Page 92 of Duchess By Accident
“The skyline. The village. The bed and breakfast where she met Ca-” Lady Isabelle’s eyes widened and she hastily said, “C-ca-Caroline. A friend who she met when she moved to Blackwood castle.”
Natalie saw the tension in Lady Isabelle’s shoulders, and the slight widening of her eyes before she managed to affix a smile to her face.So she knew about the affair.
“I suppose it is only natural to seek out companionship when one moves to a new area. I am grateful that my family do not live far from here, so that I may see them often.” Natalie watched the woman’s face, seeing the relief spread across it.She does not want to reveal her cousin’s shame.
That was promising. Natalie had suspected as much, after all. If Lady Isabelle had told anyone of her cousin’s infidelity, the rumours would have no doubt spread like wildfire.Secrets. Secrets.
“Yes. She was rather lonely before they met.” Lady Isabelle wrinkled her nose. “Though I did not care for—Caroline.”
“Oh?” Natalie widened her eyes. “Why?”
“I did not feel she was a good influence. My cousin lost herself in the friendship.” Lady Isabelle grabbed a fistful of her dress, frustration and anger clear on her face. “I tried to convince her to end it, but she would hear nothing against h-her. Perhaps if she had, things would have turned out differently.”
“It is hard to walk away from love, once you have discovered it.” Natalie said, studying Lady Isabelle.
The other woman stiffened. “What do you mean?”
“I think you know what I mean.” Natalie gave her a frank look.
Lady Isabelle straightened. “I would prefer to hear you say it.”
So the woman was not completely clueless. Natalie nodded. “Caroline was a man, and I suspect his name was not Caroline. The late Duchess fell in love with him. I had not realised they had met in the village, I do not think Adrian knows this.”
“You must understand, my cousin was not a bad person. She… She was desperately lonely. She spent all her life trying to be perfect and the Duke was hardly ever here. She had always been a good girl, but when she met Callum… Everything changed.” Lady Isabelle hugged her arms around herself.
She gestured around them. “It was like she was possessed. All she could do was speak of him. I told her she should stop it. That it was immoral, but she did not care. She wanted to run away with him. She even introduced us once.”
“Really?” Natalie’s eyebrows raised so high she feared they would disappear into her hair.
“I did not think much of him. He was rash and headstrong, as quick to love as he was to anger. He loved a good fight, and I think that dangerous quality was what drew her to him. It is what killed him in the end.” Lady Isabell hung her head.
“And she followed him soon after.”
“Foolish woman. I only hope God forgives her.” Lady Isabelle looked at her. “How do you know about the affair?”
Natalie gestured to the horizon. “Adrian told me. She left him a note telling him everything. I do not think he cared about the infidelity, but he sees what she did as abandoning her daughter.”
“It was in part because of her daughter that she did it. That was in her note to me.” Lady Isabelle said bitterly. “She said she reminded her too much of him, and that could not live with that. I always thought she looked like my cousin and to see her now, she is the spitting image of Claire at that age, save for her hair.”
But Adrian’s hair is black and why would Melody reminding the late Duchess of Adrian cause her to…The force of Natalie’srealisation hit her like a bullet and she stumbled, clutching at her stomach. Melody was not Adrian’s daughter.
Lady Isabelle had caught Natalie’s reaction and clapped a hand to her mouth. “Oh! You did not know! I did not mean… Oh God, I have put my foot in it now.”
Natalie wrestled her emotions under control. Perhaps the Duchess had not told Adrian in her note, perhaps he did not know.Please say he did not know.If anyone found out the truth, it would ruin her daughter’s life.
I must take control.Natalie took a steadying breath. “Have you told anyone else this?”
“No. Of course not. I have not even told Peter, and I have no intention of telling him.” Lady Isabelle looked utterly wretched. “That child has been through enough without that.”
“Good. And the letter? Where is it now?” Natalie asked.
“I keep it. I… I could not bear to throw it away. As much as I hate it…” Lady Isabelle touched a hand to her chest, as though making sure something was still there.
“You have it on you?” Natalie held out a hand. “Give it to me.”
“But…” Lady Isabelle stepped away from her.
“As long as that exists, Melody is endangered. I cannot allow that. Please, Lady Isabelle, give me the letter.” Natalie was prepared to wrestle it from the woman if necessary, to blackmail and threaten her, but she hoped it would not come to that.
