“Wine?” He offered.
“Thank you,” Violet said.
Ambrose poured a glass for her and one for himself, returning to his seat. He took a moment to arrange himself, choosing a position that showed off the brocaded waistcoat he wore and the jeweled cravat pin at his throat. He smiled, exuding charm and grace. Violet was unmoved.
“Please continue,” he said.
“Should I not be asking that of you?” Violet said. “You are the one who requested my company, after all.”
“I did, indeed,” Ambrose said, sipping from his wine. “In the wake of the most recent debate on Lorchester’s preposterous bill.”
“A tactical defeat for you, I am given to understand,” Violet said.
“I won the vote,” Ambrose replied quickly.
“But only just and with some of your party voting against you,” Violet pointed out.
“I did not know you had any knowledge of politics.”
“Alexander is an excellent teacher,” Violet said.
It wasn’t exactly true but she wanted to prod at Ambrose’s self-confidence and see what would come loose. Ambrose almost flinched and Violet felt she had scored a hit.
“It prompted me to think about the nature of your allegiance to Alexander. It surprised me to find you in his company. It surprised me further to learn from your…cousin that the two of you are…close.”
There was a hesitation before he stated Lillian’s relationship to Violet. Then another to emphasize that he knew precisely how close she and Alexander were.
“I fail to see how my relationship with His Grace the Duke of Lorchester has any bearing on you,” Violet said in a direct manner.
“Then you admit there is a relationship?” Ambrose said.
“I think that has been shown,” Violet replied.
“I wish to make use of that relationship. I want Alexander to drop his support for the Bill. Allow it to be amended by my party so that it becomes ineffectual.”
Violet laughed, sipping from her glass. It seemed a ludicrous thing to ask.
“Why would I urge him to do that?” she asked.
“Because if you do not, then I will reveal the precise nature of my relationship to you. And the relationship I once had with your mother. I will mire the Courtham and Ravendel names in scandal, revealing how Violet Ravendel, beloved leader of the Ton and expert in etiquette and ritual, is in fact illegitimate.”
Chapter 33
Asensation of horror crawled up Violet’s spine. The threat was delivered in calm tones and with a smile. A threat that would destroy her reputation and have a catastrophic impact on the Ravendel family. Aunt Charlotte, as sister to Fiona, would be tainted. So too would Lillian and Clara, her daughters. All the Ravendel women would be touched by it. And Violet’s world would unravel. No longer would she hold her position within the Ton. No longer would she be the famous Violet Ravendel, expert on social etiquette and essential attendee to any social function.
It does not matter. Those are trivialities. If I become a social recluse, retreating to the Ravendel country home in Hampshire and no longer at the heart of London society, that will be as nothing to the damage that will be done to my cousins.
She could not make herself fully believe it though. The fear in her was not just that Lillian and Clara’s reputations would be tarnished before they had even properly dove into society to make themselves known. Clara had not even debuted yet. Thefear was also for her own standing, which she took so much pride in.
“I know how much you value your position within the Ton. That is true, isn’t it?” Ambrose said, calmly. “Think of all you personally will lose if this gets out. My own reputation will suffer not one jot. Men do not suffer in such scandals. If anything, it will be enhanced. I will be adding a rakish quality to my name which will make it all the more attractive to some. No, the damage will all fall to the Ravendel name.”
“I am aware of that,” Violet said, quietly. “What proof do you have that you are my father?”
“I have your mother’s love letters to me. And the letter in which she informed me that she was with child.”
Violet’s stomach sank. This was not how she had envisioned meeting her true father.
Is this why Uncle George has always tried to deny me this information? Was he simply trying to protect me from this man?
