Page 31 of The Scarlet Lady's Duke of Desire
Her mother sighed deeply and reached down to grip hold of both Melody's hands. "Do not make the same mistake that I did, my sweet girl."
Melody cringed at her mother's words almost as much as she did when she reached up and cupped her face as only a concerned mother could.
"I don't know what you mean."
The heat continued to rise in Melody's cheeks, and she was certain her mother could see it. If she couldn't, she would most definitely be able to feel it beneath her palm as she squeezed Melody's face.
The loving, concerned look upon her mother's face—one she had seen a thousand times before—was now quite frustrating indeed.
"Do not look above your station as I did," her mother warned her carefully, meeting her gaze with all the worry and affection of a devoted mother. And though she knew her mother was only speaking out of love, she felt for the first time that it was entirely misguided and misplaced.
She opened her mouth to say so, but her mother added, "It shall only cause trouble. You would be far safer setting your sights towards a man like Mr Colton."
Melody ground her teeth at that. She liked Mr Colton well enough as someone to talk to but as someone to spend the rest of her life with? No, that didn't bear thinking about.
She was certain that when it came to the rest of her life, she didn't want to settle for thesafebet. Not after so many romance novels and fairy tales in which the daring maiden always got her happily ever after in the end.
Without thinking, she blurted, "Would you have settled for a Mr Colton over papa?"
At the shocked expression on her mother's face, the way she shrunk back as though she had been stung, Melody realised her mistake. In short, she had all but admitted some hint of affection, perhaps even love, towards The Duke of Haston.
Her heart fluttered at the mere thought.
"No, I suppose not," her mother sighed, and Melody knew there was no supposing about it. She had heard her mother talk of their early love-bird phase many times over and knew without asking that her mother would not have changed a single second of it. "But had I chosen someone like Mr Colton my life would have been much simpler."
Anger, frustration, and an overwhelming sense of confusion swept over Melody and caused her to demand, "Yes, it would have been simpler, but would you have been happy?"
Her bottom lip trembling, tears pricking her eyes, she added, "Would you have been happier without me?"
"Oh, no, nev…" her mother started, reaching for Melody's hands once more but Melody couldn't take it. For once, she did not want the comfort of her mother or the reassurance.
All she wanted was to be left alone, to live her own life and make her own decisions, to finally have the chance to make a scandal of her own rather than living beneath the boot of her parents’ own mistakes. Maybe then she might feel less ashamed, maybe then she would own her own misfortune.
Unwilling to listen to another word from her mother, she snatched her hands away from her and whipped around, hurrying down the hall before her mother could so much as call her name.
Melody avoided her mother where she could for the rest of the day and when dinner time came, she made her excuses suggesting she had a headache when her maid came to help her dress.
The next morning, however, it was impossible to avoid her. Especially when there was another knock and another visitor at the door. Though Melody prayed that it might be The Duke of Haston come once more to apologise for his wrongdoing, it was not to be.
And when she was guided to the drawing room by Jenkins, at the request of her mother, she found her and Mr Colton awaiting her once more.
Can I get no relief from his presence?Melody thought grimly even as her mother instructed her to sit with him.
"It is so lovely to see you again, Mr Colton," her mother stated from the couch opposite, "Is it not, Melody?"
"Oh, yes, Mr Colton," Melody said through gritted teeth, forcing a smile. She could feel the eyes of her mother boring into her as she kept her attention on him. "To what do we owe this pleasure,again?"
"I admit, I do not really have a reason for being here save for the fact I find myself quite at ease in your company, Miss Thornton."
Mr Colton leaned over and placed a hand upon Melody's.
Why didn't I wear gloves this morning?Melody thought, cringing at his touch. It was not entirely unpleasant, but it was not the duke’s hand and therefore, it made her entirely uncomfortable.
In fact, everything about Mr Colton's being there in absence of The Duke of Haston made her feel quite dismayed. Several times she tried to make her excuses to leave but whenever she did, her mother found a way to pull her right back in.
And just when Melody believed she might finally manage to slip away, she heard the sound of heavy footsteps coming down the hall. Large, leather boots slapped on the hardwood floors and Melody's skin crawled.
Ordinarily, the sound would have elated her. She recognised the sounds of her father's walk well enough. But today, with the thought of not one parent but two to gang up on her, Melody felt sick to her stomach.
