Lady Suzanna shook her head. “Not all noblemen are as they seem, dear heart.”
“Well, you are wrong about the Marquess,” Claire lifted her chin in that obstinate manner she knew all too well. “He is the most exemplary man I have ever had the good fortune to meet in London. There must be some mistake, Lady Suzanna.” Her eyes narrowed. “Or do you wish for me to makethatmistake?”
“What do you mean, dear heart?”
“I have seen the way you looked at the Marquess yourself,” the younger girl glared at her. “I know that you hold tender feelings for him as well as I do and you are telling me all these lies just so you can have him for yourself!”
“There is nothing further from the truth!” Lady Suzanna gasped in absolute horror. “While Lord Draydon might be the very picture of a saint, I’m afraid that there is more to him than both you and I are aware of, Claire, and I would not wish for you to have your heart broken by him should he prove that he is not what he appears to be.”
“Youare making him to be someone he is not!” Claire cried out passionately. “I see what you are doing now and I would never have believed you would be capable of such things!”
Lady Suzanna paled at the accusation. She opened her mouth to say something in defense but she realized that with the younger girl in such an impassioned state, there was nothing that she could say that would penetrate through the fog of her infatuation.
The hand she held out to Claire fell slowly to her side as her eyes welled with tears.
“I do not wish to ruin our friendship because of a man,” she choked. “And I see you as more sister than friend, which is why I cannot see you ruin yourself for a man that might not even truly have you in his heart.” She gazed sadly at the younger girl. “You deserve so much more than to have your heart be so callously played upon by a man who is a master at this game.”
“I have underestimated you, Lady Suzanna. I thought you were better than this. I believed you to be the kindest soul in the universe.” Claire looked at her friend with a furious glint in her eyes. “But even if you employ such underhanded tactics, I refuse to be like you! I will do everything in my power to win the heart of Lord Draydon but I will never stoop to the level you have gone today!”
The older lady pursed her lips and nodded stiffly. “Very well, then, Claire. But I do hope that you will see reason and that you will see it before all is too late.”
She turned around and closed the door softly behind her. She blinked her eyes rapidly as she stared sightlessly as she felt her throat constrict and her eyes start to sting with tears.
She had known that Claire had an obstinate streak to her that was a mile wide but she had always been such a sweet girl that Suzanna herself never expected Claire to turn against her and believe the worst of her when she was only looking out for the younger lady’s best interests.
It really is astounding how love can cloud reason, she surmised.Alas, the bonds of sisterly love might not even survive against the flames of passion.
She looked in the direction of the study of her younger brother before she quietly made her way back to her rooms, fighting to hold back her tears until she had at least reached the privacy of her chambers.
A lady must never show weakness, she told herself.
Even if Lord Draydon had Claire so enamored, she swore that she would protect the younger lady from his schemes at all costs. She knew that Claire would not appreciate her meddling in her business now that she viewed her as a love rival of sorts.
But how do you protect someone from her own self?
* * *
Claire glared at the door so fiercely that she felt her gaze might be enough to turn the wooden panel to ash.
I never knew that Lady Suzanna could be so devious! How could she say such disparaging things about Lord Draydon, when he is the kindest soul I have ever met?
She had seen young ladies fight over men in the shadows of the ballrooms, their sniping barbs attacking with the ferocity of a rapier. She had seen the schemes they employed to ruin their rivals and gain admiration for themselves.
Yet, she had never dared to dream that Lady Suzanna would be capable of such.
Lady Suzanna, who had worked so hard to usher her into Society, who helped her navigate the murky waters of the Season.
What do I do without her now? Will she and the Duke turn us out of the townhouse after I called her out on her subterfuge?
“Very well,” she muttered. “If Lady Suzanna wishes to play this game, then I shall humor her.”
She took out her sketchbook as a hard glint passed over her normally warm brown eyes. There was no doubt that Lady Suzanna was extremely beautiful and she was also exceedingly brilliant and well-versed in the dance of words that Society favored.
However, Claire also knew that she was not so far behind and if she tried her best, she would be able to win the elusive heart of the Marquess of Draydon if she so wished!
Within the next few days, she proceeded to detach herself from the shadow of Lady Suzanna. She still went for rides along Rotten Row but this time, she forced herself to get up significantly earlier than the duke’s sister.
When His Grace learned of this, he was most displeased.
