Page 40 of Denying a Rakish Duke
Vanessa could feel heat spreading from the apples of her cheeks down toward her neck. She could not believe what was happening right now. What a horrible, meddlesome woman.
“What they arenotcertain of is the last time that you had your courses, Dear … but as we are coming up on … oh, is itthreeweeks that you have been married? I suppose we shall find out if you are with child soon enough.” If only there was a way to force this woman from her life, Vanessa was nearly certain that she would do it.
“I expect a great grandson— and soon. You would be wise to provide me with one.”
Vanessa’s brows furrowed. She no longer made any attempt to conceal the look of contempt that she held for the older woman who was more of a thorn in her side with each passing day. “I would encourage you to mind your own business, Your Grace. You said that you had more than enough to keep you busy, but I never would have imagined that meant you needed to cling to my every word and phrase. What a sad, droll life you must lead indeed.”
The Dowager clicked her cane against the floor— she was accustomed to this intimidation tactic silencing those around her from speaking anything else that she should not like to hear, but Vanessa would have none of it.
“Once more, Your Grace, I willkindlyask you to mind your own affairs and leave my marriage to me!” Vanessa stood from her chair, her palms placed firmly on the table in front of her as she spoke. “The timing of my courses, where my husband sleeps, what we speak about— I cannot fathom how you could be so bored as to feel the need to crawl into my marriage like this.”
“Believe me, Child, it is not by choice. You have been the most disappointing acquaintance that I have ever had the misfortune to meet! I feel that if I do not absorb all of my spare time puttering after you and cleaning up your messes, you will allow my grandson to make some dire choice or another that will cause his ruin!”
“Well, that wouldalsobe our business— and not yours.” Oh, how Vanessa longed to send the Dowager away somewhere. “I do not know who has set this terrible example of the way that a marriage works, but it rarely involves the grandmother! You do not see my Mama here, adding commentary as she likes!” The Dowager made a face— just for a moment, and Vanessa latched on.
“Is that it then? Some mistake that you have made inside of your own marriage before your husband passed? Some parental error that you made that you are so terrified of having somebody repeat? Is that why you cannot leave us well enough alone?” The Dowager’s lips pursed together as she took a grip on the head of her cane so tightly that her knuckles turned white from the pressure.
“No retort? I find that to be very shocking indeed.” Vanessa stood to her full height, her arms falling loosely to her sides as she waited for an answer.
The Dowager looked away. Vanessa mentally cursed herself. She did not wish to feel guilty for triggering something that might be genuinely uncomfortable for the woman, yet she could not bring herself to apologize either. “What I mean to say—”
The Dowager lifted her hand to stop any word of protest that Vanessa might offer. The next words the Dowager said without the flippant, condescending tone that she had been using until now. “Has the Duke spoken with you about his father?” The Dowager lifted her almond-shaped brown eyes to Vanessa with an unreadable expression. “Perhaps spoken to you about his relationship with his own mother?”
Vanessa wished that she could say yes. Instead, she shifted uncomfortably from one foot to the other. She shook her head in a short, clipped movement. “He has not.”
“I did not think that he would. I suspect that you might wish to ask him about his father; perhaps that will put into some light as to why this is such an important thing.” The Dowager swallowed her tea in a bitter gulp. “Presuming that he will tell you the truth of the matter, perhaps that will shed even more light on the situation at hand … and why I feel that it is so important.”
Vanessa bit her bottom lip, unsure if she should apologize. She did not think that she had done or said anything that was not warranted, but still she felt guilty for speaking to her elder in such a fashion. “I will ask him.” Her fingers tapped against the fabric of her skirts and pinched the fabric slowly, twirling it around her finger. “I never wished to be your enemy … and if this will help in finding some way to prevent any more discord between us, you could tell me why it is that you feel the need to hate me so.” Vanessa’s expression softened as she spoke. She hated how nervous she felt.
“That will be a conversation for another time, Girl. As it is, there is yet one more report that I must tell you— I had hoped to use it as leverage against you, and I do not feel any shame for withholding it from you either.”
Vanessa sighed. Of course, she had expected too much. Whatever the root of their strife, it would not be solved so quickly. “Well, say what you need to say so that I can be on my way. I have a great many things to attend to.”
The Dowager drew out the moment intentionally, savoring another sip of tea as if holding this piece of information over Vanessa’s head would assuage some of her wounded pride for Vanessa having found something out that she was not meant to.
“Of course, you have nothing,” Vanessa said with a sigh. “You only mean to delay me further, but I tire of these constant games.” She dipped into an improper curtsy and turned her back to the Dowager Duchess when the woman finally decided to speak.
“You sister, Amanda, has gone missing.”
Vanessa felt as if she had been doused in ice water. She spun swiftly on her heel. “You are lying.”
She wanted the woman to be lying. The Dowager lifted her brows and took a final sip of her tea, draining it to the dredges. Her shoulder lifted into a subtle shrug that implied she did not care one way or the other if she were lying.
“The rumor is that while suffering from her inconsolable heartbreak of losing her one true love to her wicked sister— she fled two days ago without a word to anybody!”
“Two days?” Vanessa gathered her skirts in her hands quickly, hiking them up indecently high as her slippered feet struggled to gain enough traction on the perfect floors to carry her as quickly as she intended. If it was a lie, she would be glad. She would endure the embarrassment of storming into her family home. If it was the truth, she should never forgive herself.
Vanessa did not change or pause to consider her actions as she tore through the Estate to the back yards where Joseph was having the courtyard transformed into a makeshift track for her and Apple to practice on. She located the thoroughbred easily and mounted so quickly the servants hardly had time to secure the saddle into place before she raced crossed town to her family home.
* * *
Vanessa had not seen her family’s Manor in such disarray since her father died. Servants moved so quickly that it took a good moment before they realized that here was an additional guest that had not been there before. Vanessa’s hands were raw from holding Apple’s reins so firmly and riding across town so swiftly.
She only picked up bits and pieces of the conversations happening around her as she went.
“Don’t know where she could have gotten.”
“Have any of the carriages been noted out past the City limits?”
