Page 66 of The Undesirable Duke
“Home,” Lord Timothy interjected. “We were on our way home. I had an important matter that I needed to discuss with Yarmouth.”
“And you brought your sister with you, despite knowing that I had forbidden her from going anywhere near His Grace.”
Samuel shifted his weight rather uncomfortably, but he understood why Lady Welsford had forbidden Lady Lillian from seeing him.
“Mother, I can explain,” Lady Lillian began, but her mother interrupted her rather uncouthly.
“I am certain that you can, and you will. In the carriage, immediately,” Lady Welsford ordered and turned her attention to Lord Timothy. “Both of you.” she turned her attention back to Samuel, “and if you don’t mind Your Grace, you can send ourcoachman and the carriage that these two arrived in back to our townhouse.”
All that Samuel could do in the circumstances was nod, and watch as they were hurried away.
Chapter Twenty
Silence.
The drawing room was silent, although Lady Welsford’s angered stares spoke as loudly as an ear-piercing scream.
Lady Welsford had, since the moment that they had stepped into the carriage, not spoken a single word to either Lillian or Timothy, and neither of the Colborne siblings dared to speak first. Their mother was seething with anger, while their father sternly stared at them, his jaw tight.
Timothy shifted in discomfort and cleared his throat after what felt like an eternity.
“Mother, I-”
“Silence. I do not wish to hear it,” Lady Welsford hissed. “Not yet.”
Lillian clasped her hands together and looked at Timothy. As their gazes met, she mouthed a silent apology, and he nodded in reassurance. Despite Lillian’s insistence on accompanying Timothy to the Duke’s home, there was the fact that he had allowed her to. He was aware of the rules, and his mother had forbidden Lillian to leave their home, especially as she was notallowed anywhere near the Duke. It was entirely his fault, and he was ready to bear the consequences of his actions.
The carriage ride back to Welsford House had been quiet and tense, and no one had spoken a single word. Thankfully for everyone in the carriage, it had been a short journey.
Now, the two Colborne children stood in front of their parents in the drawing room, awaiting their fate. They were both well and truly of an age where they should be treated as adults, but at that moment, they felt as if they were six years old again.
Lady Welsford inhaled deeply, and the disappointment was evident on her face.
“As a mother, I am deeply disappointed.”
“Mother-”
“It is not your turn to speak, Timothy. I wish to speak my piece first.”
Lillian raised an apprehensive eyebrow as she was well aware of what her mother would say. Her mother found much delight in dredging up the past, and Lillian was convinced that she would do the same in this instance. Whenever she decided to speak, of course. Lillian was also aware that the longer the pause, the more dire the repercussions would be. She was already confined to her home, what worse fate was there?
“I was under the impression that I had raised well-behaved children who had grown into well-behaved adults, especially you, Timothy. You were such an obedient boy. You did as you were told without question, and you always carried the Colborne name with pride, ensuring that it could be held in high respect. You attended Oxford and made the family proud.”
Lillian lowered her gaze, as she unfortunately knew that she was more of a disappointment to her mother than Timothy was.
“Lillian, on the other hand, was defiant from the moment that she was born. Even her golden locks could not be tamed.”
Lord Welsford stepped forward and touched his wife’s shoulder.
“We recognize the differences between you, of course, as you are two entirely different people. And we would never dare to compare you with one another.”
“Only you do, Mother,” Lillian managed to say.
Lady Welsford glared at Lillian, and she lowered her gaze again.
“I have never been as disappointed in both of you as I am at this very moment. You disregarded everything I had said and put this family’s name and reputation in jeopardy.”
“Mother, I apologize. I am the one who is at fault. I allowed Lillian to accompany me to the Duke’s home.”
