“Is that a threat?”
“A statement of fact.”
“Edward!” Millicent grabbed her uncle’s arm. “Let him go!”
“There is no need for shouting,” Lord Grundon said coolly. “I will leave.” Slowly, he pulled himself from Edward’s grip. “I merely wished to make my intentions known. Miss Millicent…” He made sure to look at her. “Please, think on my offer. I do hope that you consider it.”
Lord Grundon turned and strode from the garden quickly. He was there for maybe five minutes, no time at all, but the damage had been done.
The guests stood around Edward and Celestine and Millicent. Each to the last looked utterly taken aback and a little embarrassed. None more so than Millicent.
“How could you?” Millicent shouted at her uncle.
“Me?” He defended angrily. “Lord Grundon was the one who… do not even think to tell me that you want to marry him?”
“It does not matter what I want,” she cried. “It matters that you would not let me if I did.”
“I would be within my right,” he snapped at her. “He is not what you think, Millicent. He is trying to use you!”
“Better to use me than to embarrass me,” she shouted at him, her voice high-pitched and cutting across the garden. “I am not a little girl, Edward.”
“Nor are you a woman,” he snapped again. “You are my niece and you will do as I tell you. And I tell you now, you are not to marry Lord Grundon.”
“I don’t want to marry him!” she cried out, tears falling down her cheeks. “What I want is the right to choose myself. And you…” She looked around the garden, taking note of all those who watched on. “And you won’t even allow that.” With those words spoken, she turned and fled inside.
“Millicent!” Celestine started after her.
“Let her go.” Edward took her by the arm. “If she wishes to act like a child, then so be it.”
“Edward…” Celestine looked at him with pain in her eyes. “She had no interest in Lord Grundon. I doubt she ever truly did. But you allowed him to get you to and now…” She indicated to the other guests.
Edward came into himself suddenly. He looked around, he only just then noticed how he was being watched and judged, and he winced with shame and looked away.
The day had been going so well and had it ended just five minutes ago, Celestine had no doubt that there would be a litany of suitors champing at the bit for Millicent’s attention. But in one fell swoop, Edward had embarrassed the girl, ruined her reputation and his, and all but destroyed her hope of finding a suitor worthy of her hand.
Such things as this would not be forgotten… just as they were likely to get worse. Much, much worse.
Chapter Twenty-Four
It took all the self-control that Celestine possessed to not go and see Millicent that night. She wanted to. She was desperate to comfort her. But she reasoned that the young girl needed the night to cry through her pain and her embarrassment, and to hopefully come to terms with what had happened. Maybe, even realizing that things were not nearly so bad.
Also, and this what was shamed Celestine the most, she was scared to see Millicent, terrified of what she might say… or the lies she would have to tell.
The simple truth was, what Edward had done was as awful as could be imagined, and the effects of it were sure to be felt across thetonfor many weeks to come. And possibly even longer than that.
There was nothing that Celestine could say that would make it better, and she did not relish the idea of offering Millicent emptywords. So, she gave her the night, doing her best to convince herself that it was right.
Also, and most importantly, she did not go to Edward either.
While Celestine knew that Edward had done as he thought was best, and with the best intentions at heart, she could not bring herself to forgive him. He had acted irrationally, emotionally, and made a fool of both himself, and his niece. Worse still, he had ignored Celestine’s pleas entirely, reminding her once again that their marriage was not nearly so sound as she wanted to believe.
She sat alone that night, wondering too if he might come to her. Of course, he did no such thing. He steamed alone in his bedroom. Likely, he worked to convince himself that he had done nothing wrong. And Celestine, wanting to be on Edward’s side, struggled with her feelings.
Tomorrow will be a better day. It cannot be any worse!
Celestine began the next morning by finally going to see Millicent. She knocked gently on her door and pushed it open, unsurprised to find the room silent and cloaked in darkness.
“Millicent…” She crept into the room, noting the young girl’s outline under the bed’s covers. “Might we speak for a moment?”
