Page 28 of The Duke's Scandal
Lady Isobella tilted her head just a fraction. “Are you trying to ask if we believe you, Your Grace?”
He nodded, his chest tightening.
“We do,” she said quickly, reassurance in her smile. “I knew when I heard it that it could not be the truth. What I knew of your character spoke against that.”
“And I am not impoverished either,” Amos found himself saying, wanting her to believe that he was solvent and did not require a large dowry. “There have been other whispers about me also, it seems, but none of them are true either!”
Lady Isobella nodded but pulled her lips to one side, looking away from him and instead, out of the window, which had the curtain pulled, save for only one small sliver of light. Amos’ heart began to thud wildly, hoping that one of them would have some notion as to what he ought to do next. He did not want his reputation to be ruined, and he certainly did not want thetonto think that he was a cruel, arrogant gentleman who did as he pleased. That sort of stain could ruin his name for generations.
“We must find out the truth.” Lady Isobella took another moment, then turned to look Amos straight in the eye as the carriage continued on. “If everything you have told us is true, Your Grace, then the bluestockings will, I know, do all they can to reveal the truth not only to yourself but to society.”
A tightness came into Amos’ throat. “Itisthe truth,” he said, trying to speak firmly but finding his heart aching with the confusion and the struggle that had come with these accusations. “I do not want thetonto believe me capable of such a thing! They will reject me, and even if I marry, even if I have an heir to this Dukedom, will not my son hear these whispers about me still? Will not my mother and sister be forced to endure it all?”
Lady Isobella did not look away from him. Her eyes held to his, a calmness there which centered him, helped him to breathe a little more easily. The more he looked into her eyes, the easier it became to quieten the whirling thoughts in his mind, the fears about what should happen in the future.
“We will find out why Lady Clara said such a thing,” Lady Isobella told him firmly. “We will discover who has been whispering about your impoverished state, about yourneed for money. We have done such things before, and I am certain we shall do so again.”
“You can have every confidence in the bluestockings,” Lord Waverley told him, slapping Amos on the back. “They are quite remarkable.”
“I believe it,” Amos answered, his voice a little hoarse. “Thank you, Lady Isobella. Thank you, Miss Trentworth – and please, pass my thanks on to the others. I am grateful, truly. More than you can know.”
Chapter Thirteen
“You were very quick to trust the Duke.”
Isobella glanced at Miss Trentworth as they walked through the park, Lady Amelia on her other side. “I could tell from the fear in his eyes and the dread in his voice that he spoke the truth.”
“As could I,” Miss Trentworth agreed, speaking softly perhaps for fear that someone in the park might hear them. “You are glad of it, I think.”
Isobella looked back at the path rather than at her friend. “I am relieved that my judgment of his character was not in error.”
Lady Amelia slipped her hand through Isobella’s. “I am only glad that the meeting went well and that no one was seen,” she said, drawing Miss Trentworth’s attention away from Isobella and her response to the Duke. “Now, we are to go in search of Lady Clara, yes?”
Miss Trentworth nodded. “And I shall try to find Lady Sara. If we speak to them separately and then share what has been said, we might find a clue as towhat truly took place. One of them might make a mistake in their recounting of what happened.”
“A good thought.” Isobella turned her head to look at Lady Amelia as they continued on their way, separating from Miss Trentworth. “I have not yet spoken to you about the Duke and his request as yet.”
Lady Amelia smiled. “I can imagine that you are feeling a good many things at present.”
Coming to a stop, all thought of Lady Clara flying from her mind, Isobella looked straight into Lady Amelia’s eyes, choosing to be entirely honest. “When I heard the rumors about him, I must confess that my heart fell into dismay.”
“And you were very ready to believe that he was not guilty in the least,” Lady Amelia said, “although I do not say that to criticize you. I say it because I believe that you know the Duke’s character fairly well and were, therefore, able to trust what you knew of him.”
“I suppose that is true. I felt such great relief upon hearing his explanation of what happened.” Her lips tugged to one side as she looked down at the ground at her feet, battling to find the right words to express herself. “What is happening to me, Amelia?”
Her friend’s lips quirked. “I think you are already fully aware of it.”
“But Icannot!” Isobella exclaimed, angry with herself for having such a weakness still. “Before all of this, I was quite determined to set myself back from the Duke. Then, in a single moment, when I hear that he is supposedly a scoundrel, I find myself all of a whirl about him! I should not have such confusion! I should not be battling doubt only to be overwhelmed with relief!” Breathing hard, she clenched her hands into fists, her emotions tumbling out of her now that she finally had theopportunity to release them. “I swore I should never let myself feel anything again, and now… ” Squeezing her eyes closed, she let out a slow hiss of breath. “Now, I am nothing but a fool.”
“No, you are not!” Lady Amelia grasped her hand, and Isobella opened her eyes, seeing her friend’s earnest face. “Not in the least bit.”
Isobella shook her head, her throat working to keep the tears back. “I am, Amelia. I have always told myself that I would never do so again, that I would never allow my heart to trust another time. I have been disappointed time and again, and I cannot let myself trust, not again. I just do not have enough heart left.”
Something glistened in Lady Amelia’s eyes and, without warning, she reached to embrace Isobella. Tears fought to free themselves from her lashes, but Isobella held them back, having no desire to be seen by so many of theton.
“You have more than enough heart left,” Lady Amelia said into Isobella’s ear before stepping back, looking into Isobella’s face. “I can well understand why you might wish to hide away, why you might want to remove yourself from this situation, but I must warn you, my friend, you will find yourself all the more sorrowful if you should do so.”
Isobella shook her head. “No, I will have relief.”
