Page 76 of A Proposition for the Comte
‘I am an ageing widow, my lord, who has already been...ruinedas you put it. Among his other failings, my dead husband was a man of greed and avarice and when this is known publicly, which it soon must be, I doubt I shall be on anyone’s list of exalted guests. Frankly, it will be a relief.’
Celeste began to laugh. ‘We live well enough away from Society and all its pretensions. But still, the choice of respectability is a wise thing to maintain if it can be managed.’
‘I have offered Violet marriage to make our situation legal.’
Aurelian’s words created a sudden silence, the mouths of both Summerley and Celeste Shayborne opening with astonishment.
‘I am not a good proposition for your future. I have told you that.’ She whispered her words fiercely, thinking of all that had transpired over the past few days.
‘Violet cannot have children.’
This honesty brought the blood to her cheeks. ‘I am certain that your friends do not wish to hear any of this.’
‘Oh, but we do.’ Celeste poured three drinks and proceeded to hand them around. ‘A conversation like this demands fortification. You could definitely do worse in the husband stakes, Lady Addington. I have it on good authority there would be many others who would jump at the chance of being the bride of the Comte de Beaumont.’
‘Enough, Celeste.’ This came from Summerley.
Aurelian’s hand wound into Violet’s and she was glad for the touch, though in the conversation she had felt no judgement. Perhaps there were groups of people that were simply honest with each other and who loved each other enough to be so. Strong people who did not care for the petty rules so prevalent in society and who did not judge people for faults or impediments or for rumour.
As Summer and Aurelian began to talk together, Celeste leaned over and asked her own quiet questions.
‘Do you have family, Violet?’
‘I don’t. My parents died years ago and apart from a sister-in-law and two nephews I am alone.’
‘Aurelian needs to settle in England. Here. In Sussex.’
‘You are French?’
‘My father was. I am the one who gave Lian the scar on his face. In my defence, I was trying to protect him and although he sacrificed a little vanity he kept his life.’
‘You were a spy, too?’
‘In Paris, but that’s not something I tell many people.’
‘Then I am honoured at such a confidence.’
‘You have your secrets, too. Sometimes when they are held tightly they can only harm you and stop you from moving onwards.’
God, Violet thought, no wonder Aurelian and these people were good friends. They all had that knack of turning the world upside down, her years of carefully protected privacy washed away in minutes. And yet in their dismissal of her concerns they became lessened. Her barrenness. Her past. Her dreadful first marriage.
‘You have lovely friends.’
She said this to Aurelian as she watched Celeste and Summerley depart, their time together a welcome break from all the fear of the past days.
‘They like you, too. I haven’t yet met a person, Violet, who hasn’t fallen under your spell.’
‘Harland didn’t.’
‘He was a fool. But for now you need to sleep. You are dead on your feet.’
‘Your chamber is the one next door to mine?’ she asked for confirmation again.
‘It is.’
He did not offer more as he took her arm and walked with her, the staircase wide and beautiful as everything else was in the house. She was almost dizzy with fatigue and yet still she would have come into his arms on the tiniest of hints, mesmerised by a man who was as clever as he was kind.
At the doorway of her room, he kissed her forehead and delivered her into the competent hands of two maids who had supplied a bath of steaming water.
