Page 24 of The Curious Life of the Unfortunate Duchess
“When is the time?” Catherine chirped caustically. “It never seems to be the time when discussingher.”
A group of ladies shushed Catherine, a reproving look in their eyes but his sister ignored them. Leonard could see she was determined to carry on with her diatribe against her future in-law.
“Why is she so hateful toward me?” Priscilla moaned. “I had hoped we could be sisters but she makes it impossible!”
Oh dear Lord in Heaven, this is not the way I wished to do this,Leonard thought and gritted his teeth together. After his conversation that morning with Lord Gordon, Leonard knew that he was ending his engagement with Priscilla. It was his hope to pursue Elizabeth without deceiving Priscilla. The lady was an irritant, undoubtedly, but she did not deserve to be mistreated. Leonard had planned to follow through with his desire when they arrived in Pembroke following the wedding but both Catherine and his betrothed were driving him to the brink of madness with their theatrics.
“Shall we observe the ceremony?” Leonard hissed. “We shall not wish to miss it.”
Of course, he had no real interest in the activities transpiring beyond his view but he hoped to distract them long enough for a semblance of peace. Both ladies snorted in response but quieted to turn their heads toward the front, possibly realizing in unison that they were causing a stir. Leonard was unsure if Elizabeth had heard the commotion but she cast a look over her shoulder, dark hair falling over the smooth skin of her neck to stare at him with curious golden eyes. His heart skipped and once more he was taken by how lovely was the Viscount’s daughter.
Will I forever find myself short of breath when I look upon her face?Leonard wondered. He had the sense that if he were to stare into Elizabeth’s face for one hundred years, she would never become less beautiful to him.
“Good morning,” he mouthed, expecting a smile in response but she only gave him a wary look before pivoting her gaze back toward the ceremony. Leonard felt a tightness in his chest and he wondered if capturing Elizabeth’s heart was bound to be as difficult at Lord Gordon had suggested.
He does know his child better than I do…at least for the time being.
Leonard intended to change that forthwith. He had never met a challenge he did not like—or wholeheartedly accept.
“Why do you stare at that hussy?” Priscilla growled, apparently aware of the gaze shared between him and Elizabeth. “She is a woman of loose virtue.”
A rush of anger flooded Leonard’s body and he glared at Priscilla.
“That is a flagrant lie!” he snapped, loudly enough for all to hear, Elizabeth and her family included but he did not lower his voice. “You will mind yourself, Miss Priscilla and watch your tongue!”
Through his peripheral vision, the Duke saw Elizabeth’s face flush scarlet and her mouth formed a line of upset. It fuelled his ire more to know she had heard Priscilla’s vile words.
“Why? I only speak the truth!” Priscilla protested in her childish way. “Everyone knows about her! I heard she permitted herself to be deflowered by a stable hand! Can you imagine?”
Fury bubbled through Leonard’s blood but before he could reprimand Priscilla, Elizabeth excused herself and hurried from the overflowing chapel as Leonard watched in dismay. He whirled his head and glared openly at his fiancée.
“You are meant to be a lady,” he hissed. “How can you be so uncouth at a wedding, among nobility? You should feel nothing but shame in your blood.”
Priscilla’s face crumbled and she pouted in way which infuriated Leonard further.
“I only mean to saveyoushame, Your Grace,” she replied haughtily. “If you muck about in the gutters…”
Leonard could hardly believe the cant spilling from Priscilla’s mouth. He knew she spoke with the venom of a jealous woman but he could not extinguish the flame of fury she had ignited when speaking of Elizabeth in such a way.
“You are despicable,” Leonard hissed. “I barely have words to say to you in this moment.”
“I warned you about this one,” Catherine offered in a singsong tone, agitating the Duke further. Leonard realized he would have to put his sister in her proper place another time. At that moment, his concern was Elizabeth.
“The only shame I feel,” Leonard continued, his eyes narrowed into slits as he stared at Priscilla. “Is from being engaged to you.”
He had not meant for the barrage of words to escape his mouth so freely but in his upset, Leonard had been unable to contain himself. Even Catherine was shocked by his outburst but it was too late to recoil the statement. It had been fresh on his mind and Priscilla had inspired the gruff response with her own pettiness.
“Your Grace!” Priscilla cried, choking on the words as she spoke. “I daresay that witch has cast a spell on you!”
“Miss Elizabeth is no witch,” he retorted. “You are a wicked busybody, however, and I have no desire to tie my house to yours.”
Leonard knew there would be repercussions to ending matters in such a way but he could not bring himself to care. There would be time enough to deal with the aftermath another day. He did not permit Priscilla an opportunity to sputter a response and instead pushed his way from the crowd in the direction where Elizabeth had scurried. Catherine chuckled gleefully and squeezed his arm as he passed but Leonard took no pride in what had happened. It had not been his intention to end things in such a way with Priscilla, no matter how desperately she asked for such harshness. Under normal circumstances, Leonard would have displayed more self-control, more restraint but the thought of Elizabeth upset and disgraced surpassed any common-sense Leonard could muster.
The Duke made his way to the courtyard and looked about for the direction that Elizabeth may have taken but there was no sign of her anywhere. He wondered if she had heard any of what was said but he did not have high hopes. She had run off so quickly. There hardly appeared to be another reason for her to have done so.
“I did warn you, Duke,” Lord Gordon sighed as he appeared at his side. Leonard had not realized that the Viscount had followed him from the church.
“She is not an easy one to tame but she does possess a fair amount of sensitivity. She is a lady after all.” The Viscount chuckled at his own joke but Leonard was not amused in the least. The Duke shook his secured mass of hair quickly and regarded the Viscount thoughtfully.
