Page 31 of Lady Mariel’s Scandalous Love

Chapter Thirteen

Dash started at the sound, and all thought of desire left him in a rush. He knew that voice. Knew the sound of it raised in fury, as it was now. It would seem that what he had dreaded most had happened. Now, he began to be able to discern the words, from within the roar.

“Madness!!! Disgusting to bring shame to the family like this! What on earth are you thinking?”

The last words were uttered as his father rushed through the door, with a distraught looking Chalmers almost running in his wake. The butler gave a small grimace of apology to Dash, accompanied by a shrug, which clearly indicated that he had been unable to even slow the Duke in his charge.

As the Duke of Cockleigh entered the room, his eyes were focussed on Dash, but he faltered when he took in the fact that a young woman sat beside his son at the desk. Selina was not within the Duke’s immediate sight, due to the placement of the couch. Dash winced to think how it looked.

The Duke was waving what looked suspiciously like a newssheet in his hand, and Dash wondered if his father had clutched it like that, all the way from Cockleigh Great Hall. He took a deep breath.

“Good day to you, Father. I wasn’t expecting you.”

“No doubt you weren’t! Trying to keep all of this secret from me, weren’t you? Who is she? Some strumpet drawn by your scandalous interests?”

Selina rose from the couch, having obviously taken the measure of Dash’s father, and stepped forward, into his view.

“Your Grace, I am the Duchess of Southolton, and this is my friend, Lady Mariel Angleton, whom I am here to chaperone whilst she assists Lord Longwood with a translation. Please reconsider your view.”

Dash had never before seen his father quite so lost for words, and swallowed hard to stifle the laughter that rose in his throat.

“I… aaah… I… Good day, Your Grace.”

The Duke bowed to Selina, and then, grudgingly, in Mariel’s direction. Dash rose, and went to his father.

“Do take a seat, Father, and perhaps speak more quietly about your concerns?” As if I don’t know exactly what you are ranting about! But best to let you tell me how you perceive it…

Selina resumed her seat, and the Duke sat stiffly in an armchair. Mariel kept as much of her attention as possible on the book before her, attempting to be invisible, but listening carefully. The Duke thrust the newssheet in his hand in Dash’s direction.

“This – this is what I am concerned about. More than concerned – shocked, horrified… but…” He glanced around, as if suddenly realising that there were ladies in the room, “…it’s not the sort of thing we should be discussing with ladies present.”

Dash sighed. But he supposed that it was best to maintain the illusion of respectability as long as possible.

“As you wish. Selina, Mariel, might I ask you to repair to the parlour?”

Mariel set down the pen, capped the ink bottle, and rose. Selina gave a gracious nod to the Duke, and they both left the room. Dash suspected that, if they had thought it feasible, they would be eavesdropping at the door, for he knew that both of them would wish to hear the conversation that was about to occur. As they left, Chalmers appeared, with a tea tray.

“Your Pardon, my Lord, but I took the liberty of arranging some tea.”

Dash waved him in, and only once he had supplied his father with a cup of tea, and Chalmers had left, closing the door after him, did he attempt to renew the conversation.

“Now that the ladies have left the room, please explain what all of this fuss is about.”

The Duke waved the newssheet again.

“This! Have you seen the London dailies, this last week or more?”

Dash swallowed, knowing full well that his next words would likely cause another explosion from his father.

“As it happens, I have. What of it?”

The Duke spluttered, as if unable to form words in response, and Dash waited. Eventually, a tirade burst forth.

“What of it!!!??? It is obvious from these scurrilous letters that the person referred to is you! What have you done to allow this to happen? To bring shame on our family by allowing us to be associated with matters so utterly scandalous? Half of the ton are gossiping about this, and embroidering on the tale with every word! To top it off, I received an anonymous letter, sent directly to me, suggesting that I might want to visit my scandalous son, before he brought the entire family into utter disrepute. What could I do but come here? I demand to know just how much of it is true? And what do you intend to do about it?”

“As I haven’t heard every word of gossip spoken, I can’t really tell you exactly how much of it is true, now can I? But I can tell you the truth of my collection, and my intent for it.”

The Duke blustered a moment, muttering, then visibly stilled himself, and sipped the tea.