And it was a nice day. The sun was hotter than normal and the scene looked gorgeous. Camilla liked days like this. She was one of those people who liked to go into her back garden, take off her shoes and sit out on a blanket on the grass, letting the sunrays hit her face. It was something that would have everyone else fainting in shock, but Camilla didn’t care. She liked being different. And at her house, there was nobody to accuse her of being a scandalous woman.
Then Camilla spied a haughty looking plump woman with snow-white hair openly staring at them, her face red and her eyes blazing. Camilla sighed. “But what about the Dowager Duchess of Wellington?”
“It’s not her party, so she has no place to complain.”
“Well, look at her. If she were a dog, her hackles would be well and truly up.”
Amelia giggled and looked. “I see what you mean.” Still giggling, she took a sip of her drink. “She’s like that with everyone who’s not the same social status as she is.”
“Is she like that with you?”
“I’m not in her company long enough to find out. She’s not someone I want to associate with.” Amelia linked arms with Camilla. “Come on, let’s find my husband. He’ll be able to protect us.”
Camilla wasn’t sure about that. Plymouth didn’t like her much after the painting scandal… but he liked the dowager duchess even less. It could go either way. The two women began to walk around the edge of the party. The guests had started going back to their conversations, but Camilla was sure several of them kept glancing at her, wondering why she was there. She ignored them, focusing on trying not to trip over her dress. “Is she still trying to get her son married?”
“I’m afraid so. She’s determined to make sure her elder son’s line carries on through him and that her younger son doesn’t get the title.”
Camilla had heard that one as well. “From what I’ve heard, Lord Fitzroy isn’t interested in becoming the duke.”
“Try telling the dowager duchess that. She thinks her younger son is going to try to take the dukedom away from her precious son.” Amelia frowned. “You’re not thinking of becoming a potential wife, are you?”
Camilla laughed. The thought of becoming a duchess was a very far-flung dream, a dream that even Camilla knew was ludicrous. She had giggled many times with Amelia as little girls that they would become wives of dukes and how that would never happen.
It had happened to Amelia, but she was what a duke would want in a wife. Camilla wasn’t, and she had accepted that.
“Goodness, no. I’m not a suitable wife at all. I certainly wouldn’t come up to the standards that the duke wants in a wife.” She nudged her friend. “Not like you, though.”
Amelia laughed. “I was just lucky.”
“But I’m not that lucky. And I’m fine with that.”
“Well, if I’m honest, I have a feeling that the Duke of Wellington would be happy with anyone who wasn’t picked by his mother.”
Camilla couldn’t blame him for that. She may have kept herself out of the public eye for a while, but her maids were very good at getting the gossip. Even her younger sister, who had been told by her parents that she was not permitted to see Camilla due to what she had done, would write to her and tell her about the goings on in Society. She had mentioned being approached by the dowager duchess to marry Wellington, but Elisa had turned her down, saying she had no wish to marry the duke. Her parents had been shocked at her refusal, but Elisa wouldn’t budge. Now she was happily engaged to a viscount that their parents were happy with.
Camilla was pleased her sister was able to stand up to the dowager duchess. Not many women did that, according to what she knew. Lady Muriel wasn’t one to let anyone do anything other than obey her.
As if she had been summoned, the dowager duchess started stalking towards them. Camilla slowed, pulling Amelia to a stop. This looked like it wasn’t going to go well and Camilla wasn’t about to be left alone. Having the duchess near her should keep her protected. The dowager duchess wasn’t mad enough to try anything in front of a crowd of people, appearance was everything to her.
Lady Muriel was white-faced with anger, inches away from snarling at Camilla. “What are you doing here?” she hissed.
“I’m a guest, Your Grace.”
“Well, we don’t want you here. Get out.”
Amelia straightened up beside her friend. “Lady Muriel, I’m the hostess, and Miss Lacey is my guest. She isn’t leaving because you don’t want her here. If you don’t want to see her in your presence, you can just leave.”
