“Yes, please,” she said. Truthfully, she had never wanted some more in her life. But she reminded herself to be a lady with the drink, even though her nerves were strained raw.
She took the glass she was offered with more grace than she had any right to hope she would. She smiled again and thanked the maid, waiting until the woman had walked away. Then, she sipped it, longing to drink it in a single gulp.
“Very good, Cece,” Agnes whispered excitedly. “You are doing so well.”
Cecily beamed.
“Thank you,” she said. “I am rather pleased with how tonight is going.”
Beside her, Agnes nodded.
“I am glad to hear that you are enjoying yourself,” she said.
Cecily thought about what Agnes had said in the carriage on the way to Archington Manor. She felt bad for even thinking of it, but her curiosity was rising, now that her nerves were settling.
“Aggie,” she whispered. “You said that the Duke was terribly scarred. Is it true?”
Her sister gasped softly, and Cecily could almost hear her biting her lip. But before she could answer, the Dowager Duchess clinked her own champagne glass, pulling Cecily’s attention to her.
“I want to thank you ladies for joining us for dinner this evening,” she said. “It has been a delight to meet Lady Cecily and Lady Agnes, and I am beyond thrilled to see my dear friend again.”
Cecily knew that she was looking at the countess, and she smiled fondly toward them.
“Bridget, dear,” their mother said. “We are thrilled to be here. It is always a joy to spend time with you.”
The younger women murmured in agreement.
“Dinner was wonderful,” Cecily said sweetly. She knew that the few bites she had managed had, indeed, been delectable. She just hoped she had not seemed too offensive by eating so little. She just could not bear the thought of having an accident with her silverware.
“Thank you, my dear,” the Duchess said. Her voice was so warm and kind. Cecily imagined that her face was just as much and that she was smiling fondly at her. It felt nice to not be shunned by members of ton society, and she felt herself relax a little more.
“It is so lovely to have Val home again,” the Duchess continued. “I do so desire to have him settle down and find himself a wife.” She paused and sighed. “But alas, ever since his carriage accident, he withdrew from society.”
Cecily bit her lip, silently shaming herself for even asking her sister about the Duke’s scars. It was none of her business to begin with and, even if it had been, what did it matter to her? She knew very well how it felt for thetonto ostracize good people just out of plain cruelty and judgment. Who was she to join in on gossip, even if only to satisfy curiosity?
“Oh, Bridget,” the Countess said. From the sound of it, she rose from her seat and stood beside her friend. “Do not worry. When the time is right, Val will meet the right lady. Not all within thetonare so harsh and judgmental.”
Bridget, the Duchess, gave a soft, sad chuckle.
“That is what I keep telling him, Emily,” she said. “And I do hope that we are right. There is nothing I would like more than to see him happily married.”
Cecily nodded, her heart filled with sympathy and understanding. She was also saddened. Once again, she was reminded of the things she would never have for her own life. She hoped that the Duke did find a wife and live the same kind of life that she wished for Agnes. But she could not help feeling wistful, as well.
Chapter Six
When Val awoke the next morning, his first thoughts were of the previous evening. He groaned as he recalled the terrible awkwardness that had lingered in the air. He knew that his mother could not understand exactly how he felt. But had she truly been oblivious to how tense the atmosphere had been?
He called for Frank and then dragged himself over to his wash basin. As he washed and dried his face, he could see that there were dark circles beneath his coffee brown eyes, making his scars look pinker and more obvious.If only it were not taboo for gentlemen to wear rouge and cosmetics.
At that, Val laughed aloud. He envisioned himself spending hours every morning applying ladies’ powder products. He thought about the strange looks he would surely get in public then. But could they be any worse than the looks he got already?
“What is so funny, your Grace?” Frank said from behind him.
Val shook his head as he turned and met the valet at his wardrobe.
“I was trying to imagine what I would look like with pink powder on my cheeks,” he said.
Frank studied him for a moment as though he was questioning his master’s sanity. But, being a shrewd man, it did not take him long to guess why Val would think or say such a thing.
