Immediately, Dory laid her hand on Lissette’s arm, her heart aching at such sadness. “How awful.”
“The war does not care about people. It cares only for land.” Lissette hard gaze bored into the rug as if she could somehow exact revenge with her stare.
“You are now here, where it is safe.” Dory squeezed her friend’s arm before releasing her. “We have many men here. I hope that you can love again.”
Lissette shrugged. “I do not know. But I do know that I will not marry unless I am in love, no matter what Grandmaman say.”
Dory wanted to give her comfort, but Lissette was not one to accept it. It was clear she was truly upset. She only spoke French or switched her words about when her feelings took over her thoughts. Maybe when she learned about the relationship of reason and emotion when she studied Aristotle, it would help her. Both ladies were enjoying their studies, Rose excited to have more subjects to discuss and Lissette simply hungry for all knowledge.
Dory remembered feeling the same but now felt as if it mattered little in the end for in a only a couple of days, she’d bemarried and running her own household. She would ask Lord Dearling for pin money so she might purchase books. Hopefully, he would continue to love her. She did not wish her marriage to be like her parents’. She would never seek the arms of another while married. Would Lord Dearling? Would he keep a mistress? Did he have one now? She’d heard men had needs that had to be met. Would it matter to her? With so many unknowns, she felt like a man thrown overboard with no more than a piece of flotsam to keep—
“Lady Dorothea. Lady Northwick requests your presence in her study.”
She jumped at Harrison’s voice. “Oh, of course. Is something amiss?” She set her dress aside and rose.
“I believe you have a visitor. Lord Dearling.”
Dory ignored Rose’s gasp and quickly walked into the corridor to follow the butler. What could it mean that he was here so few days before the wedding? When he visited last week, he said he couldn’t wait for Sunday.
“Your Grace. Lady Dorothea.” Harrison announced her, then backed out, closing the door behind him.
While Lady Northwick appeared calm, Lord Dearling did not. In fact, he pulled at his cravat and his neck was red. Had he embarrassed himself before Lady Northwick? Immediately, she felt sympathy for him. “Lord Dearling. What a wonderful surprise.” She strode forward, a reassuring smile on her face, or what she hoped was reassuring.
“My lady, I wish to speak with you.” He held his hand out toward the settee placed in the bay window of the duchess’s study. It was not far from her, but it did allow some privacy for their conversation while she observed.
She looked toward her teacher, who gave her a nod. Since Dearling didn’t offer his arm, she walked to the settee and sat.
He stood. “My lady, I’m sure you have heard of the unfortunate circumstances of your mother.”
Her mother? A chill raced through her. “I’m afraid I have not. I have been preparing for our wedding.” Did he wish to move it to today? She wasn’t ready. She still needed two more days to accept her fate.
Lord Dearling’s face crumbled, his brows lowering, his upper lip lifting and his eyes squinting. “Oh, this is not well done at all.”
He pulled at his cravat before looking behind her, no doubt at Lady Northwick. “I’m afraid that your mother was caught in a most unseemly circumstance.”
Unseemly? Then it had finally happened? Still, she needed to know exactly what her mother had done. “I’m not sure I understand you.”
“You wish me to explain?” His voice had risen with his brows.
Blast the man. They were to be husband and wife. Surely, he could tell her. “Yes, I need you to explain.” She wouldn’t look away, willing him to be candid.
“Ahem. Well, it is hardly fit for a young lady’s sensibilities.”
“I understand that you mean to protect me, and I’m grateful that as my future husband, you care about me so much. However, this ismymother, and if there is any way in which I can help her, I must know what has happened.”
The man’s red color rose from his neck to cover his entire face. “If you so insist, then you should know that there is nothing you can do. Lady Preston was discovered in a box at Haymarket Theatre unclothed with Lord Leighhall, also unclothed, atop her.”
“Oh, Mother. How awful.” She had little doubt that Lord Leighhall had orchestrated the entire scene so as to publicly reveal her mother’s adultery. But how incredibly crude, even for her mother. Was her mother heartbroken? No doubt embarrassed. Sympathy for how unhappy her mother truly wasrose within her. Perhaps that was because she knew what it was to not have love returned.
“Yes, well, in light of this disgrace,mymother feels it would not do for me to marry you this Sunday as planned.”
Her belly tensed as if filled with metal armor. “I understand that you wish to wait. When, then, do you propose we marry?”
His eyes widened. “You misunderstand me, my lady. I mean to say that I cannot wed you at all.”
She rose, her anger rising with her. “But you said you felt love for me.”
“I did. But please understand the situation I am in now. With this scandal, I cannot in good conscience marry you. People would snicker behind my back and question your whereabouts. Not to mention how it would reflect upon my family. No, my mother is correct. This makes it impossible for me to love you or marry you.”
