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“No. He wants to marry me, but—”
The breakfast room doors burst open to reveal her brother Tony looking splendid in an indigo coat and fawn-colored riding breeches, splattered with bits of dirt. He’d been out riding, which usually put him in a wonderful mood.
“He ruined her,” Tony snapped, jerking the gloves from his hands. “Bloody fu—”
“Anthony,” her mother cautioned him. “No vulgarities. You’ve been spending too much time at Elysium, apparently, to have such things slip into your speech.”
He turned to Romy, blue eyes so like her own, blazing with fury. “It is all over London. You’re a scandal, Andromeda.You. I expected Theo to do something like this. She’s always so self-contained. It’s bound to unravel at some point.”
Thinking of Blythe and her sister’s behavior, she said, “Give her a bit more time.”
“Definitely Phaedra,” he spat, ignoring her. “But you? I’d have never thought you so reckless. To brashly meet him during the ball where he was to offer for Lady Beatrice Howard.”
Romy angrily wiped at her cheek. “There is no need to yell at me, Tony. After all, you set the bar for scandal rather high when you ruined Maggie at a ball in this very house. Perhaps it is just another example of oureccentricbehavior.”
“Eccentric?” Her mother looked at her.
“Yes, Mama. That’s what it’s called in polite society. They think us eccentric, though I’m sure that is the kindest word that is used. I have a bastard half-brother of whom none of us are ashamed, and he runs a pleasure palace.”
“Gambling hell,” Tony groused.
“It doesn’t matter what you call it, Tony. You are in trade, with your bastard brother, running a notorious establishment. But we all pretend it’s perfectly normal, and it isn’t. And your own reputation isn’t exactly above reproach.”
“We aren’t speaking of me, but you.”
“Scores of your former lovers populate every event we attend in London. Poor Maggie.”
Her brother’s handsome features pinked. “That is my past. She understands.”
“No, sheacceptsyou for your past. But is it any wonder Mama prefers Cherry Hill and hates society? Or maybe it is because she was a lady’s companion before marrying Papa.” She drew a deep breath. “It isn’t normal. You are my family and I love you, but we aren’t at all like other titled families. We pretend we are, but we aren’t. Now that I’m out, and so is Theo—it has recently come to my attention that even a duke’s daughter can be considered unsuitable.”
Tony flopped down in a chair. “Bloody hell. I’d no idea.”
“You wouldn’t.” Romy bit her lip, relieved he’d forgotten about her own shame for the moment. “You live in a bubble of your own magnificence. Beatrice detests me, as does her friend Rebecca, now Lady Carstairs. I may have threatened them both once when they were gossiping about you and Maggie, and neither has forgotten it. Lord and Lady Foxwood treated both Theo and me as if we were beneath them.” She turned to her mother. “Is this why you kept us at Cherry Hill and we rarely came to London?”
All the color had leached from her mother’s face. “Before we married, your father’s reputation was worse than your brother’s, as you are aware.” Her mother looked as if she’d say more, but instead, she rose and picked up her teacup. “Andromeda, I’d like to speak to your brother. Why don’t you go upstairs and rest? Maybe sketch me a new day dress?” A weak smile creased her lips. “We’ll speak of this later once I’ve had time to digest the situation.”
Romy nodded and moved to the doors. “I won’t marry the Duke of Granby. I’m not a tainted bit of stew he must be forced to eat,” she said with conviction.
“Of course not, dear.” Her mother waved her off.
* * *
Amanda Barrington,Dowager Duchess of Averell watched her eldest daughter escape the breakfast room. It was terrible to see her child in such pain and not know the best way to help her. She suspected that if Andromeda had gone so far as to compromise herself, it was because she’d fallen in love. Andromeda wasn’t rash, however. And from what Amanda knew of Granby, he was many things, but not dishonorable.
“Shall we retire to your study, Tony? I find myself in need of something stronger than tea.” He stood and escorted her down the hall; en route, she waved away Pith, who came to ask about the evening’s dinner menu. Amanda had to constantly remind him she was no longer the mistress of Averell House but her daughter-in-law, Maggie.
Once Tony shut the doors and poured them both a glass of brandy, though it wasn’t even mid-morning, her stepson sat next to her on the sofa, taking her hand.
“What would you have me do?”
Amanda had to look away from him, for Tony looked so much like his father, her beloved Marcus, there were days it was difficult to face him. She missed her husband every second of every day. But she supposed that was what the rest of her life would be like until they were together again.
‘Don’t you dare grieve me, Amanda. Well, possibly a little bit.’
She shook away the memory of her husband and turned to the task at hand.
“Don’t have him killed.” She shot Tony a look. “And for God’s sake, don’t tell Leo. Though I miss him dreadfully, I’m grateful he isn’t in London.”
