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Chapter Fourteen
How could Rose havebelieved she knew all she needed to know about Mr.Matthew Hardy?
She had never had such a row with anyone: mother, father, sister.Let alone a husband.There was no shame in his story.It wasn’t his fault he was a bastard, abandoned by an unfeeling father.It was Welliver’s honor that was in question, not Matthew’s.Why couldn’t he see that?
A carriage awaited her the next morning.Rose had prepared the invitation, dressed in her finest day dress and proceeded to the Duke and Duchess of Welliver’s home, Matthew’s words ringing in her ears.
Rose was all smiles and apologies.She stayed long enough to be polite, then in spite of the volume of work that needed to be completed before their party, she directed the carriage coachmen to Dante’s Hell.Rose’s jaw hurt from gritting her teeth and forcing a smile for thirty minutes.She suspected her whole face would hurt after confronting Alice.
Even though Matthew had said the conversation was over, she said she would make it right with the duke and duchess.
“I won’t forgive you, if you do,” he said.
And she fired back, “I won’t forgive you, if you go through with this.”
As it turned out, Matthew Hardy was mad at the world and its Ten Thousand occupants.
He did not seem to grasp her perilous position in Society.No one would be harmed more than she by this petty revenge of Matthew’s.
The real treachery, though, seemed to be when she’d snapped back, after all the words that had flown between them, “Did you think marrying me would save you somehow?”He refused to answer, and he drew his brows dangerously low.
But there was someone who could provide a few answers.A woman whose reputation was trustworthy but vague.She kept her secrets to herself.
Rose entered the tasteful front door of Alice’s establishment—she would have to thank the Marquess of Dane for having a modicum of respectability in designing the front entrance to his hell—and stood in the middle of the floor, tables all around, a few servants bustling here and over there, gamblers.And Alice DuPuis overseeing her kingdom, dressed impeccably and wearing matching jewels.Rose wasn’t feeling too charitable, and she hoped Madame DuPuis would detect Rose’s seriousness and provide a few insights.
“Ah, Mrs.Hardy, how are you today?”she asked.She dipped a short curtsey.“Would you like—”
“I would like some answers.In private, if you please.”
Alice fluttered her hand, directing Rose toward the stairs leading up to her private chambers.
Inside, Alice said, “Thetonis all aquiver over the coming gala at Highwood.You must be beside yourself perfecting the final details.Please have a seat.”
“I’ll stand.This won’t take long.”
She clucked her tongue.“Goodness.Trouble in paradise?”
