the duke?”
“You cannot be serious.” Obedience fumbled for words.
“Has that been your plan all along? Lord Willowton would never have you, so you thought to ensnare an aging, feeble old man? Why, Obedience, I'm almost proud. It would have been a splendid solution if he were not dying.”
Obedience suddenly stood, her chair falling back with a thud. “I cannot believe you would say such things. That is deplorable , Mother. How could you say that to me?”
Her mother cackled gleefully . “It appears you are much too innocent for such wicked designs. Did I shock you?” Her mother continued to laugh.
Obedience turned away in disgust. She stalked out of the breakfast parlor feeling her gorge rise to her throat. She could still hear her mother’s laughter echoing throughout the room as she covered her ears. She hurried up the stairs to her room, determined to leave the house for the rest of the day. If she had her way, she wouldn't be coming back, but that was probably wishful thinking. She shuddered with disgust as she reached her room. She closed the door and leaned back against it. Looking up at the ceiling, she prayed for divine intervention. “Please get me out of this house. By any means possible.”
She could always ask Chance, but as practical as he was, he wouldn't want the unnecessary scandal. The duke would allow it, but then again, she didn't want to do him harm by bringing added stress into his home in the form of her mother. She just had to be patient, stay out of sight until dinner, and face whatever happened next. She pushed away from the door and went to sit on the ledge of her window. There was a soft tap on her door. Obedience ignored it, hoping whoever it was would simply go away. It opened, and her sister entered, looking wan but chipper.
“To what do I owe this visit?” Obedience said sourly.
Patience closed the door softly and smiled benignly as she sat before the vanity near the window where Obedience perched.
“Did you do something to encourage Lord Willowton?”
Obedience panicked. “No! I only found out—”
“But surely you must have done something to change his mind?” Patience interrupted.
“I know not what I did. I don't presume to know Lord Willowton's mind.”
“ Then he must have decided on his own, despite your efforts the night before, that I would be a suitable wife.” She smiled triumphantly.
“I made no efforts to sabotage you that night, Patience.” Though she did feel guilty about some of the things she had said.
“You could have fooled me. You were positively horrid.”
“I could say the same of you, dear sister. Do you honestly believe they are coming to dinner tonight to advance an association with you?”
Patience frowned. “Why else would they be coming?”
“Why indeed? Unbelievable.” Obedience ground her teeth as she moved from the window to her bed. She could feel a headache coming on, and her stomach reminded her of its still unsatisfied status. “You look pale, by the way.” She tossed over her shoulder to her little sister.
“The baby makes me sick. I couldn't eat a thing this morning, and you know how much I love my kippers for breakfast.” Patience gagged.
Obedience sat up and looked at her sister. She was the picture of English beauty and youth. What did it feel like to be so adored, and on the verge of ruin? Obedience wanted to hate her, especially for the way their mother doted on her and reviled Obedience, but she couldn't bring herself to do it. “Are you scared?”
Patience looked at her strangely, her head sliding back in confusion as if Obedience had croaked instead of asked a question. “Scared of what?”
“Of having a baby,” Obedience clarified.
“No... I'm scared of not finding a husband. I'm scared of being a social pariah and never being able to show my face in town again. I had dreams , you know. I'm supposed to be the mistress of a great house, the wife of a peer.”
“Oh ,” Obedience said quietly.
“You cannot be serious.” Obedience fumbled for words.
“Has that been your plan all along? Lord Willowton would never have you, so you thought to ensnare an aging, feeble old man? Why, Obedience, I'm almost proud. It would have been a splendid solution if he were not dying.”
Obedience suddenly stood, her chair falling back with a thud. “I cannot believe you would say such things. That is deplorable , Mother. How could you say that to me?”
Her mother cackled gleefully . “It appears you are much too innocent for such wicked designs. Did I shock you?” Her mother continued to laugh.
Obedience turned away in disgust. She stalked out of the breakfast parlor feeling her gorge rise to her throat. She could still hear her mother’s laughter echoing throughout the room as she covered her ears. She hurried up the stairs to her room, determined to leave the house for the rest of the day. If she had her way, she wouldn't be coming back, but that was probably wishful thinking. She shuddered with disgust as she reached her room. She closed the door and leaned back against it. Looking up at the ceiling, she prayed for divine intervention. “Please get me out of this house. By any means possible.”
She could always ask Chance, but as practical as he was, he wouldn't want the unnecessary scandal. The duke would allow it, but then again, she didn't want to do him harm by bringing added stress into his home in the form of her mother. She just had to be patient, stay out of sight until dinner, and face whatever happened next. She pushed away from the door and went to sit on the ledge of her window. There was a soft tap on her door. Obedience ignored it, hoping whoever it was would simply go away. It opened, and her sister entered, looking wan but chipper.
“To what do I owe this visit?” Obedience said sourly.
Patience closed the door softly and smiled benignly as she sat before the vanity near the window where Obedience perched.
“Did you do something to encourage Lord Willowton?”
Obedience panicked. “No! I only found out—”
“But surely you must have done something to change his mind?” Patience interrupted.
“I know not what I did. I don't presume to know Lord Willowton's mind.”
“ Then he must have decided on his own, despite your efforts the night before, that I would be a suitable wife.” She smiled triumphantly.
“I made no efforts to sabotage you that night, Patience.” Though she did feel guilty about some of the things she had said.
“You could have fooled me. You were positively horrid.”
“I could say the same of you, dear sister. Do you honestly believe they are coming to dinner tonight to advance an association with you?”
Patience frowned. “Why else would they be coming?”
“Why indeed? Unbelievable.” Obedience ground her teeth as she moved from the window to her bed. She could feel a headache coming on, and her stomach reminded her of its still unsatisfied status. “You look pale, by the way.” She tossed over her shoulder to her little sister.
“The baby makes me sick. I couldn't eat a thing this morning, and you know how much I love my kippers for breakfast.” Patience gagged.
Obedience sat up and looked at her sister. She was the picture of English beauty and youth. What did it feel like to be so adored, and on the verge of ruin? Obedience wanted to hate her, especially for the way their mother doted on her and reviled Obedience, but she couldn't bring herself to do it. “Are you scared?”
Patience looked at her strangely, her head sliding back in confusion as if Obedience had croaked instead of asked a question. “Scared of what?”
“Of having a baby,” Obedience clarified.
“No... I'm scared of not finding a husband. I'm scared of being a social pariah and never being able to show my face in town again. I had dreams , you know. I'm supposed to be the mistress of a great house, the wife of a peer.”
“Oh ,” Obedience said quietly.
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