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Just then, there was a knock on her door. Belle instantly knew who it was, and it surprised her. Only her mother would care enough to seek her out, but she rarely ever did that.
Hannah went to open it and the Duchess walked in, her brown eyes betraying her sadness. Without saying a word, Hannah left, and the Duchess went to sit on the bed.
“Did you know?” Belle asked her mother. She tried her best not to sound angry, knowing the Duchess probably had nothing to do with the plan.
The Duchess’ eyes shone with tears. “He hadn’t told me specifically, but I suspected. I’m…terribly sorry, my dear.”
Belle didn’t know what to say. At the apology, the anger faded, and she simply felt sad and useless. More tears burned her throat.
“At least I will have some time without the Marquess coming around,” Belle said, forcing a smile onto her face that was gone in another second. “Since he says he will be in Bath for the next two weeks.”
“Small mercies,” the Duchess murmured back and for a few seconds, they both had the strength to huff a laugh.
The Duchess gestured for Belle to join her on the bed. Belle did. Her mother took her by the hand, looking down at them as she took a deep breath. Then she said, “It is time you know the truth, Belle.”
Belle’s heart fell. “The truth? About what?”
“About your Father’s mistresses.”
The world warped around her, her body going numb. Belle was sure her jaw fell slack at the words. “Mother…”
It was the sadness on her mother’s face that broke her heart, the pain she saw in her eyes and felt it as greatly as if it were her own. The Duchess was trembling again, and she squeezed Belle’s hand tighter, as if she was trying to contain it. “It has been ongoing for years now and since our marriage was one of convenience, I felt as if I had no right to complain. Even as I waited, hoping he would love me one day, he never did, and I never said a word about it.”
“Mother…why are you telling me this now?”
“Because I don’t want the same thing to happen to you. If you marry Lord Winchfield without love, then you will end like I have, especially if the rumors about the Marquess are true.”
“But there’s nothing I can do about it! Even if I try to fight it, Father will do as he pleases.”
The Duchess took a deep breath, determination lighting her eyes. She reached a hand up and caressed Belle’s cheek. “There is one thing you can do,” she said. “You can leave this place behind.”
