Page 94 of Three Weeks with a Princess
“I know,” Lia said. “Your mother was forced to make many sacrifices over the years, as were you. I know it wasn’t easy for you either. Especially when you had to leave your family. Leave London.”
Anne looked puzzled for a few moments before understanding cleared her brow. “Are you referring to my marriage to Mr. Kendall? That was no sacrifice, I assure you. In fact, it was the best thing to ever happen to me.”
“But I was always told that . . .” There was no delicate way to put it.
“That I’d married beneath myself?”
“You were a diamond of the first water when you came out. According to my grandmother, you were expected to make a splendid marriage. Everyone was counting on it, from what I’d been told.”
“And I did make a splendid marriage. My husband is an intelligent, kind, and fine-looking man who simply adores me.” She flashed Lia a roguish smile. “He’s also very rich and generous, which is certainly nothing to sneeze at. I am happily wed, I assure you.”
Lia felt as if a bolt that secured something essential had come loose in her head. “I apologize if I gave offense,” she said slowly. “I was clearly under a false impression.”
And she had been for years. More than once, Lia had heard the story of Anne’s failureto take, all for lack of an adequate dowry. She’d also heard how resentful Lady John had been that her beautiful, charming daughter had been forced to marry so far beneath herself—to a mere country squire. Lia had always thought it rather unfair that her ladyship had partly blamed Rebecca Kincaid for that state of affairs. No one had forced the men of the family to spend their money on gambling and mistresses.
And it wasn’t as if Granny hadn’t made sacrifices, too. Those sacrifices were likely to ruin both her and Lia if they couldn’t figure out a solution to their financial dilemma.
Anne gave an understanding nod. “An impression fostered by my mother. She was very angry when I wasforced to marry Mr. Kendall, as she put it. And I won’t pretend I enjoyed being passed over by eligible suitors again and again, simply because I lacked a dowry. That part wasn’t pleasant, nor was the gossip about my father’s scandalous behavior.”
The young woman glanced over her shoulder, as if checking to see if anyone could overhear; then she leaned in closer to Lia. “But I’ll tell you a secret. I was thrilled to escape all the gossip and drama. The day I married Mr. Kendall and left Town was one of the happiest days of my life.” She let out a short laugh and sat back in her chair. “If you’d had to live withmyparents, you would know exactly what I mean. That was another reason I was jealous of you when I was a girl. Your life at Stonefell seemed so peaceful. I never blamed Jack for wanting to escape to Yorkshire and stay with Uncle Arthur.”
“I . . . I hardly know what to say,” Lia stammered. In just a few sentences, her view of the Easton family—at least part of it—had been stood on its head. “I truly didn’t know you felt that way.”
Anne shrugged. “My mother has constructed a narrative of our family that suits her and nothing I or Jack say seems to be able to change that. Unfortunately, blaming you and your grandmother forms an important part of that narrative. But the real blame rests with my father.” She paused for a moment, her gaze searching. “And with your mother.”
Lia frowned. “What does my mother have to do with it?”
“Ah, I thought so.” Anne let out a sigh that sounded curiously relieved. “You truly don’t know what happened.”
Oh no. What did you do, Mama?
Everything inside Lia shrank away from the ugliness suddenly roaring down on her, but there was no avoiding it. “What do you mean?”
Anne regarded her with a calm, almost sad expression. “It occurred shortly after you and your grandmother departed for Stonefell with my uncle. I believe you were not yet three at the time, correct?”
Lia nodded. Her heart was caught in her throat, making it impossible to speak.
“Not long after you left Town,” Anne said, “my father and your mother had an affair. Andmymother, I’m sorry to say, found out about it.” She gave Lia a sad smile. “And that, my dear, is why Lady John Easton will forever hate anyone who goes by the name of Kincaid.”
Chapter Twenty
“Miss Kincaid, are you well?” Anne said, peering at Lia with concern.
“Please call me Lia.” It was a silly answer, but all the sense had been knocked out of Lia’s head.
“Yes, of course.” Jack’s sister snatched up a glass of lemonade on the small table and pressed it into Lia’s hands. “You suddenly look quite done in, which is hardly odd after the unfortunate revelation I sprang on you. I’m sorry for that.”
Lia took the glass in her slightly trembling hand and brought it to her lips. The drink was tepid, but the tartness of the lemons helped to revive her. “There’s no need to apologize. As you pointed out, our parents have poorly served us. But this . . .” She shook her head with disgust. “I cannot believe my mother acted with such wanton disregard for the feelings of your family.”
Even though it had happened years ago and many sins could be forgiven, Mama could hardly have made a more ignoble and unwise choice of lovers than Lord John Easton.
“No wonder your mother hates us,” Lia went on. “First your uncle installs my grandmother as his mistress on the family estate and then my mother embarks on a scandalous affair with yet another Easton man. We truly must seem like a plague.”
Anne nodded. “That’s a very apt description from my mother’s point of view, especially now that Jack seems . . .”
“Involved with me,” Lia finished. Lady John’s disastrous conduct at the ball now made complete sense. “Does Jack know about the affair?”
“No. Apparently, it was hushed up almost immediately. My mother discovered the affair and demanded that my father put an end to it. Uncle Arthur supported her.” Anne grimaced. “Could you imagine the scandal if they’d been discovered? The Easton men and the Kincaid women—the satirists and the gossips would have had a field day. As morally lax as he was, even my uncle wouldn’t tolerate that sort of ugliness.”
