Page 58 of Her Cursed Duke
“Thank you, Evans.” The Dowager Marchioness waved him away, blinking at a document in her hand, a pair of spectacles sitting comfortably on her nose.
The butler bowed and left, leaving Prudence standing by the door, unsure of what to do. The Dowager Marchioness had expected Prudence to come to sit by her side and glanced up, staring at her in confusion, when she noticed the poor girl was just standing there.
“Prudence? Whatever is the matter? Why are you standing there like a child about to be scolded?” the Dowager Marchioness questioned with a little laugh. “Come, sit. I will just be a moment, dear.”
Prudence nodded and took a seat on the adjacent sofa, forcing herself to perk up as the older woman finally put away the document she had been reading, along with her spectacles.
“Dearest, how are you?” Beatrice asked in lieu of a greeting, her gentle kindness soothing Prudence’s nerves.
“I am all right. How are you?” Prudence asked politely.
“I am just fine, darling. I apologize for the sudden request to meet. I fear Aiden is right when he says I am far too dramatic for the mental well-being of others—do not tell him I said that, though. The brat will never let me live it down.”
Prudence giggled, feeling a little more at ease. “It is quite all right. I will admit… your letter surprised me, but I did not mind much. What can I do for you, my lady?”
Beatrice shook her head slowly. “You have done much for me already, love, which is why I called you here to express my gratitude.”
Prudence’s heart sank rapidly.
Could it be—is it really over?
“Aiden was a sweet thing when he was a child. He was bright, kind, and had the gentlest heart I’ve ever seen in a boy his age. He was always thinking of others, fixated on keeping up with his studies to make his parents proud and happy, choosing toys his younger brother and sister would like for himself so he could play with them… He was precious, and losing everything the way he did broke him into too many pieces—most of them lost as he grew older.
“People think I took him in out of pity, an obligation to look after a child who had lost everything he had and would undoubtedly lose himself too if he wasn’t looked after properly. But that was never it—not for me and Aiden. I wanted a family of my own ever since I was a young girl. I dreamed of a caring husband and so many children to fill my days and nights with as much noise as possible. That was a life I craved and never had, so it meant a lot to me when I was asked to be Aiden’s godmother. He and his family became my family, and after they passed, Aiden was all I had in this world, just as I was all he had as well.”
Beatrice paused to take a sip of her tea, smiling kindly at Prudence as she asked, “Tea?”
Prudence nodded a little stiffly, allowing the woman to pour her a cup. She took it but held it in her hands, afraid she would not be able to swallow if she took a sip.
Beatrice took another sip from her cup, set it back on the saucer, and continued.
“He was a shell of himself for the longest time, and I tried everything I could, hoping and praying that he would grow into a stable person, one who did not just stare off at nothing for hours on end. But what happened was that he grew cold and distant, opting instead to listen to lies from people who did not know him, taking their accusations to heart and letting them mold him into the person he is today. And it devastated me. I had begun to lose hope because we were both getting older, and I did not want to leave him, did not wish for him to have to endure my passing as well, all on his own.
“So, I wished for him to find a woman to settle down with. One who would help light a spark within him, urging him to breathe and feel like every person has the right to. And I had just begun to lose hope of that ever happening. And then you came along. Prudence, words cannot describe what a godsend you have been. Aiden has never looked so alive, so full of something more than cold air and pain. Since he met you, his voice is no longer devoid of emotions, and his eyes are more expressive. And I know it can only be thanks to your influence. I am very, very grateful to you, dear.”
Prudence blinked, and the tears that had gathered in her eyes rolled down her cheeks. “N-No, I didn’t—”
“Yes, dear, you did. You did far more than anyone has, simply by giving him a chance and being by his side. He has been ostracized and shamed all his life simply for surviving, and you were the only one who did not hold that against him. Thank you, Prudence. For doing all of that, for putting yourself in front of my godson as a friend, a companion, and a protector, for holding onto him, even as the tides of injustice tried to claim him. You have been so brave and kind, and I want you to know that however things might end between you two, regardless of what choice you make, I will always be indebted to you. Because for a while, at least, my dear Aiden has been happy.”
Prudence shook her head, wiping her cheeks with a hand while firmly holding her teacup with the other, using the heat from the liquid within to ground her.
“I’m the one who should be thankful to you.” She sniffed. “For doing your best to raise such a kind, thoughtful man. I… I do not know how things will end between us either. There’s s-so much that is uncertain right now, but I want to trust that we will be all right. Because these few weeks I have spent with him have been some of the best in my life.”
It was so daring to utter those words, unconcerned by their implications, because she desperately needed to say them out loud.
Beatrice smiled at her, soft and kind, and reached out, gently wiping away her tears. “I am glad that you have been as happy as he is, at least. Whatever happens next, do not worry. If there is anything I have learned in this life, it is to trust myself. Trust every feeling, every instinctive twitch I sense or feel. Because, at the end of the day, no one knows me better than myself. So, trust yourself, dearest.”
Prudence decided to trust in her heart, in the honest feelings that had grown and bloomed into something scary and oh-so-lovely. And she hoped that she would be strong to face whatever came next.
Chapter Twenty-Two
“The Earl of Thornbury?”
Prudence’s look of curiosity mirrored that of her sister, who had asked the question, both of them looking over the invitation in Prudence’s hands.
“Yes, dear. He’s an old friend who lives in London, most of the time. He likes to visit the countryside to refresh his senses, apparently, and he always throws a lavish ball just before his stay comes to an end. I’m always invited, and I put in a good word to have your family invited as well,” the Dowager Marchioness explained.
“Whatever for, Beatrice?” Martha huffed in annoyance. “Now you have left these poor children no choice but to have another outing. What if they had other engagements? Perhaps they wanted to have a nice, long soak in a bath and eat some treats? Or even engage in a quick—but rewarding—game of poker before retiring to bed early.”
