Page 57 of A Duke Under Her Spell
As soon as he was able to free himself from Lady Cordelia’s grasp, Felix plunged into the crowd in search of Marybeth. He found her in the garden wandering alone through the flowers. “Marybeth,” he called out as he caught up to her. “I have been searching for you everywhere. You had me quite concerned. What were you thinking, running off like that?”
“I was thinking that I do not belong in this world,” she admitted, bending to pick a blossom from a nearby plant. “This,” she lifted the flower up to her nose and smelled it. “This is my world. The plants, the earth. That,” she turned sweeping her arm out toward the grand ballroom, “is not my world no matter how beautiful a dress I might wear.”
“Marybeth, I…” he began but she cut him off.
“I do not belong to your world, Felix. I will never belong. Your mother is right. You should wed Lady Cordelia. She will be the wife that you need to survive in your world. I could never be a noble lady.”
“But you already are,” Felix argued.
“No, I am not,” Marybeth argued shaking her head.
“Yes, you are. You are a noble lady by birth, legitimate or not, and more than that you are a noble lady in spirit. I have never met a more noble soul.” Felix took the hand that bore her brother’s ring and brought it up into the light.
“I wore this thing so that it might instill me with τhe bravery to face this night, but instead it merely served to remind me that I should not be here. As I stood next to you in front of all of those ladies and gentlemen, their faces turned up in curiosity and reverence I could not bear to have my name announced beside yours. I could not taint your good name with my blood stained one.”
“That is absurd,” Felix protested. “You are not blood stained and you most certainly would not taint me in anyway no matter the truth of your paternity. What your father did to your mother was wrong and he should hang for it, but that will never happen. These people do not know, nor do they need to know your story. There is absolutely no reason that you cannot go in there and hold your head high. None whatsoever.”
Tears gleamed in Marybeth’s eyes. He had never seen her as anything less than a confident woman, proud of her skill and the heritage her grandmother had left her. The moment she had learned about her father and the true story of her conception she had grown uncertain, he had seen it, but he had never guessed that it had so drastically altered her perception of who she was. “Felix, I…”
“No, Marybeth. I will not hear another word of you maligning yourself. I do not care what anyone here thinks about you or I standing together, being announced together, or dancing together. No one and nothing is going to rob us of this one night together.”
As Felix spoke the strains of a waltz began to float down through the garden. Taking a step forward he swept Marybeth up into his arms and began to move their bodies as one to the music. The soothing sounds of the stringed instruments swept over the earth and surrounded them like a blanket of clouds shielding them from the outside world. Lost in the dance and in each other they glided across the garden expanse like a breeze across the calm surface of a lake.
They lost all sense of time and place as they gazed into each other’s eyes. Marybeth surrendered herself to his lead and protection. As the music swelled so too did Felix’s heart with a fierce need to keep her in his arms safe for always. It was a feeling unlike any he had ever felt before. In that moment he was hers and she was his, together as one upon the ebb and flow of time itself. And then it was over.
The music stopped and the world went still. The sound of riotous applause shook them from their state of peaceful bliss and the reality of their situation came crashing back down around them. “I am yours forever,” he whispered, “No matter who may bear my name, you will hold my heart.”
Marybeth shook her head. “You will never be mine, but I will always be yours,” and with that she ran from the garden disappearing into the crowded ballroom. Felix gave chase, but by the time he had caught up with her she had already flagged down a carriage and was rumbling down the streets of Bath back toward the townhouse.
Chapter 25
Felix watched as the carriage rolled away. He debated whether to follow her, but she had made it quite clear that she wished to be left alone. Deciding to give her the time she needed, he reentered the ballroom in search of his guests. He was in no mood to be proposing marriage, but he could not bring himself to abandon them entirely. He was not an inconsiderate man by nature, but his concern for Marybeth had very nearly tempted him into doing exactly that.
Spotting the Earl of Bredon across the crowded ballroom from his vantage point atop the entry stairs, he descended and weaved his way through the people between them. He doubted that the Earl and his sister would be ready to leave so early, but it would do little harm to ask. The band started up a Scottish reel and Felix found himself being swept up into a dance by an overly exuberant crowd of young people. Not wishing to hurt the young woman he had been paired with, he acquiesced to dance.
When the reel ended, Felix bowed to his dancing partner and headed once more for where he had last spotted the Earl of Bredon. As he weaved his way through the crowd, he caught the sound of Lady Cordelia’s voice. Changing course, he moved toward it. “She is a witch no doubt about it. Bastard born from her mother’s violation. A punishment from God for her wicked ways I would wager. Marybeth Wright is not meant for civilized society. Once I have married the Duke, I will have her removed.”
“That, My Lady, is not your order to give,” Felix stated, standing behind her.
Lady Cordelia’s pale face turned to stare up at him with wide surprised eyes. She had not had any idea that he had been there listening to her conversation. “Your Grace,” she began.
“Our courtship is off. There will be no marriage joining our ancient houses together,” Felix informed her sternly. “You are no longer welcome at Arkley Hall. Please be so kind as to find other accommodations for the remainder of your stay in Bath and transportation home.” With that Felix turned and left the ballroom.
That night Felix did not immediately return to the townhouse as he knew that Lady Cordelia and the Earl would be returning there for their things, having been forced to find other lodgings. Instead, he roamed the streets of Bath thinking about what he would say to his mother and to Marybeth. He knew that their stations divided them, but he loved her enough to overcome all such obstacles that might stand in their way now or in the future.
But does she love me enough?He could not help but wonder. Felix roamed the streets until dawn began to break over the horizon. Making up his mind he turned for the townhouse. “There is only one way to find out.”
* * *
Marybeth sat in her purple ballgown in front of the library fire sipping brandy as she wept. She had returned to the townhouse with the intent of going to bed and then had realized that she could not get herself out of her dress without help, and Mrs. Snow was nowhere to be found. The Dowager Duchess had long been asleep, and Marybeth was not about to ask a footman to unfasten her bodice. Frustrated, she had stormed into the library, poured herself a drink, and sunk down upon the settee.
She sat there for some time until she finally dozed off. She was not sure how long she had slept when she was rudely awakened by the sound of slamming doors. The sound of stomping feet entering the library and brandy snifters being clinked about brought her up out of her chair. “Your Lordship,” she curtsied as she knew was expected of her.
“You!” the Earl seethed. She had never seen him so angry. “You are the reason my sister has lost everything! I should strangle you and dump your body in the River Avon!”
“No, Bernard, you cannot!” Lady Cordelia’s voice cautioned him against any such rash behavior. “It is my fault as much as hers.”
“Be still! I will deal with you later,” the Earl ordered, then turned back to Marybeth. “You, I will deal with now.” He moved forward menacingly. “Now you listen and listen well, witch.”
