Page 98 of His Scarred Duchess
Before Joanna could respond, Lady Alderton’s eyes rolled to the back of her head, and she pitched forward dramatically.
In her ‘fall,’ she managed to upend an entire bowl of punch directly over Joanna’s head.
A collective gasp went up from the assembled guests as Joanna stood there, dripping and sputtering. Her carefully coiffed hair hung in soggy strands around her face, and her gown—likely one of her few remaining fine pieces—was thoroughly ruined.
“You did that on purpose!” she shrieked, her composure finally cracking.
Lady Alderton blinked innocently, allowing Lord Rutherford to help her to her feet. “I am sure I don’t know what you mean, my dear. I simply had a spell of dizziness. It must be the heat.”
“Oh, what poppycock!” Joanna spat, her face nearly as red as the punch dripping down it. “You’ve had it out for me since?—”
“Since you broke my grandson’s heart and tried to ruin his marriage?” Lady Alderton finished, her voice suddenly steely beneath the silk. “Why yes, I suppose I have.”
Joanna’s mouth opened and closed like that of a fish out of water. She turned around, clearly looking for support, but found none. The ton, ever fickle, had already decided which side they were on—and it wasn’t hers.
“Now really,” Lady Gillingham interjected, her eyes twinkling with barely suppressed mirth, “I think we can all agree this was simply an unfortunate accident. Perhaps Lady Strathmore would like to go and freshen up?”
The suggestion, innocuous as it was, was clearly a dismissal. Joanna knew it, and from the mutinous look on her face, she didn’t appreciate it one bit.
“This isn’t over,” she hissed, glaring at Lady Alderton.
“Oh, I rather think it is,” Lady Gillingham replied cheerfully. “Do mind the carpet on your way out, dear. Punch stains are so dreadfully hard to remove.”
As Joanna stormed off, leaving a trail of sticky footprints in her wake, the garden erupted into not-so-hushed conversations.
Adeline turned to Edmund, expecting to see anger or perhaps distress on his face. Instead, to her delight, he was laughing.
“I don’t think I’ve ever been more grateful for our grandmothers’ meddling ways.” He chuckled, pulling her close.
Adeline couldn’t help but join in his laughter. “They are rather formidable when they put their minds to it, aren’t they?”
As the excitement died down and the party resumed its normal flow, Adeline found herself overwhelmed with a sense of contentment. Here she was, surrounded by family and friends, respected and admired in a way she had once thought impossible.
She looked up at Edmund, her heart swelling with love. “Thank you,” she said softly.
Edmund’s brow furrowed. “For what, my love?”
“For this,” Adeline replied, gesturing to the happy scene around them. “For loving me, for giving me a family, for… everything.”
Edmund’s eyes softened, and he leaned down to press a tender kiss to her lips. “No, Adeline,” he murmured. “Thankyoufor giving me a reason to believe in love again.”
As they basked in their moment of contentment, a familiar voice rang out across the garden.
“I say, is that a smile I see on the Duke of Holbrook’s face? Quick, someone alert the papers! This is surely a sign of the world’s end!”
Edmund turned around, his grin widening at the sight of his oldest friend. “Daniel! I was beginning to think you’d forgotten how to find your way out of London’s gaming halls.”
Daniel clutched at his chest in mock offense. “You wound me, Sir! I’ll have you know that I’ve been engaged in very important business.”
“Oh? And what business might that be?” Adeline asked, her eyes twinkling with amusement.
“Why, sampling every brandy in the city, of course,” Daniel replied with a roguish wink. “Someone has to do it, and I’ve selflessly offered my services.”
The three shared a laugh, the easy camaraderie between them a testament to how far they’d all come.
Daniel’s gaze drifted to where Isabella and Lord Pembrook stood, their heads bent close in intimate conversation. A wistful expression crossed his face.
“I say, when did Lady Isabella grow to be so beautiful? And more importantly, how did I let such a prize slip through my fingers?”
