AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Do you want to hear all the gossip now?”Abigail asked, leaning toward Rose.
“Just tell me it was respectable and that no one felt sullied to attend Mr.and Mrs.Hardy’s gala in Islington.”Rose pressed her hand beneath the tight ribbon below her bosom.She was ready to undress completely and lie down between some cool sheets.
“Every touch was perfect, Rose.The panorama, the whisky, the outdoor dancing—it was incomparable.The pineapples were a smashing success.I saw Lady Cleary wrap some of the small cakes in a napkin and put them in her reticule.And Lady Byron wanted to know if she could have the pineapple cutout once all the vodka was gone.She must have asked one of the servants, though, because I noticed the pineapple in the center of the buffet was gone.Along with the vodka!”She patted Rose’s hand.“Really, I think if you want to have a gala again next year, you will have every dame in town bleating at your doorstep to get an invitation.”
“I think it will depend on Mr.Hardy’s mood.”
“What?He didn’t think it was a smashing success?”
“I really don’t know what he thinks.I haven’t talked to him since this affair started,” she said, disguising the truth.
“Well, if you ask me, there was an air of curiosity and fear, as if Mr.Hardy knew something that none of them knew.I’m sure it is off-putting to some, but to see certain lords a little uncomfortable was a long time coming.”
“Comeuppance?”Rose asked.She knew the answer to her own question.Matthew Hardy was going to do his utmost to retaliate against those who’d wrong him.And he had amassed the fortune to do so.She’d mistakenly misjudged his motives.Along with the depths of his anger.
What did it mean for them?Would there come a day Matthew would set his sights on her for some slight, real or imagined?
All of this put a new and entirely awful impetus for his marriage to her.Madame DuPuis knew the truth, evident in what she didn’t say.
Abigail chatted cheerfully.Rose let her thoughts wander.She’d always believed she was an intelligent, compassionate woman, yet she found herself to be gullible and shallow, happily cooperating with Matthew’s delusions.At this pace, it wouldn’t be long before they were the most hated couple in London.And she would join them with self-loathing.
How could Matthew be so uncaring about his own child?How could he want something so badly as the dukedom that he would crush so many in the process?
He bemoaned his own bastardy, yet he did it to his own son.How trite to say that young William was born while his parents were married.Lord!Esther could have easily made a decision not to marry Welliver, or to tell him the truth of her condition.What then?
Rose got a little teary.Such a Panglossian affair could only result in emotional collapse.She’d reached the pinnacle and now the valley was before her.And Matthew no longer held her hand.Instead, he carried the destructive power of money and he wielded it with a ferocity which she had never seen before.
The Duke and Duchess of Welliver left around two in the morning.She had not seen Matthew since the king arrived, probably hovering in the card room to ensure His Majesty had all that he wished no matter the cost to Matthew’s accounts or his dignity.Instead of reliving a joyous occasion tomorrow, she would have to confront Matthew.
Rose turned to Abigail as she continued the one-sided conversation.“What did you say?”
Animated Abigail was happy to say, “I learned so much about your husband tonight.He is as important in the financial services as Lady Jersey’s family, plus he owns theDaily Informerand a stud farm in Surry.How does he manage so many investments?And why didn’t you mention that Lady Albourne was his mother?What an interesting life!”
“What did you say?”
“About Lady Albourne?”
“No, about theDaily Informer?”
“He owns it.Again, I ask you, why didn’t you tell me?He must know ever so much gossip about theton.”
Matthew owned that gossip rag?Oh, dear Lord!How could he keep such a secret from her?She rarely read the paper but the two of them had talked about it several times.Who knew what Matthew had printed—had printed about her?Or Welliver?Or Sandhurst?The list was practically endless!
And his reason for keeping that information secret was defenseless.
Rose took a deep breath, then bade Lady Chester good evening before she excused herself.She remembered she was a duchess.She had prepared the best ball London had seen this Season.And she was dressed in the finest of gowns with the Isis Diamonds about her neck and a stunning sapphire ring on her finger.No one would find fault.But Rose found no comfort.
Raleigh was outside, instructing the footman how to dismantle the panorama so the wagon could return the portable production into London.The red carpet had been rolled up and the last ten or so carriages had pulled into the round of the lane, waiting for the final guests to find their way home.
She could not face Matthew now.She couldn’t say what must be said nor hear what truths must be revealed.Giving him the benefit of the doubt had been a mistake.Real nobles would have...
Gah!Real nobles acted in the same manner but did all they could to hide their sins.And they were ruthlessly efficient at it.
But this was Matthew!The man who promised to fix wrongs.
If this was his idea of correcting things, then they would never find common ground in the future.She shook her head, recounting the measures he’d taken against Welliver and his family.Publicly.
Welliver.Esther Pennington.Who else would he hurt?Who else had wronged him?
