by Fanny Finch
It hung soft and silky over her shoulders, instead of in a braid. She had not bothered to fix it because Sir Henry was not up yet.
Her heart hammered in her chest, her worry that the Marquess would be angry for not meeting him making her shake violently. She closed her eyes and pulled in a deep breath. It was not as important as he seemed to be making it out to be.
She had stayed in a safe place. She could not tell him what Sir Franklin had done, for fear of betraying Anna’s trust by revealing the reason she went to the Ashdown estate in the first place.
As Lavinia raced through the room, she wondered how she could explain why she had stayed at the Astor townhouse knowing she was to meet the Marquess without revealing she had gone to Sir Franklin’s to confront him.
When she got to the top of the stairs and looked down at him, she was shocked to see how angry he looked. He said nothing to her as she came down the steps but once she was in front of him, she could see he was struggling not to let his temper get the better of him.
She took the paper from him when he thrust it at her and opened it. He pointed to the article. As she read it, chills covered her body. She was horrified by the false report. Devastated, she looked up at the Marquess. Her love for him made her heart beat harder.
Everyone in London would read that paper. Everyone in the ton. Her reputation could be ruined by this gossip.
“M… my lord… I…”
“Did you go to Sir Franklin’s last night, Miss Bronson?” The Marquess’ voice was so cold, the words slid through her like ice in her veins.
“I…”
“Please answer my question!” the Marquess roared.
Lavinia flinched, tears rising up in her eyes. Behind the Marquess, her mother’s eyes were just as wide. Mrs. Bronson had lifted both hands to cover her mouth and was watching them both with shock on her slender face.
“Yes…” Lavinia replied, weakly.
The Marquess immediately snatched the paper from her, crumpling in together in one hand and shaking it at her. She could see him struggling. He wanted to say something. She could tell by the way his mouth was twitching. He opened it a few times but said nothing before clamping it shut again.
“My lord, there was… I was not there for any… the article does not state the facts correctly, my lord…” Lavinia could not find the words to express herself correctly. She needed to tell him the truth. Her love for him dictated it. But she could not without betraying Anna’s past, which Lavinia did not want to do.
As if she had heard Lavinia thinking about her, Anna came hurrying from her room, making her way down the stairs quickly.
“My Lord!” she was saying as she descended. “Please. It is not Lavinia’s fault. She…”
“Anna!” Lavinia said, spinning around to look at her friend. “It is all right. You do not need to defend me.” She knew Anna was about to reveal her secret. She could not let her do it. It was not something that needed to be out in the open.
Sir Henry appeared at the top of the stairs behind his sister and came down.
“Anna,” he said, reaching out for his sister’s arm when they both reached the bottom. “This is something the Marquess needs to discuss with Miss Lavinia. We should not be involved. It is not our business.”
Anna stared up at her brother as if he was speaking a foreign language. “But, Henry…”
Sir Henry shook his head. “No, I cannot allow you to become involved in this, Anna. Come, we will wait in the parlor until they have finished their discussion.”
Lavinia did not know whether she felt grateful or horrified that Anna was leaving the room with Sir Henry. They were her only alibis for why she had been to Sir Franklin’s. But Sir Henry was doing the right thing, removing her from the room. If he did not, she would surely reveal her secret to the Marquess.
Lavinia hated to think what the Marquess would do if he knew what a horrible man Sir Franklin really was. He might challenge him to a duel.
Lavinia did not want that to happen. She did not want to risk losing the Marquess. Not now. She had given him her heart.
Her tears came strong again, filling up her eyes and throat, as she watched Anna and Sir Henry slip into the parlor, closing the door behind him.
She turned back and saw a very dejected Mrs. Bronson heading toward the parlor as well. The only ones who would witness the Marquess’ scolding would be the butler and a couple maids who were busying themselves. Lavinia could tell they were staying in the area to glean as much of a story as possible to tell their friends.
Her heart sank. Not only would her reputation be ruined in the ton, her servants would no longer respect her, either. She felt as if her life was ending.
“I am shocked and hurt by this betrayal,” the Marquess said, his voice deep and angry. “You have no explanation for why you went to Sir Franklin’s, do you? If you do, I would surely like to hear it.”
Lavinia let a few tears slide from her eyes, looking up at him with the most innocent look she could muster. “I am deeply sorry, my lord. It was not my intention for this to happen.”
Her words seemed to make him angrier. He gazed at her, the look of hurt palpable on his face.
“So it is true,” he said. The quiet tone he used sent chills through Lavinia. “You have been spending time with Sir Franklin.”
“No!” Lavinia put up both hands. “No, my lord, I have not.”
