“I really think the best thing to do right now is for you to go and stay with your mother for a while. It is best for Pamala’s sake, and for your own, that you stay away from society for a short time. I am sure your mother wishes to see you anyway.” The Dowager attempted to put a good spin on the fact that Ella was being banished.
“This is ridiculous!” Lady Pamala huffed.
“No,” Ella said softly, “your mother’s right. It would be the best thing for everyone.”
She saw the Dowager Duchess relax a bit in her seat. Ella suspected the Dowager feared that she might fight her over the matter.
“I’ll be ready to go by the afternoon, Your Grace.”
“That’s very sensible of you, my dear. I knew you were a smart girl with a good head on your shoulders. I’ve grown quite fond of you, in fact. Like a second daughter.” Her voice caught at the last words.
Lady Pamala sat down next to her mother and took the Dowager’s hand in her own.
“Then don’t send her away, Mother. I promise, Winthrope knows what's at stake and he loves her still. She loves him, too. We both know that they are perfect for each other. Look how much he has changed, healed, in the last few months. You must know it was all due to Miss Ward’s influence.”
“My sweet girl,” the Dowager Duchess said, patting her daughter's cheek. “Someday, you will learn that love cannot always conquer all. Every lot in life has its disadvantages. A hasty marriage to a…” the Dowager struggled to say the words.
“A woman of no consequence or fortune,” Ella supplied.
“Yes, that. Well, it just isn’t easily done for one such as a Winthrope.”
“It’s alright.” Ella did her best to sound brave as she spoke the words. “I understand.”
“I shall have Pamala send for you just as soon as we can,” the Dowager assured. “Though it may not be until Winthrope is…well…settled. And I don’t say this out of duty or responsibility,” the Dowager added quickly before Ella could respond, “you are as much a daughter to me as Pamala now,” she finished reaching out her other hand.
Ella took a step forward and took the Dowager's hand. The Duchess squeezed it in a comforting way.
“It’s not easy to be a woman in this world,” she spoke wisely, “but if we stick together, we can all make it through.”
Chapter 27
A week later, the Duke never thought he would be so excited to return to his London home in time for the Botanical Ball on the following day. It was one of the most prominent events of the Season, and in the past, one he always ensured he was away for.
However, this particular Botanical Ball, when he asked Ella to be his wife amid the fragrant paths of flowers that encircled the prestigious dance hall, it would forever be endeared to him.
He wished he hadn’t left in the first place. For the first time in his life, something seemed far more important than business matters. Unfortunately, it was also one of the only things he couldn’t leave for Lord Melvin to do in his stead.
The lumber contract for the Royal Navy was set to expire in a month’s time, and his presence was required as they discussed the negotiations for the continued partnership. The Duke had hoped it would be a quick trip. However, he was surprised to find a gentleman offering the navy a counteroffer at a lower rate. It had taken the Duke some time to convince the naval representatives for the Crown that his price was not only fair for the quality of products he provided, but it also encouraged employment for British subjects in a humane and steady environment. In contrast, his competitor seemed to sacrifice the well-being and income of his employees for the reduced contract.
It had taken some time to convince them, as naturally any representative of the Crown would have been happy to return to the Regent with the news that they negotiated for a price reduction.
In the end, the Duke had won out, and his employees' jobs were secured for another five-year contract. It would be happy news, as these contract renewals always caused a bit of unease within the estate.
Now the Duke was happy to return home and create some good news of his own. First, he would tell his mother today he had plans of asking Miss Ward to marry him, and tomorrow night he would present his grandmother’s ring to Miss Ward in the botanical gardens before announcing his intentions to the world.
Entering his house, he found it much more subdued then he expected. All seemed to be very quiet, and he half expected that the ladies of the house might have been out until he saw his sister hurrying down the steps, a bit of fabric still in her hands.
“I’m glad you’ve finally returned home,” she said as she rushed to him.
“It wasn’t even a full two weeks since I left,” the Duke chuckled at the worry on his sister's face. “Where is Miss Ward? Is she not with you?” he asked as his eyes looked at the empty staircase behind his sister.
“Mother had to send her away,” Lady Pamala said flatly. “It’s all been so terrible.”
“Send her away. Why on earth? Why did no one write to me and tell me?” he demanded.
