“Violet, you are being selfish. Your sister’s marriage prospects are on the line. If you cause a scandal, it will only make it harder for her.”
“I don’t care about any of that right now,” she snarled. She knew she was being unreasonable, but her anger was consuming and blinding. It made her not care about anything else but getting as far away from James as possible. “I’m leaving. You can stay if you want, but I’m going home.Right now.”
Violet turned and walked out of the room. When she glanced back, she saw that her mother and sister were reluctantly following her.
Outside, she called for their carriage, and their guards, who were always close by, stood with them until the carriage arrived. The carriage rolled up to them, and then they clambered inside.
Only once they were trundling away from the ball did Violet let out a breath. She rested her head against the carriage window and inhaled slowly through her nose.
“Violet?”
She opened her eyes to see her mother watching her. “Yes?”
“Is it true what you said to the Duke?” Her mother looked wary as she wrung her hands. “Does he not want children?”
“You heard that?” Violet felt her cheeks grow warm. “Did everyone hear it?”
“Just your sister and me… and Mr. Cain, perhaps. I came to check on you when you were out on the terrace, and I overheard you mention it.”
Violet was so ashamed that her mother had overheard this, and to be discussing it now in front of Rosalie, that tears pricked her eyes.
“Yes, it’s true,” she whispered. “He does not wish for us to live together as husband and wife.”
“What does that mean?” Rosalie asked swiftly.
As soon as Violet met their mother’s eyes, Lady Carfield’s mouth formed a small‘O’shape, and realization dawned on her face.
“My darling, I am so sorry,” Lady Carfield murmured. “I had no idea.” She shook her head incredulously. “But how is that possible? He is clearly smitten with you.”
Violet scoffed. “He is clearlynotsmitten with me. I am nothing more than a glorified servant, hired to manage his household, not a wife who properly shares his life and raises his children.”
“But he is a man!” Lady Carfield spluttered.
“So?”
Lady Carfield sighed. “Nevermind…”
“Can someone please explain to me what is going on?” Rosalie cut in, looking between them.
Violet looked out the window, but Lady Carfield sighed and said, “I’ll explain to you when you’re older. Suffice it to say that the Duke is failing in his duty to his wife and his estate.”
“He doesn’t seem concerned about having an heir,” Violet scoffed, looking back at them. “What kind of duke doesn’t want an heir?”
“One who doesn’t like himself much, or think he deserves to continue his line.”
Violet bit her lip. “If he would just tell me that, then maybe I could help him.”
“What has he told you?” her mother asked.
“Not much, only that he’s always known he doesn’t want children and that he can’t be with me as a real husband.”
Lady Carfield shook her head. “And you agreed to marry him under those conditions? Darling, I would have stopped you if I’d known. We could have found another way to stay safe from your father.”
“He didn’t tell me until after the wedding!” Violet exclaimed. “I wouldn’t have agreed to the marriage if I had known. Althoughat the time, I was so desperate that I don’t know for certain what I would have done.”
“He didn’t tell you?” Lady Carfield gasped. “That is serious!”
“I know it is,” Violet said vehemently. “That’s why I threatened him with an annulment today.”