The Marquess shook his head, his face forlorn despite his anger. Lavinia felt her heart breaking.
“My lord, please believe me.”
“You are unwilling to give me an explanation for this.” He shook the paper at her again. “And you were there last night at your own admission. If that part is true, why would the rest not be?”
“You do not understand the circumstances behind this, my lord,” Lavinia said, her voice pleading with him to believe her.
“Then give me an explanation. Tell me why I should not believe the story is all true when you have admitted to this with your own words.”
Lavinia bit back the things she wanted to say. Sir Henry had apparently agreed that Anna should not tell the Marquess what had driven Lavinia to go to Sir Franklin in the first place. If it was not the right thing, surely he would have let her speak.
Thoughts raced through her mind. She searched for a way to explain it without revealing what she knew but could find no way to do that.
“I cannot give you details, my lord, I am sorry.” She looked down at the floor sheepishly. “It is not my story to tell.”
The Marquess sniffed angrily. She looked back up at him, wishing he was not so handsome when he was angry. She could almost feel the power emanating from him. He grunted at her.
“Our engagement is off, Miss Bronson. I will not marry a disloyal woman and be miserable the rest of my life. I got away from my own home as often as I could to avoid being around a woman like you. I will not marry one.”
He turned on his heel and stormed to the front door. Lavinia reached out to grab his arm but he looked back, his narrow dark eyes daring her. She pulled her hand back, clutching it in the other one to her chest.
“Please, my lord. Please do not do that.”
The Marquess said nothing more to her. He stomped to the door, flung it open and was gone before Lavinia could say another word.
Her breath was coming and going rapidly. She was shaking violently. She ran to the door and pulled it open, running out on the porch. The Marquess was pulling away in the coach.
“My lord!” she called out, though her voice was weak and filled with tears. “Please, my lord!”
The coach did not stop moving. He must have given the driver instructions not to stop if she came out.
She watched the coach pull out onto the main road and disappeared in the distance around a corner.
That was when Lavinia let her tears come out. She covered her mouth with her hands and sobbed so that her shoulders were shaking.
She turned around and hurried back in the ho
use. The butler closed the door behind her and moved away. She could feel his eyes on her.
She turned her back to him and went to the door of the parlor. Perhaps Anna, Sir Henry, and her mother would ease her heart. Her love for the Marquess burned like a flame inside her soul. He had just called off their engagement, which meant he was going to believe everything the rest of the ton believed.
She had lost all hope of future happiness with the man she loved because of that article.
“Who would spread such vicious lies and gossip?” she said as soon as she entered the room. She began pacing back and forth, not noticing the rest of her companions were not speaking either. They were just sitting in their chairs, watching her pass back and forth in front of them.
“I am just beside myself, Anna, Sir Henry. How could someone say such things about me in the paper? My reputation has been ruined.”
She looked at her mother’s sorrowful face, feeling guilty, though she had done nothing wrong. She went to her mother and knelt down next to her. She was filled with emotion. Her mother did not know what the article said but she had heard Lavinia say she had, in fact, gone to Sir Franklin’s home the night before.
The only people who knew what really happened the night before were Anna and Sir Henry. Neither of them were saying anything. They continued to sit, looking at her sympathetically. Anna ‘s face was contrite. Lavinia could not blame her for what had happened.
She had gone too far. She did not control herself properly and let her emotions get the better of her. She may have gone because of Anna’s revelation but it had been her choice to do so. She would never blame her own actions on her dear friend. And not telling the story Anna had told her might have cost her the best possible man she would ever find to marry.
She looked at her mother. “You must not believe that I have been acting out of turn, mother. I have done nothing to deserve your ire. I am an innocent woman.”
“She is an innocent woman, my lady,” Anna said quickly. “She has done nothing wrong except be a friend and a confidant.”
Mrs. Bronson looked from Anna down to her daughter. She did not say anything. She looked terribly sad. It made Lavinia’s heart hurt more and brought fresh tears to her eyes.
She stood up and spun around, heading back to the door of the parlor.
“Lavinia!” Anna called out. “Where are you going?”
“I want to be alone!” Lavinia replied, covering her face with her hands, as she left the room.
She ran up the stairs to the door of her room. She was inside and laying flat on the bed in seconds.
How could this have happened? How could it have gone so awry? She had not intended to be seen going to Sir Franklin’s by anyone with a nefarious purpose in mind. She had not even thought about it. The paper said there had been suspicions for a week because she kept appearing around town with Sir Franklin.
That made no sense to her. She had spent less than zero amount of time with the man. And she would never have she would marry the Marquess if she was already in love with someone else.
