Page 50 of Tutoring a Lady into Sin
“Your father, Felton, and I…we were reluctant to reveal the truth to the world because we already had it so good. The duke thought highly of Felton and never once resented having him here. I cannot be sure if he knew of our affair, but he was an intelligent man, and I am sure he must have divined the truth at some point. But he kept our secret, too.”
“Why?” Phineas demanded. “Help me to understand. How could anyone benefit from such an arrangement?”
“We have all reaped the rewards,” his mother replied with an air of resignation. She clasped her hands in front of her abdomen and held her posture stiffly. “The Duke of Bixby was a powerful man, but he enjoyed having his own…shall we say—freedom? With me occupied by Felton, he was able to dally with whomever he chose.
And by remaining wed to the Duke of Bixby, I was able to raise both my boys in a lovely home. The two of you have always had the best of everything. Felton was permitted to stay with us whenever he chose, and that meant he and I never had to be apart for long.
Whenever either he or I were tempted to speak about our private affairs, we squashed those desires by reminding ourselves that in speaking to life our misdeeds, we would not only be tarnishing the name of Linfield, but we would be ruining the Bixby reputation as well.”
“Maybe that is true,” Phineas conceded, “but once the duke died, you surely could have….”
“When the Duke of Bixby died, our lives were in disarray. Percy was not fit to become a duke, but what choice did we have?” She shook her head in a disgruntled manner. “He has an uncanny knack for courting mischief, and I dreaded what would become of our family if we were to muddy the waters further by speaking of my affection for Felton.”
“And now?” Phineas prompted. “Now that Felton is gone?”
“I know I should not ask this of you, Phineas,” his mother said quietly, “but I must beg you to consider your family, just as I have always done.” Her eyes filled with tears, and she gazed at him pleadingly. “Our family name has already been smudged by Percival’s wild unruliness. If you speak now and take up the mantle as the Earl of Linfield, I venture to think we all might be ruined.”
“So, I am to give up…?”
Because she did not allow Phineas to finish his thought, his mother misinterpreted his next question. He had been about to ask about his situation with Lady Christianna, but she thought he meant to speak on financial concerns. “Felton left you and Percy everything. You already know this. There were no cousins or others he wished to pass his fortune on to. The Linfield lineage will end with Felton, but you will be given—”
“I do not care about any of that,” Phineas snapped, and his mother startled at his sudden change of demeanour.
“I am not trying to upset you, Son,” she said gently. “I thought you wished to speak of money matters.”
“I have never cared less about such trifling concerns as I do right now.” He stood abruptly, feeling incensed by all that had unfolded over the course of the last hour. “I must think over this situation and talk to—”
“You are going to speak?” his mother interrupted. “You wish to tell someone what Felton relayed to you?” She dropped any pretence from before of being a stoic, almost emotionless woman and implored him wholeheartedly. “I beg you to think on all I said. I have kept this secret because it was what was best for the family. You must at least consider doing the same.”
“I will decide what I wish to do, but first, I must speak with Lady Christianna,” Phineas said tersely as he strode toward the door.
“Lady Christianna?” his mother gasped. “What does she have to do with our family’s personal affairs?”
“Everything,” Phineas whispered. “She is at the centre of it all.”
Chapter 21
“I wish to be alone, Miss Fitzroy,” Christianna commanded as she ventured out the back door, crossed the patio, and headed toward the rose gardens.
“I know that, my lady,” Miss Fitzroy replied. Her skirt made tiny swishing sounds as she hastened to keep pace. “But I can see you are distraught, and I do not wish to leave you at present.”
Christianna snorted in amusement as she spun so she could look at her lady’s maid. “But I am your mistress, and I am asking you to leave me to my own devices.”
“And I would normally be most obedient, my lady,” Miss Fitzroy said as she caught up to Christianna and puffed out a heavy sigh, “but I know just because you say you wish to walk on in solitude that does not mean you are without the need of having a friend by your side.” She gulped nervously. “You did say we were friends, my lady. Did you not?”
Christianna nodded. “I did say as much.”
“So, please,” Miss Fitzroy continued, “allow me to walk with you. I would not consider myself a faithful friend if I abandoned you in your hour of need.”
Christianna laughed outright. “What have I done to deserve such devotion, Miss Fitzroy?”
“You confided in me, my lady,” Miss Fitzroy answered. “And I know how doing as much revealed just how much strain was already weighing on your mind. If you will permit me, I will walk with you now, so that you may continue to unburden yourself.”
A raucous bit of laughter came from the ballroom then, and Christianna turned toward the sound. The window was open, and she could hear someone pounding out a tune on the pianoforte as well as the happy sounds that indicated the revellers were once again enjoying a bit of merrymaking. Perhaps they were even dancing.
Miss Fitzroy nodded at the open window. “If you do not wish for me to accompany you, allow me to go inside and fetch the dowager viscountess or perhaps your friend, Lady Bianca. You should not be alone right now, my lady, and….”
“Stay,” Christianna consented at last. “If I must have someone by my side, I wish for it to be you, dear Miss Fitzroy.”