Lady Muriel’s eyes widened, and she looked even more outraged. “You would tell me to leave over her?” She pointed at Camilla.
“She’s better company than you are, Your Grace.” Amelia didn’t even blink.
Lady Muriel snorted. “You should know better, Your Grace. Your youth makes you very naïve.”
Camilla knew Amelia could take care of herself, but she wasn’t about to stand by and let her friend be treated like this. And people were starting to look at them again. Camilla glared at Lady Muriel. “There is no need to talk in that way to the Duchess of Plymouth,” she said sternly. “I am here because she requested my presence. However, I will not be here for much longer if it causes you distress.”
“Oh, it causes me great distress,” the dowager duchess hissed. “Your people corrupt so many and you don’t even care.”
Camilla raised her eyebrows. “My people?”
“Yes, Your People.”
Camilla didn’t need to know what she meant by that. Lady Muriel, Dowager Duchess of Wellington, had been one of the more vocal people about the painting and Camilla’s posing for it. But Camilla had never expected such an outright attack in a public place.
“Lady Muriel.” Amelia’s voice had hardened. Camilla knew she was close to losing her temper. “If you can’t be polite to one of my guests, I am going to ask you to leave.”
“Leave?” Lady Muriel screeched. “Why should I? She’s the one who should be leaving.” She pointed her glass at Camilla’s face. “I won’t have her anywhere near my son!”
Camilla snorted. “Your son is a grown man, and I hardly think he will be impressed with your behaviour right now.”
What happened next Camilla was not expecting. The dowager duchess flicked her arm hard in Camilla’s direction and something cold and wet hit Camilla in the face. The older woman had thrown her champagne at her! Camilla instinctively closed her eyes and felt it soak the top of her dress and almost knock her bonnet off her head. Her hair stuck to her forehead, and she knew her makeup would be ruined.
Camilla didn’t care about that. She was more shocked by the fact the dowager duchess had thrown social etiquette out the window and thrown something at her.
“Mother!”
That was when Camilla saw the tall, imposing figure of the Duke of Wellington striding towards them, looking furious as he levelled a glare at his mother.
Lady Muriel was breathing heavily, her eyes bright. She had enjoyed that.
Wellington snatched the glass out of her hand. “What are you doing?” he hissed. “Have you gone mad?”
The whole party had gone quiet again, this time everyone’s focus was on Camilla and Wellington. Lady Muriel turned to her son and looked like she was about to have hysterics. Camilla knew this manoeuvre, to make you look like the victim. Her mother did it far too many times.
“She insulted me!” she cried, pointing at Camilla. “She was very rude to me. I will not have rudeness!”
“I heard nothing of the sort,” Wellington shot back. “And your actions have caused a scene. This had nothing to do with Miss Lacey.” Then he turned to a tall, dark-haired young man with similar features to him and none-too-gently passed Lady Muriel to him. “Fitzroy, take Mother away.”
“What?” The dowager duchess jabbed a finger at Camilla, shaking off the other man’s hands on her shoulders. “She needs to leave, not me!”
Camilla had had enough. She had only
been there a few minutes and already she had been insulted and her dress was ruined, not to mention she was cold. “Don’t worry, my lady, I’m leaving. You can stay.” Then Camilla turned to Wellington and addressed him coldly. “I would kindly ask if you could control your mother, Your Grace. She is very… impulsive.”
And with that she turned and swept away, keeping her head high and doing her best to stay composed. People parted to let her through, everyone staring at her. But Camilla wasn’t going to run and look a fool. If she was going to leave, it would be done with dignity.
Chapter 3
Unacceptable Apology
W ellington couldn’t believe what his mother had done. She had made her displeasure at people known before but never as outright as that. Lady Muriel had never thrown a glass of champagne into someone’s face before.
And Camilla Lacey hadn’t reacted as any other woman would have. She was clearly shocked, but she managed to keep her poise and dignity, while Lady Muriel was almost exploding with outrage. Wellington had to admire Camilla for that—she was a lady, even under the ill reputation and scandal.
