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Rose nodded, for she could no longer get any words out. Her hands were fists at her sides as she left the house and entered the carriage. Once at the hotel, she sent a message for Elsie to join her and bring her things.

She cried for an hour, then sat near the window and looked out onto the busy street below. How things had changed so rapidly simply because she chose to defend the duke. She could not even think of him as Edward anymore. She had no right to use his name. She saw the carriage pull up and Elsie alight from the carriage. Two footmen took her trunk while Elsie carried her own portmanteau. She wiped her eyes and prepared to face them while standing in the corner like a naughty child.

“Oh, my lady,” Elsie said as she flew into the room, dropping the bag in the middle of the room. “Are you all right? The house is in an uproar. I cannot tell you, but it was a relief to get out of there. The duke gave his sister a right royal bollocking. He is mad as a bull in Spain, he is. I swear I saw smoke coming out of his ears.”

Rose closed her eyes, picturing his fury, and turned towards the window to hide her tears from the two footmen. One of whom had been present this morning in the breakfast room when the duke had ordered him out so that he could kiss her.

“Just over there, please, Jeremy,” Elsie instructed.

When the door finally shut, Elsie came to her side and slid her arm around Rose’s waist. “Is it as bad as it seems?”

“Worse,” Rose replied. “I have been kissing the duke.”

“Is that all? Everyone knows about that.”

“Yes, well, it is not appropriate. We are not engaged. We are not even courting. Everyone knows and thinks the worst, but I never did. I never did…and the duke is not going to marry me and nor do I want him to. My brother is trying to ruin me, and everything is upside down. I do not know what to do.”

“All us servants were hoping you would. Marry the duke, that is. Jeremy was saying the duke is different when you are around. They all fancy him in love with you.”

Rose scoffed. “I can assure you, he is not.”

“What will happen about the court case now?”

“I…I do not know. I am hoping Mister Barlow will still represent me.”

“I am sure he will, my lady. Shall I call for some tea?”

“Go ahead, but none for me. I think I will lie down for a while.”

“Of course.”

Her expression was more than Rose could bear; her whole body felt heavy and sluggish as she made her way to her room and crawled onto the bed. How had her life turned into this nightmare?

Chapter Nineteen

Edward had never been so angry. “You what?!”

“It was an error of judgment. I am sorry for it but really this is your fault, Edward. You chased away my suitors and kissed my friend, and now she is hiding in a hotel.”

Bloody interfering Marianne! His usually congenial sister. The so-called peacemaker of the family. She had ruined everything, and for what? To get back at him for interfering with previous suitors? It was his responsibility to make sure that only suitable men courted his only sister. It was what any of his brothers would have done.

“I must say I am disappointed in you, Edward,” his mother piped in. “She was a guest in this house, and you seduced her.”

He could not argue with that. “I am quite used to your disappointment, Mother.”

“Then do the right thing and marry her.”

“No. I will not force her to marry me just to be as miserable as Victoria was.”

“How ridiculous. Rose is not Victoria. She will enjoy the protection of the Warrington title, and you can stop kissing her in secret.”

“She is not safe at the hotel, Edward,” Marianne pleaded.

“Well, whose bloody fault is that?”

“Edward! Language!” his mother said.

“I know I should not have said what I did, but that is not going to bring her back. If you love her…”