“You’re responsible for every horrible thing that’s happened to Thomas lately,” Lady Deborah said.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Oh, of course you do. You snared him into marrying you to advance your own position, and everyone knows that. Everyone understands the kind of lady you are—not that I relish using the wordladyto describe such a person. I can think of many more appropriate words for the likes of you.”
“Why don’t you use them, then?” Madeleine answered. “Are you frightened? Are you afraid I’m going to put acurseon you?”
She expected Lady Deborah to react to that. She thought it would strike fear into the other lady. But instead, Lady Deborah just gave her a sinister smile.
“You think I don’t see it,” she whispered. “The way you try to intimidate everyone around you. The way you try to trick people into believing you’re just a harmless young lady instead of what we all know you to be. You’re a snake. You’re dreadful. And we know that it’syourfault Thomas is ill right now! You inflicted yourself upon him like a disease, and when your work was finished, you walked away. You would probably be happier if he had died.”
“Get out,” Madeleine whispered. She found herself incapable of speaking any more loudly than that, but it was probably for the best. She wanted to scream at Lady Deborah. She wanted to hurt the lady in front of her as badly as she herself was being hurt. “Get out of my house.”
“Or you’ll what?” Lady Deborah demanded. “Are you really going to curse me,Your Grace? You don’t know how to do it. You carry suffering with you wherever you go, but you have no control over it. You could no more choose to harm me than you could choose not to harm your family.”
“I told you to get out!”
“I’ll go when you promise me you’ll never darken Thomas’s doorstep again.”
“I don’t have to promise you anything at all,” Madeline said harshly. “I owe you nothing, Lady Deborah. And I am his wife. You shouldn’t be here saying such things to me. You ought to go back home. You go now, and I’ll forget I ever saw you. But if you continue to stay here and speak to me this way, there will be consequences for you.”
“Are you threatening me?”
“I’m warning you.”
“What will you do, then?”
“I’ll let Thomas know. We’ll see how much he cares to be close friends with you once he hears about this.”
The next thing Madeleine was aware of was a sharp pain and a ringing in her ear. It took her a moment to understand what had happened—Lady Deborah had slapped her around the face with all her strength. She raised a hand to her stinging cheek.
“You’re a blight on all of us,” Lady Deborah hissed. “You should never have come to London.”
Madeleine pushed past her, moving toward the door that led to the foyer.
“Where are you going?” Lady Deborah demanded.
“If you won’t remove yourself, I’ll find someone who will remove you,” Madeleine said. “I’m sure one of my footmen would be happy to oblige. Or you can leave by the time I return to the sitting room. If you’re gone by then, we’ll say no more about any of this.”
She was pleased that the words had come out sounding strong and powerful, but she didn’t feel strong. She was shaking on the inside. She wanted to find Thomas, tell him everything, and let him hold her.
But she couldn’t.
She would have to manage this on her own.
She hurried to the door, hoping that she would be able to locate a footman quickly to help her get rid of this problem. She didn’t think she could bear to spend another moment in the company of the awful Lady Deborah. She had no idea how Thomas had ever borne it.
But when she opened the foyer door, she found herself face to face with the last person she had expected to see.
CHAPTERTHIRTY-EIGHT
Thomas stared at Madeleine for several long moments, feeling as if he was drinking in the sight of her. He had missed her so much. More than he had even realized. He was overjoyed to be face-to-face with her once more.
And yet, even that joy couldn’t drown out the anger he felt. Because he had overheard the argument she and Lady Deborah had been having.
She looked shocked to see him. He couldn’t read her expression beyond that. Was she pleased to have seen him, or was she upset? Disappointed? Did she want him to leave?
Well, he had no intention of leaving. He was going to stay here with her, or he was going to bring her back home with him. Right now, it didn’t much matter to him which of the two options she chose.
