“The Duke of Thornfield is more of a fool than I gave him credit for,” Margaret murmured with interest. “Did he think a man with a gambling addiction would be able to resist the pull of risking that money?”
“Maybe he is a fool after all.” Louisa wrinkled her nose. “Though to read the scandal sheets, he is something else entirely. A villain.”
“A villain? What kind?”
“Have you not read the scandal sheets today?” Alexandra asked, leaning forward with interest.
Margaret shook her head. She’d had no wish to ever read a scandal sheet again after the news of being caught pressed up against the Duke of Thornfield had broken.
Louisa nodded at Alexandra, who hurried off to a small table nearby. Reaching beneath a broadsheet newspaper, she pulledout the much small scandal sheet and bustled across the room, passing it into Margaret’s grasp.
“Pay it no heed,” Penelope pleaded. “We already know they print lies as well as truths.”
“It makes it doubly hard to sift the wheat from the chaff,” Louisa nodded in agreement, now adding to Penelope’s list of flowers.
Margaret shifted her attention to the scandal sheet and read avidly.
‘Rushed marriage for the Duke of Thornfield and a Viscount’s daughter.
If the rumors are to be believed, at this moment in time, the Duke of Thornfield is acquiring a special license in order to marry the woman he was caught with that infamous night at the Duke of Dunmore’s ball. Who can say what’s true? Yet in a few weeks’ time, everyone will discover the truth if Lady Margaret turns up on the Duke’s arm.
Could Lady Margaret have more to worry about though than just a husband from a rushed marriage? This writer has heard tales of villainous associations. It’s said, the Duke of Thornfield has connections in the black market and less than reputable merchants. Could it be that his fortunes after all are not from the dukedom but from dubious activities?
Lady Margaret should proceed with caution. Til death do us part is a long time to be marriage to a blaggard and a villain.’
Margaret looked up at her sisters. Louisa was trying her best to avoid her gaze as she started grouping flower ideas together.
“I always thought you’d marry for love,” Penelope said with sudden misery.
“Not everyone is so lucky in life.” Margaret forced a smile. “Worry not about me. The important thing is that our reputation as a family has been somewhat remedied.” She tried not to let her voice choke on her choice of words. “Your chances of marriage now will not be impacted by that incident.”
“And you really were just in that room because your dress came undone –” Alexandra began uncertainly. She broke off as Louisa glowered at her.
“Of course, I was.” Margaret’s smile faded. “I would not have duped any man into marriage, least of all a man so cold and heartless as he.” She snatched up his letter from where it rested on the table.
The Duke of Thornfield hadn’t even put ‘from’ or ‘yours’ at the bottom of his letter. His writing was as cold as his speech.
Sensing the air around the table shift as her sisters worried about her, Margaret shook it off. She placed the letter back down, stood tall and struggled to keep that smile in place.
“All will be well. At least I shall be out of this house, shall I not? Though I shall miss you all greatly, maybe under another man’s income, I will not be putting any more strain on the finances here. Yes, it will be better for us all.” She laid a hand over Alexandra’s beside her, seeing her sister’s expression had turned to one of pure terror. “Dearests, do not worry about me.”
“How can we not?” Penelope said tartly. “You are to marry a… a…” She thrust a finger down at the scandal sheet, clearly finding it unbearable to utter the words. “A man like that?”
“A villain, is what they called him,” Louisa said calmly.
“Yes, then I shall marry a villain, and I shall keep my distance. Truly, sisters, all will be well.”
Before Margaret could say anything more to assure them that this was for the best, the housekeeper appeared in the doorway.
“Lady Margaret, another letter has arrived for you.”
“Thank you.” Margaret offered up her hand and the housekeeper hurried forward to place it in her grasp. “That is most kind.”
She waited until the housekeeper was out of the room before she read it. Despite her determination to maintain good cheer and not worry her sisters further, clearly, she failed. The falling of her smile made Louisa stiffen beside her.
“What does it say?”
“It says…” Margaret folded up the letter. “It is from the Duke of Thornfield. He says he is quite determined to keep the ceremony as small as possible, so whisperers do not hear of it. We are to have no wedding breakfast.”
