Page 52 of Duchess By Accident
Peter scowled. “Just leave it be, please, I do not want to discuss it.”
“I will not. You are my brother and-” Natalie began but he cut her off.
“-I am going to go to the gentleman’s club. I need a drink and have no desire to be badgered by you about this.” Peter turned from her and stormed off in the direction of the club, leaving Natalie to clamber into the carriage alone.
Natalie clenched her fists, half tempted to go after her brother and smack some sense into him. But she knew it would only make things worse. She climbed into the carriage – she needed to find out exactly what had happened between Peter and his mysterious woman.
“Rose! I wondered if I might talk to you about something?” Natalie called out as she ran after Rose who was taking a walk in the garden.
“Of course. What did you wish to talk about?” Rose asked, canting her head towards Natalie.
Natalie took a deep breath. “It is about Peter. Well about Peter and his latest love. I am worried about him. I do not think I have ever seen him like this. And he will not tell me what has happened. At least not all of it.”
Rose nodded, biting her lip as she surveyed Natalie. “What has he told you?”
“That the young woman’s father does not think he would be a suitable match. Though I can hardly see why.” Natalieswallowed. “Rose, tell me the truth. Is it my fault that the man will not give his consent?”
Rose sighed, her face falling in a way that was like a knife in Natalie’s heart. “I had hoped that your marriage to Duke Blackwood would be a sort of salve for your reputation. But if anything, it seems to have worsened it.”
“I overheard some women talking in the village. The things they were saying…” Natalie pictured the women in her mind, remembering the disdain in their voices. “How has it gotten so bad? Why will they not simply leave me alone?”
“It is hard to say. Some scandals catch the tons fancy in a way that others do not. And it would appear that these… rumours are particularly appealing.” Rose shook her head, wrinkling her nose in distaste.
“I just do not understand how I am the villain in all of this. Especially when Lord Bolton has behaved as he has done. He sired multiple children with different women for goodness’ sake!” Natalie clenched her fists tightly, scowling as she did so.
Rose gently placed a hand on Natalie’s arm, and squeezed reassuringly. “The world is rarely just, and when it comes to a woman’s reputation it is even less so.”
“But what am I supposed to do about it? It would be one thing if it was just me. But it is affecting those I love as well.” Natalie felt a lump form in her throat. “Peter clearly loves this woman deeply, and now I am standing in the way of his happiness. Icannot bear that my foolishness is causing him pain. I should never have been so blindly trusting.”
“You did not do anything wrong. None of this is your fault.” Rose said emphatically.
“And yet still I am the one being punished.” Natalie shook her head. “I do not know what to do.”
“You must take control of the narrative somehow. Though I suspect for that to be effective you would need the aid of your husband.” Rose gave Natalie a significant look.
“I do not know if he would give it to me.” Natalie glanced over her shoulder towards the house, a spike of nerves flaring to life in her chest.
Rose nodded. “I am surprised he does not already know. The man does have rather a lot of informants throughout England, Scotland too if some of the tales are to be believed.”
“If he knows, that would surely be worse. Because he has chosen to do nothing.” Natalie’s eyes widened.He would not really do that to me, would he?
She pictured Adrian with his cold grey eyes and felt a shiver travel down her spine. She had to assume he did not know – after all, her reputation would likely affect his daughter.And he would not stand for that.
“That is true. I cannot really imagine him knowing and choosing inaction.” Rose gave her a sidelong look. “Though he would hardly be the first man to be a little distracted on his honeymoon.”
Colour rushed to Natalie’s cheeks. “Our marriage is not… We do not… I mean… He probably has been distracted but not in the way you are suggesting.”
Rose arched an eyebrow at Natalie. “And what does that mean?”
“Well… I did not want him to think he could control me as he seems to do so much of the ton. So I have been… Well, just doing the odd thing here and there to demonstrate this.” Natalie chewed on her lip. “Though perhaps if I had not behaved like this, he might have noticed sooner and my reputation might not be so bad.”
Rose shrugged. “Perhaps, but punishing yourself now will help no one. You need to come up with a plan and I think you need to enlist your husband’s expertise.”
Natalie swallowed. She did need a plan. But the thought of asking Adrian for his help stirred something within her that made her chest squeeze and heart race.
After all, she was still paying the price for her last plea for help.
Chapter Sixteen
