Page 95 of Rescued from Betrayal
“That is because you do not know that she’s”—the woman raised her hand to her mouth as if not wanting others to hear— “illegitimate.”
And there was the blow Edith had used to clear the playing field. Melior’s eyes sought out Lady Jane who had risen to her feet and was rushing from the room. Melior let go of Nathaniel’s arm to follow her, noticing the Duke of Rothland’s angry expression as his daughter fled.
Melior pitied Edith if the man ever found out that she’d started the lie. Everyone knew how hard the man was and how fiercelyhe defended his family. It was said that he would fire servants for uttering even one word of gossip.
In the hall, Melior whipped her head both ways trying to find where Lady Jane had retreated. A flash of white near the door caught her attention as the woman flew past the butler without retrieving her coat. Melior dashed after her catching up when Lady Jane rounded the edge of the house and collapsed on the muddy ground of the small garden.
Huge sobs escaped her, and Melior hesitantly bent to lay a gentle hand on her back, not knowing if it would be accepted or not. Lady Jane flinched at the contact and her tear-filled brown eyes blinked.
“Come to plunge the last dagger, Melior?” she choked.
“No… I come to give comfort and perhaps apologize for all the years of hurt between us.”
A bitter laugh escaped through Lady Jane’s tears. “I can hardly believe that. Was it you who started the rumors?”
“It was not, but I know who did.”
“Who?”
“Lady Edith.”
“I should have known. I never saw so much of that lady until Lord Caraway began coming around for regular visits. Since then she has been everywhere I turn.”
“Yes. Well her lies have hurt more than one person. It started with me, and then moved to Lady Agatha, and now on to you. We have all been caught in her web of deceit.”
Lady Jane rolled her lips inward, but a whimper escaped. “Only…” she said and hiccupped on a sob, “it is not a lie. I am not the Duke of Rothland’s daughter.”
Melior’s mouth fell open. Then she bent down, heedless of the mud that stained her dress, and wrapped her arms about Lady Jane. She sniffed and Lady Jane sobbed. Melior would recover,and Agatha would eventually recover, but Lady Jane would be ruined forever.
She did not know where Edith had found such information, but if not for her, Lady Jane could have lived out her life with no one knowing any differently. No wonder the duke had been so careful with his staff.
Lady Jane began to shiver in Melior’s arms. “Come, we need to get you out of this cold.”
“Why? I might as well die here. My life is over. Completely over.”
Melior grabbed her chin and made her look at her. “It is not over, Jane. You still have so many things to live for.”
Lady Jane searched her face. “But I have nothing.”
“I know your father. He would never leave you with nothing. That he accepted you all these years knowing you were not his own speaks volumes of his character. You will find a way.”
A tear slipped down Lady Jane’s cheek. “Why are you being so kind to me?”
“Because I am just as fallen as you. I have learned much these last few weeks, and one of them is that we are more alike than we are different. You and I were shaped and molded by mothers who encouraged us to compete, to bite at one another, and find fault with each other. But we are not them.”
A little snort escaped Lady Jane, something between a laugh and a sob. “They do hate each other, don’t they?”
Melior smiled. “Yes.” She helped Lady Jane to her feet and peered at her. “I am sorry for all the times I made your life harder.”
Lady Jane grasped her hand. “As am I.”
Footsteps pounded on the walkway and the Duke of Rothland rounded the corner, bumping into Melior’s back. She stumbled into Jane who held her upright.
“My apologies,” the duke said, then frowned. “Miss Kendall?”
“It is Lady Stanford now, Papa.”
The older man looked his daughter over from head to foot. “Let’s get you out of here.”
