Page 51 of The Duke and His Jilted Bride

“Have it your way,” Patrick said, defeated. “Miss Penrose is a very interesting woman, and she has a vivid imagination, and opinions about a remarkable range of subjects – dogs, yes, and literature, and the correct temperature at which to serve port. And you know those are all things I like. Well, mainly the latter two. All this to say… that we discussed these things in the library last night for some time after I returned from the club with you. And Titan joined us.”

“That’s everything?”

“Well, that is the full extent of what I have to tell you, because I know you will blush at the thought of an unmarried woman sharing a drink with me – but it was entirely innocent. I swear it on my honour. I would never disgrace her or your house by acting any other way.”

Evander mounted, shaking his head. “You are telling the truth?”

“I don’t lie. Not like your brother.”

“Thank you for that.” Evander looked skyward, thinking. “She and Aurelia are very close. You should not come between them.”

“Yes, I am aware.” Patrick mounted his roan with a grunt and gathered the reins. “I am not unaware of any of the relevant facts here, oh no. I know she is Aurelia's closest friend. I know I am leaving in two days. I know that what I have described amounts to a conversation in a library with a dog as a chaperone, which is not good but not a crime either.”

He turned his horse toward the gate, and Evander followed. They rode out through the gate and onto the track between the fields. The grass was wet from overnight rain, and the brush left water on Evander’s trousers. Titan had followed them out of the yard and was running ahead on the track.

“You won’t tell the duchess, will you?” Patrick said after a while, slowing his horse so they rode side-by-side. “Miss Penrose is more private than she lets on.”

“It is not my business,” Evander replied. “So no, I won’t say anything.”

“How kind.” Patrick said, breathing a sigh of relief. “Very good. I suspect you have more important things to discuss with her anyway.”

“Like what?” Evander feigned ignorance – and it worked against him.

“Oh, like whatever the new Lady Canterbury will have planted in her mind by the time we return. You didn’t think she came here with pure intentions, did you? There is no chance. Not Lady Seraphina.” He smiled flatly. “All this to say – you will miss me when I’m gone.”

Eighteen

“What’s that you’re doing, Your Grace?” came Seraphina’s voice from behind her.

Aurelia started and almost dropped her quill. The letter to Countess of Norwich had not progressed beyond the salutation, and now with the new Lady Canterbury present, it was not likely to be finished at all that morning.

“Just writing. Did you… need something? I thought you had gone walking.”

Seraphina smiled benevolently. It was a dazzling smile, and it made Aurelia’s blood turn hot in her veins. “No, you’ve mistaken me for your friend. Miss Penrose, isn’t it? She left with your aunt half an hour ago. Frederick and I were settling in upstairs now that we’ve both rested. Our rooms are just lovely.”

There was that word again. Aurelia nodded, mustering her manners. Seraphina sat in the chair across from her – not the closest, not the furthest. She was dressed well in dark blue. She looked better than she had when they had seen each other infrequently in London, Aurelia noted, and set the observation aside. She leaned over to ring the bell, and eventually, seeing no way out of it, she rang for refreshments.

“I wanted to speak to you alone,” Seraphina said in the interim. “Last night wasn't very productive, was it? There was too much happening for anything of any substance to be said. But I expect neither of us wanted to intrude on the reunion between brothers. I am glad they seem to be getting along.”

Soon Annie brought the tray, set it down, and left. It was warm that day, and instead of tea they had brought up a chilled lemonade. Seraphine poured for them both with a smile. A shiver went up Aurelia’s arm that had nothing to do with the chill of the glass. The taste was sweet and sour.

“I am sorry for what happened,” Seraphina said. “For the manner of it, specifically. You deserved better than finding out through a scandal sheet on your wedding morning. At least that’s how I heard it went… We never did quite know who told the rags what we planned to do. I can assure you it wasn’t us.”

“You are kind for saying so,” Aurelia said, trying to maintain her cool. “I did wonder how that happened.”

“I won't try to excuse it, of course. I only want to explain it, if you're willing to hear it. Because I think you deserve that too – and I deserve to be heard instead of misunderstood.”

Aurelia looked at her. “Then you should speak quickly.”

Seraphina set her glass down and scooted her seat closer. She wore the same fragrance as before: a patchouli and rose scent that was overwhelming.

“Frederick and I have known each other since we were children. Our families were close, so we were always there at dinners, assemblies, summer parties, you know the sort. I never thought of it as anything other than that. He was the Duke’s brother, and after my debut into society, I became Sandacre’s intended. I waited until he had completed his Grand Tour – around England. He wrote to me frequently. Everything seemed resolved. Our parents were ecstatic."

The story was benign, but Aurelia still felt a twinge of jealousy. She wondered if Evander still had the letters, what they contained. Declarations of affection? Promises for the life they would share? More likely, Aurelia thought, long descriptions about what he had seen, about nature and people. It didn’t console her in the slightest.

“And then two summers ago,” Seraphina continued, “Sandacre and I were both at a house party right here at Carrstone and… something changed. He had changed. Their parents had died by then, of course. So maybe it was that. All I know is that by the end of that week I knew we could not go on as we had. And I believe he knew it too, but we never spoke about it. I went home, and we tried to pretend that everything was fine..”

“For two whole years?” Aurelia asked.