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Isadora glanced up, thankful that she didn’t have to break the awkward silence. “Quite well. Thank you. You have been very gracious.”
The lady smiled. “Ye are too kind, Lady Isadora.” She clasped her hands before her and Isadora noted that half of the food remaining on her plate was still untouched.
“Are you not hungry?” she asked gently, as she cut her ham.
“My father is in quite a state this morning.” She sighed heavily. “I wasna sure he would make it through th’ night.” She glanced at her sheepishly. “I still havena found th’ courage t’ tell him ye’re here.”
Isadora’s brow furrowed into a slight frown. “Is he that fearsome?”
“Aye.” The lady nodded. “He hasna been a kind man in this life, but I believe that everyone deserves a second chance to redeem themselves. It’s why I wrote to my nephew. I was hoping that he might get my father to apologize for his transgressions against Mary.” Her voice turned distant, haunting. “I loved my sister verra deeply. I wanted to see her after she married and moved to England, but my father forbade me to go. He cut her out o’ his life as surely as a discarded piece o’ rubbish. As a spinster, I was at his mercy, so I had no choice but to remain under his rule. But there wasna an hour that went by that I didna lament the way things ended between us.”
Isadora’s heart went out to this woman. If there was anyone that knew the importance of a family bond, it was her. “I have three sisters of my own. Although we had different mothers, we were united in blood by our father, the Duke of Marlington. But there isn’t anything that I wouldn’t do for them, nor them for me. I can merely imagine how difficult it must have been to be estranged from Mary for so long.”
“Four different mothers?” the lady inquired with a twitch of her lips. “It sounds as though yer father might have been a man aboot town like mine.”
Isadora laughed. “One might think so, but the truth is, he was just misfortunate in love. My mother was the first duchess, but she died when I was a year old from a fall from a horse.Araminta, Calliope, and Olivia’s mothers all perished under various circumstances.” She looked back down at her plate. “They called my father the ‘Black Widower’ because of the tragedies, but we couldn’t have had a more doting father. I can’t say with complete certainty that his heart was fully engaged each time he married. I’ve had some recent doubts regarding his absolute sincerity, but I never questioned whether or not he loved all of us.”
“It’s no wonder ye’re such a strong woman, Lady Isadora. Ye’ve faced adversity and come out shining like a new ha’penny.”
Isadora thought of her siblings, who had gone and moved on with their lives. “I couldn’t have done it alone. We were always there for each other. But now, it seems I must.”
“What makes ye say that?” the lady inquired.
Isadora wiped her mouth with the serviette. “When our father died and the new heir to the dukedom was due to take possession of the estate at any time, we made a pact that we would travel to London and become independent women of means.” She shrugged one shoulder. “Let’s just say it didn’t remain that way for long.”
“Ye’re the last one standing, I presume?”
“Indeed.” Isadora nodded. “But I harbor no ill will toward my sisters. In truth, I wish them every happiness, and I’m content knowing that they found the abiding love that perhaps our father had always been searching for through the years. He might have found it with one of our mothers, but I believe they weren’t alive long enough to establish more than a mutual affection.”
“And what o’ ye?” Her companion asked curiously. “Do ye think ye’ll take a husband in time?”
“I don’t believe it’s in my future, no,” Isadora replied evenly.
“And why no’?” the lady persisted. “Ye’re a handsome woman. And ye are here with my great-nephew.”
“I can assure you that we’re only friends, my lady. And nothing more.” She lifted her tea and took a bracing sip for the blatant lie she’d just told. Nevertheless, she ignored her consciousas she said, “As a spinster yourself, I should think you would understand that there are benefits to be had without the strictures of marriage.”
“At times, it can be a relief,” Lady Grace returned. “But whereas ye dinna have yer father to answer to, I am still under a man’s rule. I can assure ye there’s no’ much difference.”
“No.” Isadora swallowed heavily. “I imagine not.” On impulse, she reached across and took the other woman’s hand in her own. “Take heart that the marquess will do his best to repair things so that you can rest easier knowing that the bloodline is finally at peace.”
“I do hope ye’re right, my lady,” she said softly. “With all o’ my heart.”
Remington had passeda fitful night and arose feeling rather surly that morning. He might have thought it would have been the opposite, considering the way his body felt so replete after Isadora’s thorough ministrations. However, it was the lady herself that caused him to wake with a dark frown that didn’t want to dissipate. He wasn’t prepared to let things go without knowing everything that had happened in her past, whether she wanted to open up to him about it or not. He had to know the truth. Perhaps then he could understand how she could be so passionate and giving one moment, and cold and distant the next.
He started to cross the threshold into the dining room, but when he heard feminine voices drifting out into the hall, he paused to listen. He had never been one to eavesdrop, but when he’d heard that they were discussing him, he found his ears perking with curiosity. As usual, what he’d heard hadn’t been very pleasant. The fact that Isadora had claimed they were only“friends”made him want to stride inside that room and confronther right then, regardless of whether he had vowed that he didn’t kiss and tell.
He refrained, but it didn’t improve his already dark mood. It wasn’t until Lady Grace spoke with such a soft, hopeful voice regarding her desire to repair the damage done between their families that he actually started to listen. He hadn’t been sure whether he could trust her when she’d confessed her deceit, but now he realized that she was speaking with sincerity. She genuinely wished to make things right. If that was so, then who was he to stand in the way? Even if he couldn’t make amends with his great-grandfather, perhaps he might be able to employ a relationship with her. His grandmother, her sister, had died when he’d been a babe, so he hadn’t really had that sort of kinship. It might be nice to have, after all.
His mother and sister were too busy with their own affairs to care about anything but their own needs, and now that Portia was to be married soon, and Isadora kept up this foolishness about their relationship being a farce, it would be nice to have someone to rely upon.
At least he might have one woman in his life who would give a damn about him.
He took a deep breath and walked inside. “Good morning.”
Lady Grace smiled at him warmly, but he noted that Lady Isadora didn’t quite meet his gaze as he strode over to the sideboard. He narrowed his gaze because that was about to change. He wasn’t going to give her the chance to ignore him that easily.
Once he’d filled his plate, he walked over to the table, and instead of sitting down on the other side of their hostess, he took the seat right next to Isadora. “My lady,” he intoned deeply.
