper in her hands roughly and looked at her mother and uncle with accusation. “Is this really the sort ofgentlemanthat you wish to court my dear sister?!”
“That is nothing more than salacious gossip; I have known his grandmother for a great many years and feel that I would be a much better judge of his character than any silly gossip column could ever hope to!” Tobias objected firmly. He felt that with a single comment he could negate everything printed in the gossip paper so that they might not speak on the topic any longer. He plucked up a selection of biscuits off of the tray and started to the door as if the matter was settled.
Only, Vanessa was not finished speaking.
“From one scandal straight to another! Perhaps that has been your goal all along, Uncle— to get rid of us by any means necessary?” Vanessa knew that she would be in trouble the moment that she spoke.
“Vanessa,” Petunia spoke in a low, serious tone that offered no room for argument. “You are excused.”
Vanessa gave her sister one last lingering look. “Fear not, dearest sister; I will look after you. I will make sure that the man that you marry will be the best one for you.” Amanda gave her sister a weak smile, but she said nothing.
“You will watch your tongue, Niece, or you will find your invitation to this evening’s ball revoked,” Uncle Tobias added as if it were a threat.
Vanessa swallowed her angry retort and quickly turned to exit the room. She did not wish to go to the ball anyway. If he chose to force her to stay home, she would pretend to be upset over the matter, but then she would steal away to the stables. Though, if she was not present, there would be no one to look out for Amanda’s heart.
Vanessa looked to her mother, who impossibly nodded toward the door in support of the comment that Uncle Tobias had made. Now she had really seen everything. She would have thought that the day where they chose to work together on the same side of an issue would never come.
She did not bother to shut the door behind her when she left— and she turned immediately for her chamber. She did not want to run into her mother again until she had been allowed enough time to cool off. She had not even gotten a chance to ask Amanda whatshewanted. Certainly, she had to have selected a favorite among all of her suitors. If Vanessa did not get a better grasp on her temper, then Petunia would decide that she was not to be allowed in the same room as Amanda for the foreseeable future.
The sound of soft, fast footsteps came up on the carpet behind her, falling quickly into place at her side. Martha moved so suddenly, it was obvious that she had a lot to say, but neither woman said a word until they were safely confined inside Vanessa’s chamber. Angrily, Vanessa started to pluck at the pins and clips in her hair, and she threw them in the direction of her vanity.
“Please, My Lady, why did you speak to your uncle in such forceful language? Is there something the matter? What has happened?” Martha asked in a voice hardly above a whisper. She sounded terrified.
Vanessa huffed but did not answer.
“Please, forgive me if I am speaking out turn, My Lady, but you should not speak to him like this! You must think about your future! Your family’s reputation! Should you cross him, he could choose to retaliate!”
“I am not afraid of him,” Vanessa protested as she pulled her gloves angrily from her hands. She did not know what sort of life Martha had come from, and she did not wish to make her friend cross, but she was still of a foul disposition.
“You should be! My Lady, I know that it might not be common for a woman of your station but I have heard such terrible tales of the things that men can do when they are crossed by a woman! Horrid things!”
“My uncle would not do any of those things.” Vanessa waved her hand dismissively as if Martha’s worries were trivial.
“Oh, My Lady, but he could. You have told me many times that he simply wishes to marry you off, but you have not been married, and if Lady Amanda is wed before you … he might take it upon himself to arrange a marriage that you will find most unpleasant.”