But he couldn’t let her leave like that. It was not very gentlemanly to let a woman walk out without checking on her welfare. Aware that people were whispering now Camilla was gone, a lot of them staring at him, Wellington hurried out of the garden and into the house.
Camilla was in the foyer, the Duke of Plymouth’s butler helping her with her cloak, which she used to cover her ruined bodice.
“Miss Lacey.”
Camilla turned to him. She looked calm, but her eyes were blazing. Wellington didn’t think he would ever see anything more beautiful.
“Your Grace, please.” Camilla held up a hand and warded him off. “Just leave me be. I would like to go home and change. I am not fit for anyone to see me.”
“I just wanted to apologize for my mother’s behaviour.” Wellington tried to give her a smile, but it just made Camilla’s eyes darken. “She’s not known for doing that.”
“Really?” Camilla sniffed, holding her cloak close to her, covering her ruined dress. “I would accept your apology if I knew it was genuine.”
“It is,” Wellington protested. “I never give a false apology to anyone.”
“Yours may be genuine, but your mother’s won’t be.” Camilla scowled towards the back of the house. Laughter was starting to reach their ears again. “I bet she’s back out there saying she’s proud of what she did.”
Wellington had a feeling his mother was doing just that. She would be playing the victim and telling everyone that Camilla was the one at fault. Wellington had been watching her—actually, he had been watching Camilla, and his mother walked into his line of sight—and had seen nothing that would indicate the young woman had insulted Lady Muriel in any way. The dowager duchess would have made up something as an excuse to do what she did.
“I’ll talk to her,” he promised.
Camilla shook her head. “Don’t bother. She won’t listen to you at all. I knew it was a mistake coming here, but Lady Plymouth insisted.”
“Well, she is difficult to turn down, being such a lovely woman.”
Wellington jumped. He hadn’t heard his brother join them.
Fitzroy glanced at him before turning a charming smile onto Camilla and bowing to her. “Forgive me for intruding. Joseph Fitzroy.”
Camilla’s eyebrows rose. “You’re the duke’s brother?”
“The younger and much more handsome one.” Fitzroy chuckled. “And also having the misfortune of being related to Lady Muriel Fitzroy, Dowager Duchess of Wellington.”
“Fitz, enough,” Wellington snapped.
It was bad enough that he could barely tolerate his mother’s presence but Fitzroy’s contempt of her was something that made him cringe. His brother didn’t hide his distaste for his mother although he hid it behind jest and jokes.
Camilla huffed and focused on Fitzroy. “Would you tell your brother, Lord Fitzroy, that if I knew a genuine apology was coming from your mother, I would accept his? But I know I will never get one.” She turned towards the door. “And now I am going to go home. I’ll keep away from people who clearly have no qualms about assaulting me.”
“I’ll let my brother now of what you said,” Fitzroy said smoothly.
Wellington glowered as Fitzroy escorted Camilla Lacey to the door and opened it for her, bowing before she left.
“What are you doing?” he demanded.
“Well, you weren’t getting anywhere.” Fitzroy shut the door and walked back to his brother. “And you shouldn’t be, not with her reputation.”
“That doesn’t mean I can’t be courteous. And I was trying to do that if you hadn’t interfered.”
“I know.” Fitzroy sighed. “But I think Mother will be furious you tried to placate Miss Lacey on her behalf.”
“Then she shouldn’t have made a fool of herself.” Wellington looked at the door Camilla Lacey had disappeared through. “Miss Lacey may be a lot of things, but she didn’t deserve that.”
A woman as beautiful as Camilla Lacey didn’t deserve to be assaulted with a glass of champagne. But she had managed to carry herself with dignity. Wellington wished he were brave enough to follow her out.
But he had to go back and face his mother, who was now trying his patience. Wellington was not looking forward to that at all.
Chapter 4
Furthering an
Acquaintance
T he dress was salvageable, but Camilla didn’t want to wear it anymore. She could afford to throw it out, donating it to one of her maids. It took a few tries washing her hair thoroughly to get rid of the smell of champagne though.
