Amelia settled back into her seat, processing. “I had never thought his reputation could be mostly overblown. I feel rather silly, actually.”
Kate shook her head. “Do not feel silly. All any of us have is the information we see. And you have only seen what Society says.”
Amelia tilted her head to the side in a sort of agreement. It wasn’t entirely true though. She had seen through his mask a time or two, but she hadn’t been wise enough to separate the good from the bad as Kate had.
“To answer your initial question,” Kate continued, “after all of that, I haven’t any idea why he proposed marriage to me, but regardless, I think Lord Norwich is not quite the rake we all make him out to be.”
Amelia thought she knew though. After all, Lord Norwich had told her he wished to control his choice of marriage partner, in hopes of controlling the outcome. Perhaps Kate had just been a ready option.
“And I should add, I no longer think any woman would truly do for him. He may have thought that, but in the end, I believe hechoseyou, Amelia. He does not appear as one to be bullied into anything. Marriage included. He has evaded the capture of London’s tabbies for years and could have continued doing so. No matter how persuasive your father must have been.”
Hope bubbled precariously inside Amelia.
“But why would he allow himself to be defined as such?”
Kate shrugged. “Only he knows that. Maybe he simply didn’t care to correct them. Perhaps it staved off a number of fortune hunters. After a time, even the hungriest of title-hungry mamas had begun to give up on him due to his reputation. Not many wished their daughter to be attached to such scandal, despite his title.”
Amelia winced.
“Oh, Amelia, I’m such a simpleton. I did not mean that to sound as unfeeling as it did! I am certain with your standing as a duke’s daughter you have already stamped down most of the tabbies and gossip.”
Amelia raised one eyebrow sarcastically. “Oh, I do not believe the Prince Regent’s standing could overcome Lord Norwich’s reputation. But I do not hold that against you, Kate. You are very kind to be concerned over my feelings. It is far more than could be said for my sister.”
It was Kate’s turn to wince. “If anyone understands difficult family members, it is me. Please do not hesitate to call if ever you need an understanding friend. And I do believe we will be friends, Amelia, despite our husbands’ dislike for each other.”
“Why is it that they dislike each other so?”
Kate’s mouth twisted up on the side. “Oh, it is only that James is so very in love with me, and he hates the idea that under different circumstances, I could have been married to another man. Lord Norwich just so happened to be the closest to that possibility, so a firmly entrenched hatred is, of course, necessary.” She grinned, and Amelia laughed, surprised at the slight tightening in her midsection that came from the thought of Lord Norwich ever marrying Kate.
Beautiful, kind Kate.
She was grateful to have a new friend. Anonlyfriend, really. But she was equally grateful to have learned that there was never anything resembling romance between that friend and Amelia’s husband.
“I am afraid I have stayed longer than I intended, but I imagine you will not tell the tabbies that I do not keep my social calls under a quarter of an hour,” Kate said airily. Then she very seriously added, “And I hope you will return the visit soon, Amelia. Otherwise, I will be forced to surprise you with my company yet again.”
Amelia smiled, enjoying the warmth of true happiness that the visit had given her. “I do not believe I would ever consider it a bad thing to have your company. Thank you for coming and for your kind words.”
They stood, and Kate’s eyes softened as she caught Amelia’s. “I am hopeful for you and Lord Norwich, Amelia. I hope you will find the happiness you deserve.”
She left then, and Amelia returned to the settee, taking a sip of her now-lukewarm tea. That had not gone at all as she had imagined.
Lord Norwich had not been in love with Kate. At least, Kate did not believe so. And it was very likely that he was not a rake at all. Could it be possible?
But as she was alone in the room again, the doubts crept back in. If she were to give in to these growing feelings for her husband, she would not be able to keep her scars secret. And could he forgive her for her deception? Could he love her with such a horrifying disfigurement?
Amelia returned to the pianoforte. For now, she would work on fixing her marriage outwardly. Only after she had helped Henrietta would Amelia examine her new knowledge regarding her husband and her feelings for him that she was not doing a fine job of keeping at bay.
Chapter Twenty-Four
After three balls, two gardenparties, and a day “at home” to visitors, Amelia had decided she was moving to the country and Henrietta would have to fend for herself. Her shoulders slumped forward as they drove home in the early hours of the morning. This last ball had been the worst of them all. She had thought they were improving the talk surrounding them until she’d sought a brief moment of respite in an alcove, only to overhear women gossiping abouther. Their words floated back to her, forcing her eyes closed.
“Did you see his wife? Tiny little thing, isn’t she?”
The female voice carried easily into Amelia’s hiding spot, and she stiffened. Another joined the first.
“Certainly. There isn’t much remarkable about her at all, save being a duke’s daughter.”
“Yes, at least she has that to hold her up while married to the most disreputable earl in the country.”
