Page 6 of It's In The Duke's Kiss
Two
Two days later
Emma crouched at the top of the stairs out of sight from her mother and Lady Peabody, a gossipmonger who loved to stir trouble. As Lady Peabody arrived, all Emma could think was how lucky it was that she’d not yet gone down stairs. Lady Peabody pretended to be sweet as honey and often referred to herself as a good Christian woman, but in Emma’s book, good Christian women did not spend all their time spreading gossip.
She eyed the plump, purple-clad woman, certain Lady Peabody was here to gleefully relay whatever rumors were spreading about Emma’s near-drowning, and she simply had to know what was being said about her. She didn’t much care what thetonthought, but Mother did, and Emma needed to know just how bad things might be. That would tell her how upset Mother would be.
As the butler took Lady Peabody’s pelisse, Emma heard the squeak of the door to the bedchamber behind her as it was opened, and Mary suddenly appeared. Emma pressed her finger to her lips and frantically waved to Mary to get down. Mary immediately complied and walked, low to the ground, toward Emma. Three days ago, if Emma had motioned to Mary to keep hidden, her sister would have scoffed, but ever since Emma had fallen through the ice, it was as if Mary had realized she truly loved her. Mary had been treating her with such kindness, and she’d not said one harsh word to her since the first few minutes after the accident. And even then, Mary had only berated her for a minute before she’d promptly burst into tears and given Emma a very long hug.
As Mary came to crouch right beside Emma and took her hand, Emma smiled. She wholeheartedly embraced this change in her sister. An ally was always welcome.
Lady Peabody,Emma mouthed.
Mary rolled her eyes in response, and they both turned their focus to their mother and her guest.
“Lady Peabody,” Mother said, “shall we go into the parlor?”
“Indeed,” the lady replied. “I’m sure we’ll want privacy to discuss what you need to do. As a good Christian woman, I came straight away when I heard the whispers about your Emmaline, and that rakish Lord Nathaniel. You must be so upset overthe scandal,” the woman said in a dramatic whisper that made Emma want to scream. She didn’t know what was worse, Lady Peabody’s calling Emma’s near-drowning,the scandal or the way Mother had been referring to it in a stage whisper asthe incidentfor the last two days. Both made Emma clench her teeth.
“Oh dear!” Mother cried in a voice worthy of the finest actress performing an affected scene. “I simply knew this would be the end of Emmaline. Do you think she’s ruined?”
Emma rolled her eyes while Mary patted her hand.
“It’s hard to say,” the woman returned in an infuriatingly cheery tone. “There is some odd story that’s circulating that your daughter has megrims and that Lord Nathaniel was simply helping to steady her before she fell through the ice. I’m not certain anyone believes it, though.”
“Oh yes,” Mother exclaimed. “That’s precisely what happened. Emma has dreadful megrims that steal her balance, and she told me that she was struck with one at the Serpentine.”
Mary gave Emma a look of amazement that she was positive her own face mirrored. Mother was boldly lying. Firstly, Emma rarely had megrims, and secondly, Mother had refused to speak to Emma ever since Jeffrey had brought her home dripping wet, and her fiendish cousin had told Mother what he’d seen happen before Emma had an opportunity.
“What shall I do?” Mother wailed, jerking Emma’s attention back to the foyer. “I cannot simply sit here.”
“Don’t you have a cousin who lives in America?” the horrid Lady Peabody asked. “Send her away! That will cease all wagging tongues.”
Emma froze. America? Surely, surely Mother would not—
“A sound idea!” Mother proclaimed.
Emma gasped as she broke into a cold sweat.
“Lady Peabody, do you mind if we visit another day? I think I shall pack immediately and retire to the country. My poor, poor Mary,” Mother said with a loud sniff. “How is she supposed to secure a husband after this?”
Mary snorted beside Emma. As Mother turned to see Lady Peabody out, Emma rose and went straight to her bedchamber. She flopped backward onto the bed and squeezed her eyes shut. The bed dipped a moment later as Mary joined her.
“She wouldn’t send you to America, Emmaline.”
Emma opened her eyes and stared at the ceiling. “She’ll try. Perhaps Papa can persuade her not to.” Emma sat up and rubbed her temples. “I shall be forced to run away if he fails. I’d make the worst houseguest.”
“That’s true,” Mary said with a grin. “And they’d likely send you right back, so you need not worry overly much.”
Emma laughed, though her heart squeezed painfully. Her mother had never cared for her, and this made it blindingly clear.
“Emmaline!” her mother screeched so loudly it seemed to echo in Emma’s ears. “Pack your bags! You’re going to America.”
Emma groaned as the sound of footsteps thudded up the stairs. The door burst open and Mother stepped through and glared at Emma. “You’ve done it now.”
“Mother,” Mary soothed as she stood and went to her. “America is so far and so uncultured.”
“Never mind that,” Mother grumbled. “Emma is likely ruined. We must salvage the situation.” Then Mother looked at Emma, anger and sadness mingling in her eyes. “You poor thing.” She hugged Emma to her with a surprising show of affection. Mother sighed and shoved her away with a sniff. “Haven’t I told you for years to behave like a lady? Didn’t I remind you a thousand times to act with proper decorum?”
