“And we were delighted to receive your note,” Susanna’s mother said, as if she had been the one to read his words as well as the Duke. “It is quite wonderful.” She looked about the room. “The ton will soon know of this, Lord Lancashire. I do hope you are prepared for that, for to court a Duke’s daughter is no small matter!”
Lord Lancashire chuckled. “Indeed, I am. I am more than ready for all of society to know that my attention is fixed upon one young lady and one young lady alone.”
Susanna practically glowed with the joy that filled her at his words. Her hand went to his arm, and he smiled down at her, then raised his head again.
“I wonder if I might take Lady Susanna for a turn about the room? I can see Lady Ellen is present, and I am sure she would join us.” He gestured to Maude, who had stood in stubborn silence ever since his arrival. “I would not want to take your attention away from Lady Maude.”
As Susanna watched, Maude’s jaw set tight, and her eyes narrowed as if something Lord Lancashire had said was greatly displeasing to her. She could not understand her sister’s reaction but chose not to concentrate on it, not when Lord Lancashire was here and this moment so wonderful!
“But of course, Lord Lancashire.” The Duchess had, to Susanna’s eyes, transformed from a lady who barely gave her a glance into a gushing, joyous woman who only wanted the best for her. “Thank you for showing such consideration to my dear Susanna.”
Susanna stepped away quickly, releasing a breath as she and Lord Lancashire made their way towards Lady Ellen. She was aware of one or two heads turning towards them, but did not look back at any of them.
“The Duchess is very charming indeed.”
Sending a narrowed glance towards Lord Lancashire, Susanna could not prevent her lips from quirking at his grin.
“Have no fear,” he said, lowering his head just a little so she could hear him clearly whilst muffling the sound from others. “I am well aware that she has changed, only because of the news of our courtship. I am not taken in by it.”
Susanna pressed his arm lightly. “I know that you understand, in truth, I did not ever want to be like Maude. I did not want to have many gentlemen pursuing me, each interested in courting me as I took my time deciding which of them I might accept.” She smiled up at him. “I wanted only this.”
“And you have it,” he assured her, just as Ellen greeted them both warmly. Susanna was not in the least bit surprised when Lord Kettering came to join them all shortly thereafter, noting how he had eyes only for Ellen. Silently, she wondered if Ellen’s feelings had, in any way, changed for the gentleman, hoping that she, too, might soon find happiness.
“So,” Lord Kettering began, with a broad smile in Susanna’s direction, “I see that you are now determined to make your connection known to the ton.” He beamed at her. “I am delighted.”
“I thank you,” Susanna answered. “As am I.”
“Though it is not without risk,” Lord Lancashire added. “It may be that whoever wrote those letters to both myself and to Mr.Graves might feel it necessaryto do the same again… if not something greater.” He shrugged. “But I am prepared, and I am determined. I will not let myself be pulled away from my dear Susanna again.”
Lord Kettering’s smile remained. “Delightful,” he said, turning to offer his arm to Ellen. “Then let us hope that this all goes without difficulty and that you will soon find yourselves in all happiness and contentment.”
“Let us hope so indeed,” Lord Lancashire replied, smiling down at Susanna and, as he did so, she felt as if everything from their past had finally faded into shadow. It was forgotten now, all of it. He had been filled with such regret, had sought to apologize, and now, as they walked through the ballroom together, Susanna felt her future filled with hope and happiness. Perhaps they did not need to find out the truth about who had written those letters. Perhaps none of that was needed. Perhaps they were to have the freedom to love each other and to stand together, without difficulty or restraint. Perhaps, finally, they were free.
“Lord Lancashire!”
A loud voice broke through Susanna’s thoughts and her happiness as she turned her head and caught sight of Lady Theresa rushing towards them, her cousin Lady Honora beside her. She steeled herself, wondering what it was the lady would say now and, truth be told, fearing that it would be of such a great embarrassment, it might steal some of their joy from this wonderful evening.
“Lady Theresa, Lady Honora, good evening.”
From the way the Marquess spoke, Susanna could tell that he felt the same way as she did. His tone was low, his frame now straight and tensed as he bowed. She bobbed a curtsy but found her gaze drawn to Lady Theresa’s face. There was no anger there, such as she might have expected given the rumors she had tried to circulate. Instead, thelady’s eyes were rounded, her face white, and her hands twisting together in front of her. Was there something wrong?
“I wanted to come to speak with you earlier, but my sister prevented it,” she began, as Ellen and Lord Kettering came to stand with them all, making it appear to any others watching as if they were all gathered together in private conversation. “I can only apologize for the whispers which have begun to spread through society.” A tinge of pink came into her cheeks. “The suggestion that there is a connection between us is not only embarrassing, it is also preposterous given that you have such a clear interest in Lady Susanna.”
For the first time since she had come to join their conversation, Lady Theresa looked directly at Susanna, and Susanna’s eyebrows lifted gently. The lady certainly seemed sincere, but there was something more in her eyes. Worry? Uncertainty? Fear?
“You… you did not start the rumors, did you?” When Lady Theresa’s eyes flared, Susanna knew her inkling had been correct. “We presumed that it had been, but that was wrong. Forgive us.”
Lady Theresa closed her eyes. “I can understand why you might have thought to place the blame at my feet,” she said, without hesitation and in her usual bold manner. “It is not as though I gave you any reason to doubt that.” Her eyes opened. “But no, it was not I who started those whispers.”
“She was just as mortified as you must have been, Lord Lancashire.” Lady Honora spoke now, her eyes holding fast to Lord Lancashire. “I have not seen my cousin so distressed. She was near to weeping, desperate to find a way to put those rumors to rest and fearing that she would be quite ruined because of them.” She shut her eyes briefly. “We spoke to Evelina, thinking that to stateclearly that the rumors were untrue would be the right action to end it all, but we were dissuaded.”
“Which is why now I am so very thankful to know that you have found yourselves such a happy connection,” Lady Theresa finished, now looking from Susanna to Lord Lancashire. “I pray there is no ill will between us?”
Susanna, not wishing to speak for Lord Lancashire, held back her first response and, instead, looked to the Marquess. He was frowning, but Susanna did not think it was from upset or frustration. Rubbing at his chin, he nodded slowly and then inclined his head.
“There is nothing of the sort between us, Lady Theresa,” he said, his words garnering a long breath of relief from the lady. “You say you did not take part in these rumors, and I believe you.”
“Oh, I thank you.” Within a few moments, Lady Theresa and Lady Honora had taken their leave, their heads close together as they spoke. Susanna, still thinking of all that had been said, looked up at Lord Lancashire and shook her head.