She shuddered. There was no way she would ever fall in love with someone else, least of all Sir Franklin. None of the them were half the man the Marquess was. The Marquess had more worth in his little finger than Sir Franklin had in his whole body.
Anger was building up inside her. Sir Franklin was the one to blame. He was the rake who treated women like lesser humans, as objects to admire but not respect.
She reached over and grabbed one of the pillows on the upper part of her bed, slapping it on her face. As soon as the fabric was against her skin, Lavinia shrieked in anger. The pillow was holding the wetness of her tears against her skin. Lavinia did not care.
She screamed a few more times, trying to release the rage she was feeling.
“Curse you, Sir Franklin Ashdown,” she mumbled into the pillow. “Curse you. Curse you.”
She cried a few more tears before setting the pillow aside and staring up at the ceiling.
“I curse you to the blackest pits of Hades, Sir Franklin Ashdown.” She said his name with disgust. “I vow to have my revenge against you for ruining the best chance at love I will ever have.”
But the words sounded hollow to Lavinia. With a ruined reputation, Lavinia’s chances of finding someone of higher nobility would be slim to none. No one would want her as damaged goods. A bad reputation and the added kick that she had lost the Marquess made Lavinia’s heart feel like it was breaking.
She cried until she fell asleep.
Chapter 28
After stewing in his home for two days, the only place Myles wanted to go was to the Federline townhouse in London. He had the driver take him there, thinking how lonely it had been without seeing Lavinia or hearing from her. He wondered if it was as hard for her as it was for him.
He shook his head. She had made her choice.
It was ironic that Federline was the only person Myles felt comfortable talking to. He was anxious to get there, tapping his foot on the floor as the coach sped along the streets of London. It was a dark, dreary, rainy day, which did not help Myles’ mood at all.
It felt like hours before the coach pulled up in front of the townhouse but in reality, Myles was sure it had only been about twenty minutes. He had sent a message the day he read the article requesting a visit at Jasper’s convenience.
He did not hear back until that morning, as the messenger found Jasper was at his country estate and had to go out there to deliver the message. He was told that Jasper was coming back to London and would be glad to get a visit from him.
The door opened before he got to it and he nodded at the butler, who took his hat and jacket. “Thank you. Where is Lord Federline?”
“He is in the library, Sir. He has requested coffee. Are there any refreshments you would like? The cook has prepared some delicious pastries.”
Myles nodded again, remembering that he had not been finishing his meals and noticing how hungry he really was. “That sounds wonderful, thank you.”
“I will have the maid bring you some, sir.”
“Thank you.”
Myles turned away from the butler and headed to the door of the library, which was closer to the back of the house.
Looking on Jasper’s relaxed face made Myles feel better instantly. He crossed the room and bowed to Jasper, who had stood up.
Jasper bowed back to him and held out a hand to the chair next to his. They were high back, large and were as blue as the sky outside would have been if rain wasn’t pelting the earth at such a rate.
Myles settled into the chair.
“Thank you for seeing me, Federline.”
“How are you, Arlington? You look terrible.”
Myles grunted. “Does it show?”
“It certainly does. You look like you have not been sleeping or eating well.”
Myles shook his head. “It is because I have not been sleeping or eating well. I am ashamed that it shows so much but the man with a heart broken beyond repair can only do so much.”
“What in heaven’s name are you speaking of, Arlington?” Jasper looked at him with confusion.
Myles raised his eyebrows. “Do you not read the community section of the paper?”
If he had been thinking straight, he would already know the answer to that question. Like himself, Jasper did not care for the dramatic shenanigans going on with the people of the ton. It did not interest him in the least.
He answered his own question before Jasper could get anything out.
“Of course you do not read the community section. You are as unlikely as I to delve into the gossip of the ton. The day I sent you the message was the day I first read the community section. When I think about it, it is quite ironic that I even read it that day.”
“Do not beat around the bush, Arlington,” Jsper said impatiently. “Tell me what you read. I am curious to know what has got you in this state.”
“It said that Miss Bronson has been seen walking with Si
r Franklin. That day, I read an article that seemed to confirm it. She put herself in harm’s way by going to Sir Franklin’s and then tries to deceive me with lies when the truth is so clear.”
Jasper looked doubtful, reacting to Myles’ words with disdain. “I think you must have read the article wrong.”
“You are telling me it is not true?”
Jasper sat forward. “Pardon my bluntness, Arlington, but you are being a bit of a fool.”
Myles was enraged by the comment. Jasper was supposed to be supportive and help him find a way out of his current situation.
“What can you mean by that?” he asked in a low voice. “I have never been with an unfaithful woman before. I have not been with any women at all!”
