Page 61 of The Matchmaker Meets her Duke
The Dowager followed closely behind, an agitated look on her face as she settled herself in a seat and splayed her cane across her lap.
"Is this what I think it to be?" she said to anyone and everyone, and Pandora wondered how she had even noticed Edward's growing affection toward her granddaughter.
Emmett turned to his grandmother, an amused look on his face, and asked the question that had taken shape in Pandora's mind. "How did you know?"
"I know everything." She waved a dismissive hand, and Emmet turned to his sister, the amused look on his face gone and replaced by the well-tailored solemnness of a man whose sister was about to receive a surprise proposal.
"Rose, Edward has something to say to you." He swept his hand between his sister and Pandora's brother. "And we would like you to listen. Now, I love you with all my heart, and I believe you should have the choice of a final say. But I also believe you would be unwise to reject such proposal from such man of fine stock."
Edward nodded his gratitude.
Rose took a reluctant step forward, her chest heaving. She seemed to be sucking in all the air in the room. The confusion was raw on her face, her mouth curving around a small, perfectoas Edward went on one knee, and took her hand in his.
"Rose, I think you're the most beautiful girl I've ever set my eyes on," he started after clearing his throat. "And I can't explain how it is that you've come to live rent-free in my head over the last few weeks, but you have. I understand that we don't know each other well. But I am ready to settle down…youmake me ready to settle down. And I want to do it with you if you let me. I'll cherish you with all the love and care that one man can give. I can make you happy. And if you allow us a chance, it is my belief that we'll be very, very happy."
Rose clasped her hands over her face, and Pandora's heart thudded in her chest. Was she too overjoyed for words? Were her shoulders… shaking? Was Rose crying?
Emmett's grandmother's lips pinched tightly together, obviously bemused by Rose's overreaction. "Goodness gracious, this is too much, even for me."
Pandora neared Rose. She touched her hand to her arm lightly, where all the hairs stood on her skin like little sticks. "Rose–"
Shewascrying. She wiped her face but the tears had started and they would not stop.
Edward rose to his feet at once. "Lady Rose, I didn't mean to upset you–"
"You didn't, Heavens, you didn't," she choked through her sobs. "I don't deserve this. Or you. Or–" she shot a quick glance at Pandora, then averted her gaze. "I'm sorry. I see now that I shouldn't have–"
"Rose!" Emmett's hands were clasped over her shoulders, shaking her lightly. In a much gentler gesture, he steadied his sister in his arms and grounded out, "Pull yourself together. What on Earth are you talking about?"
"I'm so sorry, Emmett. I didn't trust Pandora's intentions. I was trying to look out for you and Lady Brexley vowed she would speak to Ash… I see now that I shouldn't have. It was so foolish of me. So very foolish."
Pandora felt all the blood drain from her face. Surely Rose had gone mad. Surely she was imagining this. She was mishearing the words that were tumbling freely out of Rose's mouth, she had to be.
Emmett huffed a frustrated breath and ran a hand through his hair. "What are you going on about? What did you do? Why are you speaking of Lady Brexley?"
"The Viscount of Riverton and the Dowager Viscountess of–"
"She's speaking of me," intoned Ashton's grandmother as she interrupted Sims' announcement. She slapped her cane against the floor of the drawing room as she joined them, "because of that which we bound together to do. Isn't that so, Rose dear?''
Ashton poised himself by the door, looking half frustrated, half-amused by whatever it was his grandmother intended to unearth this evening.
"What is she doing here?" said Rose's grandmother, as if Lady Brexley couldn't hear her and couldn't speak for herself.
"Your Grace," said Emmett to Lady Brexley with an impatient bow, turning between both women. "Will somebody please tell me what in the Heavens is going on?''
"I will," said Lady Brexley imperiously. "So long as I am looking Agatha in the eye. I want to see the look on her face when I tell her exactly what it is that we've done." In one swift moment, the elegant Dowager Viscountess swept around and faced Rose's grandmother. Their gazes locked squarely, bitterly on each other.
As if without a care in the world, Lady Brexley poised her viper's head cane under her armpit and tugged the fingers of her gloves one by one. "It should interest you to know," she began coyly, "that it was I behind that gossip column… well, Rose and I, but I should like to take most of the credit for this one. I'm sure you understand. I would say it's nothing personal, but then we both know I would be blatantly lying. It gives me overwhelming pleasure to know that there is nothing you can do about it without having to reveal to the public in the first place that it was Lady Pandora behind theearliergossip papers but just notthisone." She tugged at her gloves until they were off. Then she placed her cane back on the floor. "One more thing, I suppose, to drive you mad." She shrugged. "That horse tale has outlived its novelty, hasn't it?"
"So you did take the horse!" cried the Dowager, as ifthatwas the most pivotal revelation of the evening. She whipped around to each of them. "Did you hear it? She confessed it! She stole my horse!"
Beside her, Edward stuttered backward, dazed. "You're saying that she… Rose helped you. To publish slander with the… you're saying that."
"Yes indeed. I as much as roped her into it. Her execution, but my idea. Brilliant, if you ask me."
Edward stared at Lady Brexley, dazed. He ran his hand through his hair. Then his gaze settled on Rose, his mouth curling with more disgust than Pandora had ever seen on her brother's face. "You did… how could you possibly do that–"
"My Lord, please, I can explain–" Rose reached for his hand, but he jolted backward as if she carried fire in her veins. As if her touch burned.
