Page 33 of The Duke's Scandal
“As do I.”
The words came from her without even a momentary thought about whether or not she should say them. It felt as if she was curling up slowly from the inside with mortification, her heart having betrayed her without her awareness. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw the Duke’s head turntowards her, but could not bring herself to catch his eye. Why had she been so foolish in speaking so?
“I did not realize you were to stand up with the Duke of Exeter, sister. I saw you dancing with Lord Preston, but I did not think you would take the arm of the Duke of Exeter!”
Isobella blinked quickly, a little surprised to see her brother emerging out of the crowd to come and stand in front of them both. He was usually very good at permitting her to dance with whomever she wished – if she wished to dance at all – and whilst he stayed near, he did not ever intervene. “Granville, I did not think – ”
“I apologize if there is some difficulty here, Lord Granville.” The Duke dropped his arm so that Isobella was released from him, then inclined his head. “Forgive me, I should have been a little more considerate.”
Isobella looked into her brother’s face, seeing how he frowned as he studied the Duke’s face, his lips thin and flat. Fear began to work its way into her heart, sending nervous tingles all the way down her arms. “Granville, there is nothing wrong, I assure you. I was glad to stand up with the Duke.”
“Even though he is a scoundrel of the highest order?” Lord Granville took a step closer to the Duke, his voice mercifully low. “I have heard what you did to Lady Clara. I cannot imagine why you would then think it appropriate to dance with my sister!”
“Except I did no such thing,” the Duke replied, calmly, looking straight into Lord Granville’s eyes. “She mistook whoever it was for me. But I can understand your upset.” Giving Isobella a small smile – one that did not hide the dark shadows that had leapt into his eyes – he took a stepback from them both. “I shall take my leave of you now. Good evening.”
Isobella waited for only a moment before rounding on her brother, her upset increasing with every second. “How could you do such a thing?”
“How couldyoube so foolish?” her brother asked, just as Louisa came to join them both, her eyes darting between one and the other. “Do you not know what is being said of him?”
Isobella drew herself up, a cold anger taking hold of her. “I did not think that you were someone who believed gossip, Granville.” She held his gaze without blinking, silently reminding him of all that had occurred in her past, of all the times that society had whispered abouthereven though she had done nothing to merit it.
“I am afraid your sister has a point, my love.” Louisa set a hand on her husband’s arm, but he did not look away from Isobella. “You have always trusted her judgment, have you not? Why should you change now?”
“Because I cannot bear to have you injured yet again!” Speaking in answer to his wife’s question, he spoke directly to Isobella. “You have already endured so much, Isobella. What if this Duke is yet another blight upon your life?”
Awash with a sudden gratitude, Isobella reached to take her brother’s hand. “You are concerned for me because of his reputation, yes?”
He nodded, his shoulders slumping just a little.
“But I do not believe the gossip,” Isobella told him, gently but firmly. “I will not accept it as the truth, not until I know for certain.”
“The rumors must have some basis in truth, however,” he stated, looking at her askance. “They have been speaking of his lack of fortune!”
“Untrue.” Her head lifted. “What else?”
“He is a gambler, a gentleman who seeks out places of disrepute.”
Isobella shook her head. “You could speak to his sister and to his brother-in-law, Lord Galbraith. They would say that is false.”
Her brother twisted his lips. “What of the murmur that his estate is in a state of disrepair? That he will not permit anyone to come to call because it is so utterly dreadful.”
Having not heard of such a thing before, Isobella did not give them more than a single thought. “I am quite certain that is nothing more than a rumor, idle gossip seeking to bring him down.”
“Lady Clara has told us all,” he countered, still determined, evidently still unwilling to give up all of his concern at once. “She told us clearly that – ”
“Except I heard that she was not as sure as she first made out,” Louisa interrupted, wincing when her husband shot her a sharp look. “She was in conversation recently and had to admit that she had not seen the gentleman’s face. I believe she stated that she was still sure but could not be entirely certain that it was he.”
Isobella watched her brother carefully, seeing him take in a long breath and then close his eyes as he exhaled.
“I do not want to be the one to take you away from this chance of happiness,” he said, slowly, opening his eyes to look at her. “But I am afraid for you, Isobella.”
She smiled at him softly. “There is nothing to be concerned about, I assure you. I am grateful for your concern; however, I trust that the Duke of Exeter has an excellent character.”
Her brother’s eyes widened at the corners as he took astep closer to her. “Do you mean to say that you have come to care for him?”
Isobella rebuffed this at once, her heart throwing itself into a furious rhythm. “No, not in the least! I would never permit myself to – ”
“I do not think that now is the time for such a discussion.” Louisa put a hand on her husband’s arm, throwing a smile at Isobella. “Besides which, I think there may be others vying for the Duke’s attention, and we should not begin to hope for anything that might not be.”
