Page 64 of Unraveled By the Duke
It is time I was prepared to make sacrifices for her.
“Hyacinth is your sister, and Aurelia is mine. She faces a scandal that could end her social life before it has properly begun. I would like to discuss the matter with my father.”
“Celia, this sounds more important—” Aurelia began.
“No,” Celia interrupted, “it is not. We can visit your solicitor another time, once I am sure this crisis has been averted.”
“Very well. I will accompany you to Banfield,” Alexander declared. “I can apprise your father of the steps I have taken to manage this situation and of the availability of my accounts as per our agreement.”
Celia forced a smile.
Even angry, he was handsome and drew her eye. Even cold, she was attracted to him, knowing that deep frost would burn her as surely as fire. She wanted to be in his arms again.
But the end is within sight. He will obtain my dowry, and he will have no further use for me. I am lying to myself by saying that Aurelia is my first priority. I am just grasping at any opportunity to delay the inevitable. To delay the end of my marriage to a man I did not even want to marry at first. I must try to remember the injustice of it all. I must try to remember how outraged I was at the loss of my freedom.
CHAPTER 20
“Your Grace, welcome to Banfield House. What a pleasant surprise.”
Alexander inclined his head in greeting to Cornelius Frid. Celia held his arm, and Aurelia hovered behind.
Cornelius turned a heavy-browed face to his eldest daughter. “I suppose I should call you, Your Grace, also,” he said.
“Only if you want me to call you Lord Scovell, or simply Scovell? I would rather call you Father,” Celia replied.
“Celia, it is then. And where is my other daughter?” Cornelius asked as she stepped aside.
“She is here, and I will not have a word said to her in a cross tone, Cornelius.” Edna Frid hurried forward to embrace Aurelia. “She has been through quite enough already.”
“I’m sorry, Mama. I’m sorry, Papa,” Aurelia mumbled brokenly.
Cornelius harrumphed as Edna ushered her into the house.
They stood outside the front door, where Cornelius had received them. Now, he fixed the couple with a withering glare.
“I do not know who is to blame for this latest disgrace. All I know for certain is that one daughter embroiled herself in not one buttwoscandals, and now a second follows. Am I to conclude, Celia, that your example had nothing to do with your sister’s poor judgment?”
“Aurelia is an adult, Scovell,” Alexander pointed out, putting his hand on Celia’s where it rested on his arm. “The first we saw of her was at Almack’s Assembly Rooms, by which time she had already made the unfortunate association that caused this trouble. Do not blame my wife.”
Cornelius reddened and harrumphed again, continuing to glare at Celia. “Of course, Your Grace… Your Graces, I merely state that the two followed one after the other. May I ask to what we owe the pleasure of this visit?”
Celia felt hurt by her father’s decision to be so formal after the warmth he had shown her at the wedding. Something in his mind had clearly changed. He was showing her that she was now a member of the Cheverton household, not Scovell.
Perhaps that was always the way of marriage, but this was an unusual marriage.
“I do not care for your tone, Lord Scovell. Nor do I wish to discuss our business on the drive. Perhaps we could go inside?” Alexander pressed.
Cornelius stepped aside, waving an arm like an army officer, snapping his heels together as he did so. It was a gesture of subordination, and that too felt like a stab to the heart.
I must bear these slings and arrows as the price for my actions. What is important is Aurelia. She can see the picture if it is here, and that will convince her that Lavinia is not the friend she believes her to be.
They entered the house ahead of her father.
Alexander bent his head to Celia as they did. “He is your father, so I will moderate my tone. Out of respect. But I do not care for the way he spoke to you.”
Celia looked at him, meeting his eyes and seeing his resolve. Unshakable and in her service.
She smiled, feeling the warmth of protection she had once derived from her father. Cornelius the warrior, the commander of men in battle, indefatigable. Now, there was her husband. Steel to her father’s iron.