He wasn’t sure if he was filled with more anger at not knowing what had transpired in his absence or more fear over what could have caused such a thing to occur.
“I suppose I thought Miss Ward would have written to you. I don’t know if I could put into words what happened.”
“Find the words now, Pamala,” the Duke demanded.
Lady Pamala took a steadying breath.
“Lady Clarissa saw you and Miss Ward in the study. She was quick to ruin Miss Ward’s reputation in the worst way possible. Mother suggested that Miss Ward spend some time back at her home. She didn’t want to have to do it,” Lady Pamala was quick to defend her mother.
Lady Pamala sticking up for her mother was quite an unusual thing and just showed the Duke the severity of the situation.
“At the time, with what she was told, Mother thought it was best. And to be honest, it probably was. Miss Ward agreed too. I’ve written to her a few times since then.”
The Duke held up his hand to stop his sister.
“I don’t understand. What do you mean, in the worst way possible? What was being said?”
Lady Pamala took another breath for courage. She almost looked scared to even say the words knowing how her brother would react to them.
“Lady Clarissa—though she didn’t say it outright—made it sound like that when she found the two of you in the study, Miss Ward had…well…”
“Spit it out Pamala!”
“Relinquished all her virtue to you.”
“What! I would never! She would never!”
“I know,” Lady Pamala said softly, attempting to calm her brother’s rage. “We all know that. But it was too late. The damage was done. You know how something like that can spread quickly. We couldn’t even sit through the whole opera that night. Mother and I have barely left the house since. It’s just all been so awful, Winthrope,” Lady Pamala choked up on her last words.
“Yes, I can see how this has been so terrible for you,” the Duke accused in a condescending tone.
He couldn’t believe that his sister was more worried about being shut in than the fact that Miss Ward had been banished from their society for something that was entirely his fault.
Lady Pamala cut her brother down with her stare.
“That is not what I meant at all, and you know it! Poor Ella. She was so heartbroken yet still she sacrificed her feelings, thinking it was what was for best. She didn’t even know then how horrible the rumours were.”
Tears were welling up in Lady Pamala’s eyes that instantly cooled the Duke’s rage. She hadn’t caused this, and it wasn’t fair for him to yell at her for it.
“Where is Mother? I’m going to clear this all up right now,” the Duke spoke in a demanding tone.
He didn’t really wait for an answer. Instead, he made his way down the hall and to the drawing-room, where he suspected he would find his mother.
Chapter 28
Ella
had done her best to keep her head down and work over the last two weeks. The shop was busier than she ever imagined it could be. She was still struggling to find her place amid her mother and the other girls that worked in the shop regularly.
Ella and her mother had barely spoken since her return. It was clear that her sudden arrival had been the result of some kind of ill event. Even worse, she had caught some of the costumers whispering about her on several occasions. One pair of very young girls apparently just stopped by the shop to get a look at her. She didn’t know how much her mother had overheard from the costumers, hopefully not the whole string of tales that seemed to be circling about her.
It wasn’t until after Ella had arrived home that she learned just how far Lady Clarissa had gone in ensuring her ruin. Of course, after getting the message from Lady Pamala brought over by a footman that night, some of the Dowager Duchess’s words began to make more sense.
She had wondered as she packed her things why the Dowager had suggested they would need a hasty marriage or why the Dowager insisted she understood that her invitation to be a part of the family in the future was not out of obligation or responsibility.
The Dowager Duchess had been under the impression that the Duke had ruined her. It was only after the Dowager asked Lady Pamala to inform her if Ella mentioned she was with child over the next few months, that the two ladies found out how serious the rumours had been. It would be only natural for a Duke to put in the effort to see to the financial needs of a woman he ruined with lasting results.
It didn’t matter that the gossip was false; the damage was forever done. There would be no way that the Duke could marry her, if he had ever wanted to, which Ella seemed to feel herself doubting a little more each day, after what had been said about her. It would be sure to ruin him in every way possible. He would lose his political standing, possibly even feel the effects in his financial situation. He would become just as taboo as she now seemed to be, along with the rest of his family.
So, knowing what she did now, she did her best to lock away that part of her that would always love the Duke of Winthrope, and attempt to move forward with her life. Unfortunately, that was turning out to be much more complicated then she thought it would be.
