Attached is a list of recommended reading material created by Penelope and me. I suggest you and your bluestocking friends pick up one or two of these tomes the next time you go to the bookstore.
Your dearest sister,
Joanna
Joanna set down her pen and read through the letter again. She burned to tell Aurelia everything that had happened with the Duke of Blackwell, but she could not bring herself to write it down. Even writing his name felt like a potential threat to his reputation. Her family was so cursed that only rebels like Penelope would associate with her. She had not heard from the duke since the gallery date, which was over a week ago. Not that she really expected to hear from him at all.
Distantly, she heard a knock at the door and idly wondered who it could be. Penelope was attending a ball tonight, so she knew it could not be her friend. Perhaps there was a messenger serving a note to her father. She hoped it was over a matter of Parliament and not because he lost too much money at the card table the night before.
As she was sealing the letter and the reading list, her door opened. She looked behind her to see her mother looking pale. Fear ran down her spine as she stood up. Scenarios ran through her mind, of people coming to seize the manor, or of hired thugs ‘encouraging’ her father to pay his debts with violence. It could even be the constables, ready to take him to debtor’s prison.
Eventually, Joanna managed to find the words to speak. “Who is at the door?”
Her mother took a deep breath before speaking. “The Duke of Blackwell is here to see you.”
Joanna nodded, although that did little to soothe her fears. She was surprised the duke decided to call on her, but the only reason why he would be here would be because he wanted to seek retribution for the humiliation she caused. She didn’t want to think about what the Duke of Ice was capable of when provoked. It had been easy at the art gallery to resign herself to facing the consequences of her actions. But after a week, she couldn’t help but worry about possible retribution. Her family was vulnerable enough, and the duke might consider her deception worthy of his revenge. It would take far less effort to ruin her family than it did the Baron of Boxton.
“Your father is stalling him now in the drawing room,” she said. “Mrs. Lucas is running to the nearest baker to buy some cakes for tea, although I am sure they will not be up to the quality His Grace is used to.” She shook her head, as if tea cakes were all she had to worry about at the moment. Then she looked at her daughter. “Joanna, why on earth is there a duke asking for you?”
She hung her head in shame. She had managed to keep the whole messy business a secret from her parents. She told her mother that Penelope had gifted her a few old dresses and was paying for Aurelia’s debut dress as a gift. She hid the other payments, like the jeweled necklace, to keep them away from her father and his gambling habits.
But it was time to tell the truth.. “Penelope and I were quite foolish, I am afraid,” she said. “She received an invitation fromthe duke and begged me to go in her stead. I was to pretend to be her and act imprudently so he would lose interest.”
Her mother’s expression hardened. “So the duke has found out.”
“I told him myself. He apparently enjoyed my company enough to invite her on a date for the second time. I went instead and eventually confessed the entire plot. I didn’t expect to see him again.”
The viscountess glared at her daughter. “You deceived a duke and didn’t tell me about it? If this is the sort of activity you get up to with Lady Penelope, then perhaps it’s time to rethink that friendship.”
“Mother, please. We’ve never done anything of the sort before, and I promise we will never do anything like that again!”
“You certainly will not!” she spat. “I thought it was wonderful that despite our situation, you managed to retain one friend in town, and the daughter of an earl, no less. But you’ve brought shame upon this family.”
“Me?” Joanna cried incredulously. “It’s not my name decorating the scandal sheets every other week!”
“I will not pretend that your father is perfect,” her mother said. “I know it’s been hard on you and Aurelia. But this family has enough problems without you invoking the justifiable wrath ofa duke! You will not see Penelope again this Season. You are forbidden.”
Desperation hit her hard at the thought. “Without her, I will not have anyone to talk to,” she said. “I will practically be locked away in this house!” She could not afford to have a maid chaperone her while she left the house, and if she could not see Penelope, then she would have nowhere to go anyway. There was no money to spend at the shops, and certainly, no one else would want to see her.
“You will have to make do with writing letters to your sister. You brought this on yourself, so don’t give me that look. Now make yourself presentable, go downstairs, and beg for forgiveness for your transgressions. Perhaps he will be merciful.”
Tears threatened to spill as Joanna changed into her best afternoon dress before pinning up her hair. She didn’t have any powder for her face, so she had to make do by pinching her cheeks to bring a little color into them, so she didn’t look like a sickly ghoul.
She took a deep breath and squared her shoulders as she went downstairs. The duke and her father were in the drawing room. Mrs. Lucas had already returned from the baker in time to serve tea and cakes. For once, the sight of the sweets didn’t make Joanna’s stomach growl. Her insides felt like they were being twisted into knots from anxiety.
The duke fixed her with a look as she entered the drawing room. She curtsied. “Good afternoon, Your Grace,” she said, her voice hoarse and devoid of emotion.
His expression was intense and angry. “Miss Thorne,” he said. “It’s a pleasure to truly meet you.”
CHAPTER 11
Not for the first time since arriving at Clifford Manor, Evan wondered if he had made a horrible mistake by coming here. He was certain the viscountess didn’t know how her voice echoed in the manor, and he had heard every word she said to her daughter.
“Make yourself presentable, go downstairs, and beg for forgiveness for your transgressions. Perhaps he will be merciful.”The words rang in his ears. He knew he was stern and aloof, and he had a way of intimidating people, but before this Season, he hadn’t realized how many people considered him to be a heartless monster.
Even Joanna, who had been so full of life on their dates, now looked at him as if she were approaching her executioner.
The viscount cleared his throat and stood up. “The viscountess and I will leave to give you two some privacy. It was an honor to meet you, Your Grace.” He bowed to the duke.
