She set her jaw and narrowed her eyes, but he also saw that they had filled with tears at his words. “I just don’t want to bring shame upon the family,” she muttered.
“Oh Emery…” A powerful longing overcame him to reach out and take her in his arms, to hold her and tell her that everything was going to be alright, but he had a feeling that an emotional display of that nature would embarrass her. “That isn’t going to happen. Did someone say something to you?”
She hesitated, then relented. “You were right,” she said, staring down at her feet. “Thetoncan be brutal. Especially the ladies. I didn’t realize that when we started our etiquette lessons, nor how willing they would be to make up stories and twist facts to create vicious rumors.”
“What happened?” he asked more urgently. “Did you overhear someone spreading a rumor about you?”
“Lady Charleston,” she muttered. “Do you know her?”
“A viper if there ever was one,” Lucien said calmly. He had never liked Lady Charleston, and he wasn’t surprised that she was already trying to ruin his, Emery’s, and Leah’s reputations. “People will see through her lies.”
“I hope so.” Emery glanced up at him. Tears were now filling her eyes, and the urge to hug her became even more powerful. “I just don’t want to be the reason that things don’t work out for Leah this Season.”
“You won’t be,” Lucien insisted. “You are helping Leah be more confident with everything you do to encourage her and make her feel loved. And that is more important than any rumor the worst gossip mongers of thetonmight try to spread about you.”
“I did say something,” Emery said, a small smile creasing her lips. “I didn’t let Lady Charleston get away with it.”
“Of course you did,” Lucien said, laughing at the thought of his wife giving Lady Charleston a piece of her mind. “I’m sure you made her regret gossiping about you!”
“I implied that it wasn’t a good idea to get on the bad side of a Duchess,” she said, smiling more brightly. “I must say, it was worth it to see the look on her face. She was stunned, but she backed down.”
“Well, if the worst thing she can say about you now is that you are a duchess who believes herself better than others, there are worse things. Most people will admire that, in fact.”
“I can’t imagine why,” Emery said with a reluctant smile.
“Thetonis full of snobs, Emery,” Lucien said, and he brought his hand to her chin and tilted her face up so that she was lookingdirectly into his eyes. “They don’t mind a little snobbishness from a duchess. It is far worse a sin to be uncouth.”
“Were you lying to me when you told me it wasn’t a big deal that I stepped on your foot during the dance?” she asked after a moment. “And when you said no one would mind that I accidentally called Lady Crane ‘miss’?”
Lucien hesitated. “I wouldn’t say that I was lying. I just didn’t want you to linger on little mistakes that would hurt your confidence. But yes, I suppose that I was downplaying the fact that some of the more rule-following--and judgmental--members of thetonwould feel about such mistakes.”
“Lady Charleston said that Lady Crane was crying because I had snubbed her.” It sounded as if it were hard for Emery to even say these words. They were rushed and quiet, and she couldn’t quite meet his eyes as she said them.
Lucien, however, shook his head. “I have known Lady Crane a long time, and I can assure you, she was not crying. Perhaps she was thrown at first, but I know that she was soon reassured that your mistake was innocent, and not an attempt to put her down.”
“I hope so,” Emery murmured.
“I know so. The Duke of Nottington would have told her. He is my closest friend and he knows all the particulars of our marriage.”
“All of them?” Emery asked, looking back at him with a startled expression.
“Yes,” Lucien said, smiling softly. “He is helping run any damage control that may have been done by the disaster that was our wedding.”
Emery smiled now, and she looked truly relieved. “It’s good to know there are people on our side.”
“The best of thetonis on our side,” Lucien assured her, “but I’m sorry you had to run into the worst of theton. They are cruel and will use any weakness against you. Where did you hear this anyway?”
“At the tea room at the Plaza. Georgina and I were having tea when I overheard Lady Charleston and Miss Theodora Reed.”
“I see. Well, they might be trying to spread specious rumors, but from what Henry has heard, things are actually looking up for us.”
“Really?” Emery’s eyes lit up. “What has he heard?”
“Apparently, you were impressive at the Andersons’ Ball,” Lucien said, smiling to see the happiness on her face. “People found you charming and refreshingly down-to-earth. Leah was also a success. You saw the number of flowers she received! Henry says that several of the young men are taken by her and that she is sure to secure an invitation to Almack’s.”
“That is excellent news!” Emery sobered slightly. “Do you think I will receive an invitation as well?”
“I don’t know, but I imagine so,” Lucien said. When she looked disappointed, he spoke even more gently. “You are doing very well for a young lady who was never schooled in how to deal with theton. These people, the ones who gossip, are not worth your time. I don’t want to see you making yourself sick with worry--or beating yourself up over imperfections--just for the approval of such people. Alright?”
