Page 86 of If the Duke Dares
“There’s an announcement in here about your betrothal to that infernal cousin. After we told your father there would be no marriage. He cannotsell you away like a painting or a horse!”
Pandora came in, her eyes wide. “I heard Aunt Lucinda in the staircase hall, but I couldn’t catch all that she just said.”
“My betrothal has made the newspaper,” Persephone said, feeling strangely numb. Why wasn’t she as outraged as their aunt? Because she was no longer surprised by her parents.
Pandora walked around the table to look at the paper, standing beside Aunt Lucinda.
“There’s nothing much to see,” Aunt Lucinda said, trying to pick the newspaper up.
“I just want to read what it says.” Pandora put her hand on the paper before their aunt could pluck it from the table.
Persephone saw the deep lines furrow in Aunt Lucinda’s brow and held her breath. What else did the announcement say?
The color drained from Pandora’s face. She abruptly turned from the table and went to the window.
Breakfast forgotten, Persephone rushed to her aunt and looked to her in question. Aunt Lucinda pointed to the upper corner of the newspaper. There, in stark black and white, was a far more awful announcement: the betrothal of the Earl of Banemore to the Lady Isabel, daughter of the Marquess of Malton. The blackguard was engaged after all.
Persephone rushed to her sister’s side and gently touched her back. “I’m sorry, Pandora.”
Sending Persey a fleeting smile, Pandora exhaled. “Don’t be.” She glanced toward their aunt who watched them with grave concern. “I should have let you hide that from me.”
“He’s the worst sort of scoundrel,” Aunt Lucinda said. “And he better not show his face in Bath again.”
“I can’t imagine he’d have any reason to,” Pandora said tightly, turning from the window. She faced Persephone. “What are you going to do about your betrothal?”
“I’ve already directed my solicitor to send a letter to your mother’s cousins,” Aunt Lucinda said. “I believe it was dispatched yesterday afternoon.”
“Will that really be the end of it?” Pandora asked.
“Certainly,” Aunt Lucinda said briskly. “They can’t force Persey to wed.”
“Good.” Pandora summoned a smile, but it looked quite brittle to Persephone. She absolutely ached for her sister.
“Still, I feel the need to send a note to your parents instructing them to remove themselves from anything to do with either of you. That they would put an announcement in the paper…” Aunt Lucinda’s voice trailed off into a muttered curse. “I am livid with Hugh. In fact, I think I’ll go to the White Hart in person and dress them down.” She stood abruptly. “Excuse me, girls. I’ll see you later—and I’ll have a surprise for you.” She directed the last toward Pandora. Persephone, of course, already knew what it was.
“What sort of surprise?” Pandora asked.
Aunt Lucinda’s expression brightened. “If I tell you, it won’t be a surprise. But it’s something you can wear this evening.” She winked at Pandora before departing.
“She bought us new gowns,” Pandora said, briefly closing her eyes. “She really will be crushed if I don’t go, won’t she?”
“She’s only trying to help you move past all this.” Persephone took her sister’s hand. “Which I understand is very hard to do after reading that rubbish.”
“I just… I thought I loved him, Persey. And I thought he loved me. I feel like such a fool, which is bad enough, but the whole of England sees me as that too.”
Persephone squeezed Pandora’s hand. “You arenota fool. Bane is the one to blame. He led you along on a string, making promises he never intended to keep. You should go to the dowager duchess’s party tonight in the new gown Aunt Lucinda purchased and hold your head high. Would it help to know that those awful girls who were rude to you at the gardens the other day—and their families—were not invited?”
A smile broke across Pandora’s mouth, and it was so genuine that Persephone nearly cried out with joy. Pandora sobered quickly, but Persephone was glad for the moment of glee, no matter how brief. “How do you know that?”
“Wellesbourne sent me a note. He wanted us to know that he’d had them removed from his mother’s guest list. He is really hoping you will come. I think he truly wants to help you, especially since his former friend is the reason for your distress.”
Pandora wryly arched a brow. “Formerfriend?”
“Wellesbourne has indicated he does not intend to maintain his friendship with Bane. What he did was beyond the pale.”
“Wellesbourne’s reputation isn’t much better. His support is surprising, to be honest.”
“I agree wholeheartedly. I expected him to be exactly like Bane.” Persephone thought back to when she’d first met Acton and how wrong she’d been about him. She had a sudden urge to tell Pandora the truth about her time with Acton—the extent of their adventures together and their current torrid affair. But she couldn’t bring herself to parade her happiness, however short-lived it might be, in front of Pandora. Not right now, especially.
