As beautiful as the estate was, without conversation to properly fill it, Sibyl felt as though she was wandering endless hallways.
Heading to the library, she passed by the parlor. The door was open, and the chatter of the maids inside drifted out. The sound was nice; it was comforting to hear life within the manor. After growing up always hearing her sisters talk to each other or to their parents, the silence in her new home had been terrible.
“‘… and one Miss Catherine Tremaine was rather smug about her dalliances with the late Lord Kerrington, and I am certain the ton is also wondering who else’s bed did the Earl of Kerrington keep warm.’”
Sibyl stopped short at the mention of her late husband. She couldn’t ignore it, not when she peered inside to find three maids huddled around a scandal sheet.
“‘One also wonders if poor Lady Rose has more siblings in London that she will never know. Does the former Countess of Kerrington know? Did she always know about her husband’s infidelity, and that was why she married the Duke of Stonehelm so quickly? Rumor has it that the two had been courting in secret. Who can blame her if her late husband neglected her so?Yet the wider opinion is that a lady must behave properly no matter her circumstances.
“‘We must think of Lady Rose, who will grow up in such a particular environment. She will have no real father, and from the way the new Lord Kerrington spoke about Her Grace, Lady Rose shall not hear any kind words about him either.’”
Sibyl’s stomach sank, and she pushed into the parlor, ready to tell them to stop reading such drabble. But thunderous footsteps cut her off.
The Duke swept into the room before she could, storming right up to the maids.
“Would any of you care to explain why you are gossiping about my wife and my stepdaughter?” he growled.
The maids quivered and looked towards Sibyl, their faces paling.
“In fact, I do not care for an explanation,” the Duke continued. “Because it should not happen either way. There is no excuse for insulting my wife and spreading further gossip. This scandal sheet is nonsense, and I will not tolerate this.”
“Your Grace?—”
“She is your mistress,” the Duke interrupted, “and I made it clear that she’s to be made comfortable in Stonehelm Hall. This is her home, and you owe your loyalty to her.”
“Y-Yes, Your Grace,” the maid who held the scandal sheet in a trembling hand stammered. She blushed deeply, as though both chastened and awed. “We’re sorry, Your Grace.”
“It is not me you must apologize to,” the Duke said flatly, before nodding towards Sibyl.
All three maids curtsied deeply.
“I’m sorry, Your Grace,” the maid who had been reading aloud offered. “It won’t happen again, and—and if it helps, we don’t believe a word?—”
“That is enough,” the Duke sighed. “Let me see it.”
He held out a hand, and the maid placed the paper in it. He did not even spare a second before he tore it apart. He shoved the pieces back at the maids, dishing out the shreds into three piles for each.
“Burn it,” he ordered, “and if I ever see such drivel on my property again, the consequences will be dire.”
“Of course, Your Grace,” they all mumbled and hurried off, ducking their heads low when they passed Sibyl.
With the maids gone, Sibyl realized just how ashamed she was by the gossip.
Indeed, Ferdinand was making good on his promise to spread those terrible rumors. Even though her marriage now protected her from the ton’s speculation, it did add fuel to the fire, just as she had feared.
“I will make sure nothing like this gets printed again,” the Duke growled, already stalking past her.
“Thank you,” she whispered, “for… for speaking up for me.”
He just spared her a long look before walking off down the hallway.
A week passed by, with Gabriel alternating between burying himself in work and returning to the King’s Hound, all to avoid thinking about Sibyl.
Alas, it stopped working soon, and he kept entering more and more matches to drive away his frustrations. But they only grew, for he had been actively avoiding Sibyl, and it seemed she had been content to do the same, especially since the day he had heard the maids gossiping about her.
Gabriel hated that he had failed to protect her from the scandal sheets, and he took out that self-hatred in the ring, losing himself to blows that landed painfully on his knuckles and opponents who got stronger with each fight.
He welcomed it all every night, while his friend watched on with a furrowed brow. Every night, Gabriel would pretend not to notice that Nicholas was holding back questions, and the two would drink together.