The few conversations she shared with her mother since her return involved how ridiculous it was that she had brought all those dresses and belongings home with her. It had been at Lady Pamala’s insistence that she also kept all the things bought for her while living in the Duke’s house. Other than that, the only comments Mrs Ward made were detailed observations regarding the sudden drop in clients and rise in gawkers who stood outside their shop and whispered.
Ella wasn’t at all sure that her home life would ever return back to the way it once was. She wasn’t sure she wanted it to either. Though it would have been nice for not to feel so separate and different from the others.
Though no one had said anything, Ella stayed in the back of the shop for the most part and away from prying eyes. She suspected that it only fuelled the rumours of indiscretion, but she didn’t care.
She had gone to deliver a garment and had just returned when she heard the two shop girls talking in the back room. Hearing her own name, she paused at the door to listen.
“I don’t think it's fair that she gets paid same as us when she spends half her days answerin’ these letters that keep comin’ in.”
“And have you watched her do it? She writes like she thinks she is some kind of fancy lady,” the other countered.
“And how do we know these aren’t from the Duke? Maybe she’s blackmailing him for money on account of she’s with child. If she is getting money from the Duke, I wanna be paid more.”
“It clearly is from Lady Pamala,” Ella heard Rose’s calm voice say. “And besides, that is Ella’s private business. You have no right looking at what doesn’t belong to you.”
“Oh, come off it! She ain’t opening it. We are just seeing if maybe it’s a man’s handwriting on the inside through the light.”
“That definitely looks like a ten-pound note in there. I bet she is blackmailing the Duke. Poor man. Bet she isn’t even with child, just faking to get more out o’ him.”
“I bet you’re right. I was just talking to Peggy next door about it yesterday. She said when you're with child, you’re awful sick at the start. I haven’t seen her so much as gag.”
It was more than Ella could stand. She opened the door, letting it swing wide and slam, startling all three girls.
The one shop girl instantly thrust the letter out in front of her, hoping Ella didn't notice her trying to spy.
“This come for you again, miss.”
Ella narrowed her eyes on the girl, her hands on her hips.
“I didn’t open it or nothin’. Look for yourself. The seal is still there and everythin’.”
Ella strode forward and snatched the letter out of her hand.
“How dare you.” She pointed her finger at the two girls. “How do you think my mother would feel if she learned that two of her girls are nothing more than catty geese spending more time chewing the fat with each other than serving the customers?”
“Better to be a peagoose than a bit o’ muslin with a side-slip,” the one shop girl shot back with her own eyes narrowed in defiance.
“That’s enough!” Rose said in a surprisingly loud voice. “Go back up front before I call Mrs Ward back here to hear the thin’s your sayin’ about her daughter.”
Both girls gave a self-satisfied snicker before turning and making their way back to the front of the shop. Ella collapsed into a heap on the one and only bed. Two weeks of enduring the whispering were bad enough. Still, the realization that this was what everyone was saying about her was more then she could bear.
It would be the ruin of the shop. Ella would have no choice but to leave. She couldn’t let all this hard work to support her mother be for nought. She would have to leave the city. If she was lucky, she could get a job as a seamstress far enough away where her name would no longer be associated with these false rumours.
It would hopefully keep the shop from losing all their new customers, and at the very least she could send back money home to help support her mother. She didn’t have much by way of money, as she had sent it all to the shop as she had been paid. But she did have all the gowns and things. Perhaps she could sell them second-hand and scrape enough to at least pay her way to some far-off corner of the country. She was sure her skills would be enough to carry her through if she wasn’t known.
The thought of leaving her home, and mother, and everything she knew on top of everything else she had lost these last few weeks was beginning to be too much. As hard as she tried, she couldn’t stop the tears from coming.
She felt the movement of the thin mattress as Rose came to sit next to her. She gently put her arm around Ella and just supported her as all the emotions flowed out of her.
“What was all that commotion about?” Mrs Ward asked as she slipped through the curtain.
It took her a second to size up the situation.
“Rose, why don’t you go up front and help out while I have a talk with Ella,” she instructed.
She did her best to get her sobbing under control while her mother took the place of Rose next to her.
“Alright, Ella,” Mrs Ward finally said softly, “you tell me the mess you got in shooting for the stars, and we will figure a way out of it.”
“I’m not with child if that is what you are thinkin’,” Ella blurted out.
Mending the Duke's Heart: A Historical Regency Romance Book Page 26
