Page 52 of Unraveled By the Duke
“Oh, really? Does he not wish to share breakfast with his wife?” Celia asked, confused.
“His Grace rose early and breakfasted alone, Your Grace,” Peggy said carefully.
Celia felt a moment’s disquiet. It was a tightness in her stomach, a sudden doubt. That was not how she had expected the first day post consummation to start.
Was I being naive? I was truthful with him when I said I did not seek love or romance. I know circumstances have forced us together. But I did expect… something.
Her earlier good feeling slowly faded, colored by sadness.
“Shall I draw a bath for Your Grace?” Peggy asked.
“Yes, please, Peggy. A good hot one, and kindly lay out my dress for the day while I bathe.”
Celia bathed and then dressed, taking no pleasure in the hot water or the steamy air. She treated it perfunctorily, a means of cleaning the sweat from the night’s exertions from her body. By the time she dressed, the sadness had given way to a hard shell she drew around herself.
Let us see what the Duke wishes, how he wants us to be. I will not be hurt by anything he says.
She left his rooms and set out to find him. First, she passed a sitting room, where she saw Aurelia staring out a window pensively.
Oh my, I was so caught up in my affairs that I had clean forgotten about my sister. Oh Lord, forgive me! Aurelia, forgive me!
She rushed into the room to her sister’s side and gave her a hug.
Aurelia laughed quietly. “Celia, you are very attentive.”
“Of course, you are my sister. Why should I not be?”
Aurelia looked at her strangely and peeled Celia’s arms from around her shoulders. “I did not see you after we returned here last night. I did not see the Duke either, and I am thinking the two facts are connected?”
Celia frowned, detecting criticism in her sister’s words. “I do not understand. What are you saying?”
“I needed my older sister last night, Celia. I was beside myself with worry. I still am. I do not know if my reputation is ruined forever. If I have mired our family in scandal with my naivete. No, I will call it what it is—my stupidity. But you disappeared with your husband…”
“But Aurelia, I went to discuss your problem with him, and he is taking steps to resolve it. Let me tell you what will happen?—”
Aurelia held up a hand. “Stop, Celia. I appreciate the help. I surely need it. But am I not to be consulted? Am I soincompetent that everything must be done for me, as though I am a child?”
“No, of course not. Alexander acted in what he thought was your best interests.”
“Which was very kind of him. But did you not think to tell me what was being done?” Aurelia demanded.
Celia was taken aback. Of all the reactions she had expected upon seeing her sister, this was not it.
How to explain that I would have come to her and told her, except that I ended up with Alexander. We ended up…
She flushed, feeling a deep heat in her face.
“Yes, you’re right. I should have come to you. I was… distracted, and then the fatigue of the evening pulled me under. I’m sorry. And I’m sorry that I slept late and did not break my fast with you.”
“The Duke did not either. I saw him going into the library, but he did not acknowledge me. Not even a good morning.”
“I think social behavior is rather antithetical to him,” Celia said.
She was reluctant to speak ill of Alexander; in fact, she was aware of a deep-seated need to show loyalty to him.
That is nonsense. He has not shown loyalty to me, and Aurelia is my sister. She must always come first. Let this be an awakening.
“Well, let me make up for my omissions last night. The Duke has written to a man who has… shall we say that he knows how to navigate the tides of opinion and gossip in the seas of London Society. He has asked this man to ascertain the degree of scandal and to propose a strategy to counter it.”
