Page 57 of In Scandal with the Duke
He walked outside, lifting his face to the sky. Closing his eyes, a mirthless laugh that felt empty slipped from him. To think he had been about to confess his growing feelings and his desire to woo her, but she had been plotting a compromising trap with her family.
“Why would you do this?” he hissed harshly, wanting to slam his fist into the wall to stop the damn sensation that writhed through his chest. It was a feeling unknown to him, but it was damn painful.
“Because, like many other young ladies, Miss Armstrong wanted to capture herself a duke,” a voice said crisply behind him. “How conniving and deceitful. What is this, the fifth attempt?”
The seventh. Each scheme is more complicated than the last. The lengths many would go to marry into his family would forever perplex and disgust him. James eased out a slow, steady breath as his mother came to stand beside him.
“I do believe I am right. This is the fifth trapping you have avoided. However, this is the first I have seen this look of betrayal in your eyes. You are holding yourself so rigid.”
James composed his expression, aware of his mother’s regard on his face.
“Did you love her?” she quietly asked.
His heart felt as if something stabbed through it.Love?What the hell was love? Surely, the obsession he felt for her went deeper than love. “I have no wish to discuss Miss Armstrong,” he said with chilling politeness. “Not now, and not ever, Mother.”
His mother sighed. “You are my son and I know you. I have been watching you with Miss Armstrong, and I am discerning enough to see he regard you own for her. If you love her—”
“I could never love a deceptive wretch or even think of aligning myself with a family so unsuitable in conduct, good sense, and propriety. Do not speak of them to me again.”
A soft sound of agony reached his ears, and he glanced over his shoulder to see Elizabeth frozen, her face pale and her eyes glistening with unshed tears. James slammed his eyes closed. How could that one soft sound of pain wrench his chest open and shake him to his very core?
He opened his eyes. Evidently, she had hastened after him. Her mother and aunt were close behind her, and given their aghast expression, James deduced they’d overheard his remarks. For long moments, Elizabeth stared at him, unmoving. He could see the tension that suddenly tightened her body and stiffened her shoulders.
“James, after everything, do you have no notion of who I am?”
He swept his gaze over her, making no effort to conceal his indifference. James dismissed Elizabeth, her mother, and her aunt from his thoughts.
He bowed respectfully to his mother. “Please, attend to your guests, Mother. I assure you, I am quite well,” James said with a calm composure. Without allowing himself a backward glance at his lover, he walked away, distancing himself from her and the reckless decision he had narrowly avoided.
CHAPTER20
Elizabeth woke, and for a moment, she had forgotten the turmoil of the last few days. The memory rushed in, scalding and heartbreaking.I shall shed no tears today, she silently whispered, getting off the bed. She rang for a lady’s maid to assist her with morning toiletries, and an hour later, Elizabeth was dressed in a dark golden day gown, with her hair artfully styled in a simple chignon.
She descended the stairs of her aunt’s townhouse. It was quite early still, only ten in the morning, so she made her way to the breakfast room, only to be informed she was needed for a family meeting in the drawing room. Elizabeth did not respond right away to the summons. She went into the breakfast room, took up a plate, and placed slices of ham, bacon, three thinly sliced and buttered toast, and some strawberry preserves onto her plate. She ate, drank two cups of hot chocolate and then made her way to the drawing room.
Her mother and aunt sat, their heads lowered over a newssheet.
“Mother, Aunt Sally,” she greeted, making her way over to the sofa and sitting on the sofa opposite them.
Her mother did not speak, merely handing her a section of the newspaper. Elizabeth unerringly found the piece that concerned their family. A tight knot formed in her belly as she read.
Dearest readers,
Another disgraceful scandal involving one of our favorite dukes is spreading like wildfire through theton. It has been seven days since a certain Miss A was seen in a most salacious embrace with one of society’s most delicious dukes. As we all know, Miss A’s efforts to secure the hand of the duke is not the first wicked trap the Duke of B escaped. When will our young ladies learn that a certain duke can never be trapped in marriage? Why do they insist on trying?
Given the duke’s known apathy to the entire affair, one cannot presume that Miss A might be made respectable through marriage. At least not marriage to the duke! Someone else will have to be brought up to scratch and given that Miss A is an heiress of great wealth, I daresay there will be a line of suitors from which she can make her pick.
This author also wonders if we will soon hear of a duel should Mr. A seek to defend his sister’s honor. I declare that Miss A should be ashamed of her social-climbing attempts and return to the shore of her country. This author has learned that the Duchess of B stands in support of her son’s decision and would never invite such a bold-faced, outrageous lady to join their family.
I will update our faithful readers more as soon as she ferrets out the truth.
Lady C,
The Daily Gossip
Elizabeth lowered the scandal sheet to the walnut table, glancing up at her mother and aunt, who sat opposite her. They wore the gravest expression as if there had been a death in the family. Her aunt’s eyes were reddened by the copious number of tears shed for the last week. She had taken a social blow, for several ladies had thought it necessary to write and withdraw their support for a few charitable endeavors and an invitation to a ball.
“I have called the family meeting to decide what we need to do,” Aunt Sally said, staring at her. “We do not have the social influence or power to bring the duke up to scratch.”
