Page 11 of Unraveled By the Duke
In contrast to Celia’s dark mood, the sun shone brightly, and the air thrummed with bird song. It should have been a beautiful day. A day to go over the conversations of the previous evening with Aurelia. To talk about who they had danced with and who had caught their eyes.
Instead, Aurelia had avoided her after being forced to leave the ball early.
“Your father and I are deeply disappointed. You are not a debutante, prone to making mistakes. You are twenty-two years old and expected to avoid such reckless behavior,” Edna scolded.
“I was not frolicking with the Duke for the pleasure of it, Mama. As I tried to tell Papa—” Celia began.
Edna raised a hand, closing her eyes briefly as though in pain. She shook her head. “I defended you after your last act of madness. I told your father not to believe the gossip. That you have the temperament of an artist and, as such, are unpredictable. But now, it seems the gossips were right.”
“No, they are not! I was afraid for my safety. I did not know it was the Duke who was coming through the door. I thought it was the other man. I have told you this!” Celia cried.
“The other man, yes. But Aurelia said this other man is the Viscount Darnleigh, not Captain Goodwood…”
“Greenwood. Lavinia called him Greenwood,” Celia corrected.
“Greenwood, then. She and Lavinia both assured me that you were mistaken and that this man was no threat to you at all. Lavinia said that while she was trying to clean your dress, you ran off to the Duke of Larcher’s bedroom!”
Celia stopped, throwing her hands up. “She is lying, Mama! She admitted to me that I caught her with another man when I saw her three months ago. I recognized that man, and he was intent on obtaining the sketch I made of the two of them—proof of what I have been saying!”
Tears of frustration welled up in her eyes. Her mother had always taken her side. They had always been close, more than even Aurelia and the twins, Nora and Louis. Now, the shuttered look on her mother’s face was scaring her.
I will be meek and mild when it comes to my punishment for being caught dressing as a common man and wandering the streets of London. That was dangerous and reckless. But I cannot be meek when it comes to this.
“Mother, please believe me. Lavinia is not at all what she makes herself out to be,” Celia protested.
“Since you went to your aunt and uncle in the country, she has been a friend and mentor to Aurelia. She has invited her to promenades and numerous luncheons. Aurelia has escaped the scandal you caused thanks to her friendship with Lavinia. And how is she repaid for her kindness? By losing her engagement to the Duke of Cheverton. I simply have no words.”
They rounded a bend in the path, descending the stone steps to a pond fed by a brook that bounced its way down alongside the steps. The air was damp and cool. Ahead of them was the old servants’ quarters, disused since Celia’s grandfather had expanded Banfield House to give the staff a wing of their own.
How can I make them all see? Lavinia is the one who was cheating on her intended. Her lover is the one who frightened me into the Duke ofCheverton’s arms. Lavinia must have run to fetch my father as soon as I escaped. She wanted a witness.
Celia was angry, but her anger was mixed with guilt. Her own actions had led to her current predicament. Had she not seen Lavinia and Greenwood, she would not have recognized him at the ball.
On the other hand, had none of this happened, I would never have experienced the feel of His Grace’s body beneath mine. Pressing against me. Pressing into me…
She blushed, wringing her hands and trying to dislodge the memory of the Duke’s powerful, rigid body. His kisses. The taste of him.
They had reached the door of the old servants’ quarters. It was framed in white plaster and set into red brick. The two stories had small windows under the eaves for the bedrooms. Ivy covered most of them, and moss grew on the tiled roof.
Edna had a long, iron key in her hand.
“Mama, why are we here?” Celia asked.
“Your father…” Edna stopped, clearing her throat, and Celia saw the tears in her eyes. “He does not wish to see you in the house. Colonel Savage has withdrawn his proposal and has very scathingly expressed his view of our family and our… morals. Your father is writing to Uncle Cuthbert to see whether he and my sister can house you. Permanently. In the meantime, I’m afraid you will have to reside here.”
“Under lock and key? A prisoner?” Celia exclaimed.
“Of course not, child,” Edna snapped. “It is for your own good. Until you have shown you can exercise restraint and self-control.I will persuade Aurelia to come and keep you company. She will forgive you, I am sure.”
Celia stared at her mother for a long moment as the door creaked open. Then, she nodded, steeling herself. “If it must be so.”
She strode into the house with her chin held high, determined to show as much dignity as she could.
Three days passed during which Celia did not leave the house. Aurelia did not visit, but her mother did, and she had brought her drawing implements and paper.
Celia passed the time drawing the birds and animals she observed in the gardens. Or Nora and Louis, who came to the window to talk to her, joyfully unaware of the disgrace she had brought upon their family once again.
More than once, she spotted Lavinia walking in the gardens with Aurelia and looked away, unable to bear the sight. When she saw her father, he was angry. When she heard his voice in the distance, it was shouting and arguing with her mother. She was afraid of his anger, butt it also made her resentful.
