Page 13 of The Scarlet Lady's Duke of Desire
Still, her mother did not look as though she believed her. Pursing her lips, she looked her daughter dead in the eye and asked, “Does your mood over the last few days have anything to do with your uncle’s ball?”
At the mention of the ball, Melody’s stomach clenched. She hated it when her mother read her so easily.
Biting the inside of her lip, she said, “Oh no. I haven’t even thought of it, truly.”
But even as she said the words, she couldn’t help but think of how it truly made her feel not to be accepted by those who were her blood. She would not call them family though that was technically what they were. She couldn’t imagine them ever actually admitting that she was anything of the sort to them, even when Lady Florence called her cousin, her voice was filled with disdain as though she didn’t truly believe or accept such a thing.
With a deep sigh, her mother gripped hold of both her hands and said, “Come, sit with me a moment.”
Before Melody could make any kind of response or even protest, her mother began to guide her back down onto the window seat. Sitting down beside her, her mother continued to hold onto her hands and looked her dead in the eye as she said, “Melody, I wish to apologise to you.”
“Apologise? To me? Whatever for?” Melody asked, unable to understand.
“Your father and I, we have never been able to forgive ourselves for the life we have put you through,” her mother explained, squeezing gently on Melody’s hands.
“Perhaps had we never married you would have had a noble mother. Perhaps you would never have had to go through this scandalous ordeal.”
Melody gritted her teeth against the urge to immediately snap back at her mother. She took a deep breath and pointed out, “Had you and father never married I would never have existed.”
Bile rose in the back of her throat at the thought of it, even at the thought of having different parents. Tears threatened behind her eyes at the thought of never having known her mother.
“Maybe not as you are now but…” her mother began but Melody didn’t like to even consider the fact.
“Please, mama, don’t even concern yourself over it,” she insisted. “I would not change my parentage for the world.”
Though I would change the way society sees it,Melody thought grimly, wishing that she had even half of the power needed to do so.
“But the trails you have already been forced to face because of us…” her mother sighed, her expression becoming grim. She lowered her gaze as though she couldn’t look Melody in the eye any longer. “I only wish there was more that we could do to change your situation.”
Melody’s heart clenched all over again.
She was no stranger to the fact that her parents had worked hard, even harder than many other members of theton,to ensure their family’s wealth and to be sure that though their reputation was in tatters when it came to making a match for their daughter they were otherwise known for their business savvy and their wealth and all of the connections that her father had managed to make over the years.
“Mama, please, do not worry yourself over me,” Melody insisted, shaking her head firmly. “I would much prefer to be on the outskirts of theton. Who wants to be a mindless pawn in someone else’s game anyway?”
At that, her mother looked a little less worried and even slightly amused. Together the two of them chuckled a little and her mother nodded agreement, “You are quite right.”
With that, her mother leaned forward and pressed her lips to her forehead in an affectionate manner.
When she pulled back again, she asked, “Whatever did I do to deserve a daughter such as you?”
It was the smile on her mother's face as she said the words that warmed Melody's heart the most and she knew without a doubt that she would not change her parents for the world. They had both always been good to her though if she had to choose something to change, it would be how much time her father spent away on business.
“I think you have been sitting here sulking for long enough,” her mother said suddenly and before Melody could protest, she stood up from the window seat, still holding Melody's hands and pulling her onto her own feet. “Let us go out. I could do with a walk.”
Melody was about to offer a protest then when she reminded herself it was best not to. Though they had lived in the same house in London for many years now when they were in the Capital, it still wasn't exactly safe for her mother to go out alone.
Though people rarely confronted her mother publicly anymore to offer their opinion on marriage to a nobleman, her mother had never really been one for going out alone against the cold stares and the awful gossiping that would begin as soon as someone caught sight of her walking around in a noblewoman's attire as the wife of Mr Thornton.
“Are you certain, mama?” Melody asked, unsure as to whether she was prepared for the mental torment of being looked at sideways by almost everyone they met.
“I am certain,” her mother responded, gesturing out of the window. “It is such a glorious day. It would be a shame to miss it sitting in this musty old library.”
Chapter 6
It appeared that almost every other member of thetonhad agreed with her mother's insistence that it was a beautiful day. When they entered the park, it seemed almost everyone had arrived for a turn about the lake.
Worst of all was the fact that those who were taking a turn appeared even more set on making them feel uncomfortable than they usually were.
