Page 55 of A Duchess to Fight For
“Yes, Father. There is. I want to go to Rutland. I don’t want to see Percy in this home or Haddington Hall again. And I want complete control of whom I choose for a husband.”
Frederick nodded and said, “I grant none of those requests and never will.”
Louisa started sobbing, “You don’t care about me and what I want.”
“It is precisely that I care for you why I will not grant your requests. Do you have any idea? No, of course you wouldn’t.
“Your friend Percy,” Frederick put up his hand when he thought Louisa was going to jump in, “your friend Percy approached me, your mother and Hobart asking – no, begging – us to tell you the truth. The truth about everything. We refused, and we forbade him from doing it on his own.
“He didn’t betray you. He tried over and over again to stop us from betraying you. We betrayed you. And I will go to my grave regretting that we did.”
Louisa shook her head. “Percy should have told me anyway. Even if you didn’t want him to.”
“No, Louisa, he shouldn’t have. You aren’t his to protect and take care of. You’re mine. He didn’t let you down. I did.
“Now, you must come out of your bedchamber, and you must act like an adult old enough to marry. You will come to tea, and you will receive Percy. I insist.”
“I will not.”
“You will, and I will be there to make sure you act like the proper young lady I raised.”
*****
Percy greeted Mendon, more nervous than he was when he was fourteen and stole his first kiss.
“Good afternoon, Your Grace,” Mendon bowed.
Percy walked into the parlour and wanted to laugh. Amelia and Louisa sat, spines straight, hands in laps, heads down. Frederick was leaning back in his chair, head behind his newspaper.
Percy cleared his throat. “Good afternoon, Duke, Duchess, Lady Louisa.” He bowed.
Two curtsies and one bow later, Percy sat and was offered tea. He tried to make small talk about the weather and the air quality, but he was met with silence.
He thought of putting down his teacup and excusing himself from the room, but then he remembered he had been specifically asked to come.
Frederick finally started the conversation. “I invited you here today, Percy because the three of us need to apologize to you. I need to apologize to you for going against your recommendation to tell my daughter important things about her life she had a right to know. I didn’t take your input seriously, and I regret it. Please accept my apology.”
Percy nodded, uncomfortable by this process. “I accept your apology. I know you want only what is best for Louisa.”
Amelia cleared her throat. “I too would like to apologize to you, dear Percy. You voiced your concerns about Louisa with me, and I didn’t give your concerns the gravitas they deserved. I too ask your forgiveness.”
Percy stood and bowed. “You have my forgiveness, Duchess. I am grateful that you did me the honour of allowing me to speak frankly with you.”
He sat but couldn’t bring himself to look at Louisa. He knew her father was making her go through this exercise and wished he had not forced her hand. The result usually smacked of insincerity.
While the air was thick and still, Percy took a plate and placed two cookies on it. He sat back, plate on his lap, and waited. And waited.
Finally, Louisa did something unexpected. She rose from her seat and walked to Percy. She sat on the seat next to his and took his hand.
“You have been the best friend I have ever had. We have been each other’s confidants.” Tears filled Louisa’s eyes. “I was upset and disappointed in you, and I behaved badly. I should have known you would do the right thing. You always do the right thing.
“You are the one that fought for me the most, and you are the one I treated the worst. Can you ever forgive me, Percy?”
Percy leaned over and covered her hands. “I already have.”
Louisa’s tears started falling down her face. Percy took out his handkerchief and handed it to her. Their eyes met, and they both started to laugh.
‘Thank God this is over,’ Percy thought. The tension in the room began to dissipate.
