Page 78 of Married to the Forbidden Duke
“How can I convince him?”
“Do you know whatdidhappen?”
Alice raised her head, staring at Lady Rutland. “I was hoping you could tell me,” she murmured, her voice cracking. “I remember so little. I recall when he came to find me—I rememberthatclearly enough. How relieved I was to see him. And how confused I’d been before then.”
“You appeared drunk,” Lady Rutland explained gently. “No one could confirm or deny how much you had been drinking.”
“But surely the rumors had to come from somewhere,” Alice said desperately. “Where?”
“Did you tell anyone of the truth behind your situation?”
“Only Charlotte, but—” Alice stopped with a frown. “Surely not. Charlotte was my friend during my first Season. She would never betray me like this. I told her how happy the Duke makes me. And she said she would—” She tried to remember what Charlotte had said. “She was angry at the Duke for hurting me, of course, but I understand that. She has not been with him these weeks and seen his remorse. All she knows is how hurtIwas after the event. But—”
“You asked her to fetch you your next drink?”
“She offered. I agreed, so long as it was lemonade.” Alice shook her head, but the more she considered it, the more sense it made. Of everyone, she was the only one who knew the full story and might wish Frederick harm. “I trusted her,” she uttered blankly. “I believed that she meant well.”
“Sometimes the people who mean well are not always the people who behave the best,” Lady Rutland replied, chewing on her lip as she thought. “This will have to be handled with a light touch. Speak with your friend. If she can come out and admit to spreading the rumors, then all this will be more easily repaired. But if not…”
“She will,” Alice nodded resolutely. “I’ll make sure of it.”
Over the next two days, Alice saw almost nothing of Frederick. He left the house before she woke up and returned after she had gone to bed, and not once did he seek her out. The closeness they had cultivated, the intimacy, had disappeared entirely.
They were as two strangers sharing a home, and barely even that.
Once Alice had recovered enough to feel as though she could leave the house, she took Fortuna out to Hyde Park and met Helena, talking blithely as though nothing concerned her, even as she felt the eyes on her.
“My brother didn’t want me to leave with you at all,” Helena admitted. “I had to sneak away from him and Mama. But I do have good news.” She turned a shining face to Alice. “William agreed to marry me. I don’t know what you told the Duke to say to my brother, but it certainly worked.”
Alice forced a smile. At least her meddling had donesomegood. “I am so glad! Do you have a wedding date settled?”
“A month, just before he goes away. We shan’t have much of a honeymoon yet, but when he returns, we’ll go to Italy! Or perhaps the Lake District.” She flushed prettily. “I’m not entirely sure how much money he has, but I don’t mind even if we don’t go anywhere, so long as I can be with him.”
Alice’s heart agreed, though with a very different man in mind. She would have gone anywhere for Frederick, if he would only have her.
After making sure they were seen in Hyde Park, and after reassuring several ladies that she simplycould notwait to get back to her husband—even though she knew he was not at Langford Manor—she made her way to Charlotte’s new home.
So much had changed since their friendship. And upon discovering that Charlotte was likely behind this new disaster in her life, she felt as though her chest had turned cold. All the love she’d once harbored for her friend had disappeared in an instant.
“Alice!” Charlotte greeted heartily upon seeing her. “What a surprise to have you here. Come in.”
“This isn’t a mere social visit,” Alice muttered and turned as soon as they reached the modest drawing room. “And I won’t be staying long.” She used her stick to gesture at her friend. “Tell me once and for all what really happened at the picnic.”
“The picnic?” Charlotte laughed awkwardly. “Why are you asking me?”
“You know why.”
Charlotte folded her arms. “What has your husband been whispering in your ear? That I am a bad influence because I confronted him with the truth?”
“Frederick has said nothing against you. But I know.” She pressed a hand to her chest. “Iknow I did not drink too much. And that I begged you to let this go. Itoldyou how I felt about him. And yet somehow I found myself unable to walk straight, unable to think, and everyone there thought I was drunk.” She met her friend’s gaze. “The only other person to offer me a drink was you. So let me ask you again. What did youdo?”
Charlotte’s nostrils flared. “It was never meant for you.”
“What was?”
“You deserve better than him. Do you know what he did, Alice? How much he hurt you?”
Alice laughed, bitter and hard. “Of course I know! And I know how much he has sought to put that right ever since. Now tell me. What did you do?”
