Page 120 of The Scandalous Love of a Duke
‘Your Grace,’ Finch said, knocking on the door.
‘Come in!’ John called.
The door opened and Finch appeared, carrying a letter. ‘The Duke of Devonshire’s footman delivered this a moment ago, Your Grace.’
‘That was quick,’ Edward said dryly.
John took it and broke the seal. ‘Katherine is uninvited yet I am still welcome. Devonshire is petitioning me to vote with him on a bill he is presenting in the House of Lords, so of course he does not want to offend me but asks that I understand the sensibilities of his wife.’
‘And so,’ Edward said, ‘do you intend to give in, or do you intend to fight?’
But it was not about what he wanted. It was Katherine who would be hurt.
‘Is she strong enough?’ Edward asked.
‘I think so.’
‘Of course if you do not fight it, the hurt will be worse in the long term, there is the child too, John. You say Devonshire wants your vote. How badly?’
‘There is considerable risk his bill will not pass, many are publicly against it. He is charming us all to get it through.’
‘If you took Katherine to their ball with you, do you think the duke would turn you away?’
John held his father’s gaze. It was too hard to know for certain yet there was a possibility Devonshire may feel too uncomfortable if she were there in person. It was a risk, but if they won this first battle the war to have her fully accepted might be half won before it even really began. ‘Possibly not.’
‘Discuss it with her. She is the one who should decide. In the meantime I will have your mother send word to your aunts. If our family arrive all together, it will be harder for the Devonshires to make a scene.’
John nodded.
Katherine would not welcome this. She did not need this pressure now, but the thought of Katherine not being accepted was untenable.
He thanked Edward and headed upstairs with the newspaper.
Katherine was sitting before the mirror in her dressing room, while Esther pinned up her hair.
‘Would you leave us, Esther.’
Katherine’s eyes widened.
As soon as Esther had gone Katherine stood. ‘What is it?’
He took her hand and led her into the sitting room, then bid her take a seat.
She did not. ‘Just tell me what is wrong.’
He opened the newspaper and folded it back.
He gave it to her. ‘There.’
She read the words he pointed out in silence, her colour blanching. He could have protected her from this but he knew she would not thank him for that.
When her gaze lifted back to him he passed her the Duke of Devonshire’s letter. She read that silently too, then took a deep breath. ‘So,’ she said, ‘I am not going.’ She gave him the letter back. ‘Never mind, his wife has called here, she is a supercilious cow.’
He laughed. He wanted to hug her. His father had asked if she was strong enough. Of course she was. Yet the members of the false and fickle society he belonged to had long memories when they wished. Edward was right. Left unchallenged, this behaviour could affect their unborn child and their future children. It needed to be quashed now.
‘I wish to take you anyway. If you will brave it?’
‘What if they will not let me in?’
