Page 88 of His Forbidden Duchess
Lady Danridge sighed, a note of exasperation in her voice. “It is the Ton’s business, my dear. People watch. They wonder. And what ofme? Do you not consider how all this is affectingme?”
“I can honestly say that had not come to my mind,” Eloise said.
The maid came in and laid the tea out before them, the pot steeping as steam rose from its spout. Eloise smiled at her in thanks.
“And then, of course, there is your brother,” Lady Danridge continued, not paying Eloise’s words any heed. “Poor Jeremy. He stormed back from Kingswell in a state. All he can talk about is how betrayed he feels, and he complains that you have not been in touch with him since. Eloise, you treated him terribly, and now, our family is torn apart. Does that not make you feel dreadful?”
The old, familiar sense of guilt rose in Eloise’s heart, but a quiet, simmering anger smothered the progression of her self-reproach. She had spent her life apologizing and bending to her mother’s expectations. She had listened to her mother’s wailing sorrows and dramatic happiness. But this…
This was too much to bear.
She and Felix had both made great sacrifices to help her family, but neither her mother nor her brother were grateful for what they had done.
“Mother,” she began, speaking through gritted teeth. “Do you even realize what Felix has done for us? For you? Do you understand that he took on our family’s debts, debts I would never have been able to settle on my own?”
Lady Danridge blinked, surprised, but Eloise pressed on, her voice growing stronger. “This entire time I have been the one holding everything together. You may have been there, but I was the one worrying, making plans, and handling everything as I have since Father died and Jeremy left.” She met her mother’s gaze, her tone becoming more resolute. “I was the one who had to play the role of mother, not you!”
Her mother’s mouth opened in protest, but no words came out.
Eloise took a calming breath, her own frustration and sorrow mingling with a newfound clarity. “You talk about my life and this marriage as if it is a fairy tale. But Felix and I married to protect you, Jeremy, and myself—to keep our family safe. I did what I had to do, and for once, I would like to feel that I have your support.”
Her mother let out a choking sob, dabbing at her eyes with the handkerchief that seemed permanently on hand.
The sight of her mother’s distress stirred a pang of guilt, but Eloise held her ground, unwilling to apologize for finally speaking her mind.
“Oh, Eloise,” she cried. “How could you be so terribly cruel?”
“Iam the cruel one?” Eloise scoffed incredulously. “Mother, I have never known a human being as selfish and childish as you.”
Eloise’ raw words lay on the table between them.
Without a word, Lady Danridge pushed her chair back noisily and fled the room, her sobs echoing in her wake.
Eloise watched her mother go, her own heart aching over the turn her life had suddenly taken through no fault of her own.
She needed love, companionship and friendship, but she would not ruminate over Felix’s hasty departure any longer. She did not wish to deal with her brother’s petty pride, and she most certainly wanted nothing more to do with her mother’s drama.
With a sigh, she walked to the writing desk, took out a sheet of parchment, and wrote a letter to Hannah, asking her to join her at Kingswell for a week.
She needed one sane person beside her. Otherwise, she didn’t think she could bear this at all.
The gaming hell was alive with laughter and the clink of glasses, but Felix barely registered the sounds.
He slouched in a dim corner booth with a half-empty glass of brandy in his hand as Percy sat beside him and regarded him with concern.
“You know,” Percy said slowly, swirling his own drink, “most men come to places like this toescapetheir troubles. Yet here you are, drowning in yours.”
Felix took a long drink, setting the glass down with a thud and calling for another. “Trust me, Percy, I have tried, but it does not appear to be working in my favor.”
Percy raised an eyebrow, studying him. “So I take it Jeremy did not give you his blessing?”
Felix snorted and graced Percy with a hard smile. “He responded to the news exactly as I had imagined he would. I cannot argue with his accusations about my character. He is right, you know. I was a fool to think I could change. To think I could become someone better than I was. You cannot change a skunk’s stripes, even if you can make it smell better.”
Percy sighed, leaning back. “Well, you may have been a very naughty boy, but you are no skunk, Felix. You make it sound asif the world is ending. Look, Jeremy is angry. Fine. He will come around. The real question is, why areyouhere? As much as I hate to admit it, your softer side suits you far better.”
Felix’s expression hardened. “Because it is the only thing I know I can do without causing more damage.”
Percy shook his head, his gaze solemn. “You know, there are better ways to love someone than by leaving them.”
