Page 59 of Her Wicked Duke
An angry blush spread across her cheeks. “Just like the women you like to take behind manors, thinking that nobody knows, My Lord?” she hissed. “What about thoseruined maidens?”
She stormed away from him, only to pass Clarice and her group of friends. Four pairs of eyes flicked toward her, the disgust and affront in them evident. Clarice stuck her nose in the air, despite all of them once giggling with each other about having some experience before marriage.
Anne, with tears in her eyes, finally realizing how everybody saw her, started to leave the ballroom, but a hand caught hers. She thought she recognized the calluses and hoped it was Alexander, but when she turned around, she found herself facing Lord Sampson. He, too, leered at her, as if he thought he now had a chance.
“I might not be a duke, Lady Anne, but I can show you an agreeable time, I’m sure.”
He swiped his tongue over his bottom lip discreetly, and she snatched her hand back. Clarice just giggled, causing the rest of the women to follow suit.
Anne felt like everyone was staring at her, and the room began to spin. Soon, an arm wrapped around her waist, and she started to protest until she realized it was Patrick. Her sister stood next to him, her face pale with worry.
“Mary,” Anne sobbed, letting the two of them escort her out of the ballroom.
They took her outside, away from the staring and the whispers. Anne collapsed on the front steps, her head in her hands.
Alexander had been right all those weeks ago.
“I fear those women are not your true friends,” he’d said. “And I do doubt that this…Claricehas cavorted with her suitors. I do believe they are trying to encourage you to ruin your reputation. They might enjoy watching your downfall and snatch up more suitors for themselves.”
And now Georgia was courting the Earl of Marston, and Jocelyn had gotten engaged without Anne being one of the first people to know. Clarice was going from man to man without a care.
Alexander had been right.
Clarice herself had commented on it when Anne had been absent from a party.
It would be a shame to see you fall ill and miss out on securing a good match. You have many suitors.
But with everyone thinking that Anne and Alexander’s relationship was something more illicit, the only men who would want Anne were sleazy gentlemen with hidden agendas, like the Earl of Satton.
Yet, were the rumors untrue?
She and Alexander had not gone as far as the rumors suggested, or often, but theyhadbeen intimate.
Her heart broke further. Was that why he had been avoiding her? He’d ruined her reputation, rejected her, retracted his protection, and now he left her to face the rumors alone.
A carriage pulled up outside the house, and Mary pulled Anne toward it. “Sister, I promised Mama I would send you home. They wish to see you to discuss… ah, the scandal.”
“There is no scandal!” Anne cried.
But they would not know yet. The only scandal was her own truths, which would come spilling out soon enough. The letters, the stalkers, the request for protection, the fake courtship that had somehow felt more real for Anne than it had for Alexander.
But she would face it all alone, that was quite certain.
Chapter Eighteen
The Angleton residence was a flurry of energy and shouting. Anne wept in the corner as her father raged at her and ranted about the scandal. Her mother was wailing and cursing the day she had let Alexander into their home! And howdarehe ruin her daughter!
Mary was trying to calm them down, while Patrick tried to console Anne. He sat with her on the window seat in the parlor. He had asked if she wanted to sit close to him for comfort, but she had sniffled and shaken her head. She didn’t wish to be close to a man who wasn’t Alexander at that moment.
At her refusal, she saw a glimmer of hurt flash across Patrick’s face, and she silently chided herself. He was only trying to be kind. She needed kindness after everything that had happened.
“I will demand that Alexander come here immediately and offer to marry you!” Matthew Hatson bellowed.
Offer, as if it was unthinkable but had to be done. As if she might not be a desirable, marriageable woman until the situation demanded it. She was not the first choice, butwhy? What was so wrong about anything that had happened?
An innocent request, born from fear, had caused all of this commotion.Christianhad caused this commotion by making that request of Alexander in the first place.
“And to think we invited him for Christmas! We had him in our home!” Annette shrieked. “He is our son’s best friend.” Her eyes fell on Anne. “You could have come to us. He is a family friend, yes, but is he worth ruining your reputation over, Anne?”
