Page 1 of His Scarred Duchess
Chapter One
“Absolutely not, Richard! I won’t allow you to exile my granddaughter like some unwanted parcel!”
Adeline Follett froze outside the parlor door, her hand hovering over the doorknob. Her grandmother’s voice, usually so composed, rang out with uncharacteristic fury. She hesitated, her heart pounding against her ribs, desperate to escape the impending confrontation.
“Lady Gillingham, be reasonable,” her father replied, a hint of exasperation coloring his tone. “With Isabella’s debut approaching, we must think of the family’s reputation.”
“And Adeline is not family?” The Dowager Countess’s words dripped with icy disdain.
Adeline’s fingers trembled as she lowered her hand from the doorknob. She closed her eyes, holding back tears. Of course, italways came back to this—her scars, her ruined prospects, the shame she brought upon her family.
“Of course she is,” Lord Brenton sighed. “But you must see reason. Adeline is… well, her presence will only hinder Isabella’s chances. Thetoncan be cruel, and I won’t have both my daughters cast aside because of… unfortunate circumstances.”
“Unfortunate circumstances?” The Dowager Countess’s voice rose an octave. “Is that what we’re calling your negligence now, Richard?”
Adeline flinched at the barb, memories of that fateful day flooding her mind. The excited chatter at the garden party, the gleaming coat of the spirited horse, her father’s insistent voice urging her to mount despite her protests…
She shook her head, banishing the thoughts. It wouldn’t do to dwell on the past now.
Taking a deep breath, Adeline squared her shoulders and pushed open the door. “Father, Grandmama, please. There’s no need to quarrel on my account.”
Both heads turned sharply at her entrance. Lord Brenton’s face was flushed with anger, while the Dowager Countess’s eyes softened at the sight of her.
“Adeline, my dear,” her grandmother said, extending a hand. “Come, sit with me. Your father and I were just discussing?—”
“I heard,” Adeline interrupted gently, moving to stand between them instead of taking a seat. She clasped her hands tightly in front of her to hide the tremors. “Father, if you believe my absence would benefit Isabella’s debut, then I shall go.”
Lord Brenton’s eyebrows rose in surprise. “You… you would?”
“Adeline, no!” The Dowager Countess stood up, her skirts rustling with the sudden movement. “You needn’t exile yourself. You can stay with me. I won’t have you sent away like some?—”
“It’s all right, Grandmama,” Adeline reassured her, forcing a smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes. “Father is right. Isabella deserves every chance at happiness. I won’t stand in her way.”
Lord Brenton cleared his throat, looking both relieved and uncomfortable. “Well, I… I’m glad you see reason, Adeline. I’ve arranged for you to stay with your great-aunt in Scotland. She’s expecting you in a month.”
“A month?” the Dowager Countess exclaimed. “Surely, you can give her more time, Richard. To send her away so soon is?—”
“One month,” Lord Brenton said firmly, his gaze fixed on Adeline. “That’s all I can allow. For Isabella’s sake, you understand.”
Adeline nodded, her spine stiff as a board. “Of course, Father. One month is… more than generous.”
The Dowager Countess opened her mouth to protest further, but Adeline laid a gentle hand on her arm. “It’s decided, Grandmama. Please, don’t trouble yourself any further on my account.”
With a final nod to her father and a quick kiss on her grandmother’s cheek, Adeline turned and left the parlor. She held her head high, her steps measured and dignified until she was out of sight.
As she passed the grand hallway mirror, she averted her gaze. She couldn’t confront the reflection of the face that had sealed her fate.
The scar running down her cheek—once the mark of an accident—had become a permanent reminder of her ruined prospects, of the whispers she would never escape.
No one will ever look beyond it—beyondher.
Only when she reached the privacy of the staircase did she allow her shoulders to slump, her carefully constructed facade crumbling as she made her way to her bedchamber.
Once inside, she leaned against the closed door, finally allowing the tears to fall. One month. One month until she would be spirited away, hidden from Society’s cruel gaze. One month until she would bid farewell to everything and everyone she held dear.
A soft knock at the door startled her from her thoughts. Hastily wiping away her tears, Adeline called out, “Who is it?”
“It’s me,” came the cheerful reply of her younger sister. “May I come in?”
