“You were thinking that cosmetics would cover your scars,” he said knowingly.
Val shrugged.
“It was a fleeting thought,” he said. “I imagine that it would only make people stare at me even more, rather than detract attention away from my face.”
Frank regarded him thoughtfully as he pulled a black suit from his wardrobe.
“You cannot know unless you try it, your Grace,” he said.
Val opened his mouth to protest as he handed Frank the suit and began to undress. But he promptly closed it again. Could it really be as simple as buying some makeup and seeing what happened? Perhaps, it would not be any worse than his scars, after all. It might even turn out to be a good idea.
“I will give that some more thought, Frank,” he said sincerely.
The valet nodded.
“I believe that is a wise decision. Τhe Duchess is waiting for you, your Grace,” he said.
Once he was dressed, he made his way downstairs to join his mother for breakfast. He winced as he entered the drawing room, recalling again the awkward evening before. It filled him with shame to think about how uncomfortable the Earl and Countess’s daughter had been. He could almost feel that she was as unhappy as he had been. He sighed, knowing that his appearance must have unsettled her deeply.
His mother rose from her seat by the window, smiling brightly at him.
“Good morning, darling,” she said, gently kissing his unscarred cheek.
Val returned her kiss and gave her a weak smile.
“Good morning, Mother,” he said. “How are you?”
The duchess beamed.
“I am still rather pleased after last night,” she said. “I believe that dinner went splendidly. Did you enjoy yourself?”
Val scowled and shook his head as he took a seat.
“It should be apparent how I feel about socializing, Mother,” he said. “I am glad that it went well for you, but for me, it was nothing short of horrifying.”
The Dowager Duchess’s face fell, and her eyes grew sad.
“Oh, darling,” she said, reaching for his hand. “The Dervinshire family loved you. The Earl looked very intrigued as you talked about your time out East.”
Val shook his head firmly.
“I am sure they did their best to not offend you,” he said, unable to hide his irritation. “However, those young women were utterly tormented by having to look at me all throughout what should have been a lovely meal.”
His mother’s face paled and her mouth fell open.
“Val, sweetheart,” she said. “I do not think that you understand…”
“I understand plenty, Mother,” he said, interrupting her. “And I know that look of horror and repulsion. Lady Agnes would not so much as look at me, and Lady Cecily could not stop staring. Please, do not insult my intelligence, Mother. They thought me hideous, just as the rest of thetondoes.”
His mother simply stared at him for a moment. With his mood in that moment, he wondered if she was suddenly seeing him as the rest of London’s high society did. He bore the silence as long as he could before he looked his mother in the eye.
“What is it?” he asked. “Why are you looking at me that way?”
His mother’s expression grew pensive and worried, and he felt sure she was going to tell him he was a monster, after all. But what she said next floored him.
“Darling,” she said carefully. “The Countess is a dear friend of mine, and I have guarded this secret with my life. Not because she asked me to, but because it is what I felt was right. Her eldest daughter, poor Cecily, has a rare illness, called ‘amaurosis’, which has caused her to lose most of her eyesight.”
Val stared blankly at his mother for a moment, disbelief replacing the anger that had been brewing inside him.
