Vanessa’s eyes narrowed. “What do you mean? You and His Gracehave dealt with many men like him?In what capacity?”
“Oh, I simply meant that we have had to listen to them gloat about their exploits at White’s,” Kingsley said breezily, but she thought she caught a glint of apprehension in his eyes, and he didn’t quite meet her gaze. “It is always difficult for His Grace to allow men like that to say such things. Many times, he has gotten into altercations with gentlemen who do not respect a woman’s right to say no to a proposal.”
“Is that something gentlemen do?” Vanessa asked curiously. “They do not respect a woman’s right to say no to a proposal?”
“Of any kind of proposal, I am afraid,” Kingsley answered, shaking his head. “Gentlemen do not like to be refused, and it can often lead to them being quite ill-mannered toward ladies. This has always infuriated the Duke, and he has often made his opinions on the matter known. As you can imagine, it has not made him popular among the gentlemen of theton.” He laughed, and Vanessa got the distinct feeling that he was trying to downplay something—as if he was afraid of her finding out more.
She decided to put this thought aside for now. However, she was interested in what he was saying about the Duke’s character and the way he was perceived in theton. Setting down her quill, she turned more fully toward him.
“The Duke has a certain reputation,” she began slowly, watching Kingsley’s face for his reaction. “I am sure you know this as well as I do. He is known for being cruel and cold. Are you suggesting that some of that reputation might come from the fact he has challenged gentlemen in their treatment of women?”
“I am not just suggesting it, Lady Vanessa,” Kingsley said, his eyebrows raised. “It is a known fact. The Duke has not brought upon his bad reputation by being cruel to others without reason. He has earned his reputation by angering some of theton’smost connected gentlemen, who do not like to be called out for their unkind words and behavior. They repaid him by spreading unfounded rumors of his cruelty.”
Vanessa thought about this for a moment. This savior who came to the defense of women certainly tracked with how he hadrushed to rescue her from marriage to Lord Langdon. Her soon-to-be husband, it seemed, was something of a hero.
That or he was simply filled with guilt.
If you must know, I am atoning for something,he had said.Helping you will help me to make amends.
She shuddered, wondering what that might be.
“He told me that no woman has anything to fear from him,” she said after a moment, her eyes flickering back to Kingsley’s. She knew it was pointless to ask him about whatever the Duke had to atone for—whatever that was would be a secret. “Is that what he meant? That he is unlike these gentlemen who abuse women—either in body or in words?”
“Yes, that is what he meant,” Kingsley affirmed.
“So, you truly believe he will be a good husband to me?” Vanessa pressed.
For the first time, Kingsley’s smile faded from his face, but he looked very sincere as he gazed at her.
“Yes, Lady Vanessa,” he said quietly. “I truly believe that he will be a good husband to you. I know he can be rough around the edges, but underneath all that, he is a good man.”
That was exactly what Miss Redding had said to her, and Vanessa felt a little bit calmer and relieved as she turned back to her writing desk.
“Very well,” she said. “I suppose that is good to know. Now, I must finish this letter and then find something upstairs that I can wear if I truly am to be married today.”
But Vanessa’s mind was no longer on the letter. It was full of questions. The more she learned about the Duke, the more he confused her. He would not come dance with her at a ball, but he would ride hours across the country, chasing a carriage, to bring her back to safety. He would agree not to have Langdon imprisoned, but he would imprison her in her house for the day. He was a man of contradictions, and she had absolutely no idea what marriage to him would be like.
A marriage that was very fast approaching.
Several hours later, everything was ready.
Ready, but far from the dream wedding that Vanessa had always secretly hoped for.
For one thing, she was wearing her mother’s wedding dress which they had not had time to alter. It was too big on her, hanging loosely around her torso. Her mother had tied a ribbon around her middle to try and make it look less loose, but Vanessajust felt frumpy and unattractive as she walked down the hallway toward the garden.
The Duke of Thornfield, she knew, was out there. He had arrived half an hour ago, but she hadn’t seen him yet. With him was the Archbishop of Canterbury, who would be marrying them. It was all so surreal. The Archbishop of Canterbury presiding over her wedding! Which was taking place in the back garden with just four people in attendance: her parents and Lord Kingsley.
She wished, as she allowed her father to lead her down the hall, that she had been able to invite Miss Redding and Lady Selina. Although she had just met them, she would have liked to have someone on her side at the celebration. Someone who might have given her courage as she walked down the aisle.
As it was, she had her father by her side, but considering he had always expressed such disappointment that she wasn’t a boy, he was hardly a comfort.
“I am proud of you, my girl,” her father said suddenly as they neared the end of the corridor that would open up into the garden.
Vanessa glanced up at her father, surprised. “You are?” she asked. Never in her life had her father described himself as proud of her.
“You have managed to catch a duke!” her father said, shaking his head as if this were obvious. “I never would have expected it of you.”
Vanessa swallowed. Of course. Even in his compliments, her father was actually insulting her. “Thank you,” she murmured, looking down at the ground.Although if you hadn’t tried to force me to marry Lord Langdon, I never would have managed to ‘catch’ the Duke,she thought.So perhaps you should be thanking yourself.