Camilla had had a lot of things thrown at her, but it was usually verbal. People couldn’t believe she would pose for a painting with nothing on and then be happy with it being displayed for everyone to see. It was lower than girls who genuinely were of ill repute. Camilla hadn’t been happy about the painting being displayed as publicly as it had been, but it was done now. She wasn’t ashamed of posing. As an artistic, freethinking person, it had been an experience she had enjoyed, although it was a bit cold.
And the artist, now a good friend, had been a true gentleman, much more so than several of the noblemen Camilla had known before the scandal. He hadn’t made her feel uncomfortable at all and he had even paid her, which Camilla had not been expecting. She had given the money to her servants instead.
It was something she wouldn’t do again, but Camilla wasn’t about to apologize for it. Just like she knew Lady Muriel would never apologize for what she had done. Just thinking about the dowager duchess made Camilla angry. A sweet, little old lady who was a nasty person underneath.
Even then, she had somehow managed to raise two sons, although Camilla had heard Fitzroy, the younger son, had more been raised by his father and didn’t get on with his mother. He had been charming and was certainly a handsome man. His wife was very lucky.
But it was the Duke of Wellington who had caught Camilla’s eye. Handsome didn’t even describe him. He was more than that.
But Camilla knew it would have to be just looking. She wouldn’t be suitable company for him at all, in any capacity. Being in his presence would be a privilege that Camilla would never see. She was happy to accept that.
Which was a shame. William Fitzroy, Duke of Wellington, was certainly a catch any woman would love.
It was a week before Camilla ventured out into the world again. And it was only because Lady Plymouth had asked for her presence at a local tearoom they had frequented when they were younger. Camilla couldn’t turn down her friend.
Amelia was at the tearoom already, beaming at Camilla as she crossed the room. “Camilla.”
Camilla gave her a small curtsy. “Lady Plymouth.”
Amelia laughed. “Please, it’s just us in here. You don’t need formalities.”
“Force of habit.”
They sat and Camilla gave her order, which was brought to her quickly. T
he maid curtsied to them and walked away, Camilla pouring out the tea for both of them.
Amelia took a sip of her tea and sat back with a sigh. “I never found a good cup of tea that was better than here.”
Camilla laughed. “You’re right about that. I still come in her regularly because of that.”
“I do appreciate you coming to see me after what happened.” Amelia’s smile faded a little. “I wanted to apologize for Saturday. You didn’t deserve to be treated like that.”
Camilla was touched by her friend’s apology. But it wasn’t her apology to make. She sat forward and covered the duchess’ hand with hers. “Don’t be upset about it. I was half-expecting someone to do it, just not the Dowager Duchess of Wellington.” She made a face. “She’s not the type of person to commit a scene like that.”
“I thought that as well. But she has been behaving a little erratically lately.” Amelia sighed. “And it’s all because she’s trying to get the duke to marry, and he’s standing firm.”
“I thought he wanted to remain a bachelor. He’s celebrated as the most eligible bachelor in the country.”
“And he likes the title. Being unmarried has its perks, and Wellington has made it clear he doesn’t want to change anytime soon.” Amelia reached for a biscuit and delicately bit into it. “But the dowager duchess wants to deal with it now and keeps shoving girls his way to the point they almost fall over…”
“What?”
“Not really but it feels like it whenever I witness it.” Amelia grimaced. “It is amusing in a way that makes me cringe, and I feel bad for those girls. They are led to believe they’re going to become the next duchess.”
Camilla was glad the dowager duchess saw her as someone who shouldn’t be near her son, or she might have been dragged in as well. “Why doesn’t the duke tell the girls, and his mother, that he’s not interested in marrying?”
“The girls don’t listen and certainly the dowager duchess doesn’t. She just ignores him. So in turn, the duke ignores the girls. It’s harsh, yes, but it’s the only way he can get them to leave him alone.” Amelia giggled. “The duke and his brother keep a tally of how many girls will approach him at a social event. Eleven was the most.”
Regency Romances for the Ages Page 16
