The carriage rolledto a stop outside of Emerson House, jostling Aurora from her thoughts on Worth. Aunt Lottie. Kenebruke. Her curiosity wasn’t satisfied, which would come as no surprise to anyone. She bid the dowager duchess goodnight and pressed a kiss to the older woman’s cheek.
“I’m not sure what I would do without you, Your Grace.” Aurora meant every word.
“Bah. Soon, you’ll start weeping. Fainting spells will be next. I will tolerate not a whit of any of it, Lady Aurora. You will call on me early next week. The cats miss you, especially Hecate.”
Hecate was the newest edition to the dowager duchess’s collection of felines. A kitten with black fur and green eyes.
“Yes, Your Grace.”
Holly opened the door as she bounded up the step, taking her coat with a nod. “Miss Maplehurst awaits you in the drawing room.”
“Thank you, Holly.” Aurora smiled at the butler, her mood lighter now that she was once more inside the safety of Emerson House. But dread hovered just over her shoulders. Gossip would soon swirl about theDeadly Sins. Her mother’s name would once more be bandied about and besmirched.
A fire had been lit in the drawing room to chase the night’s chill from the air. Aurora looked up at the smiling portrait of her parents above the mantel, knowing the worst was yet to come. Aunt Lottie’s own little scandal would only whet appetites.
I tried to be a lady. I really did.
“There you are.” A glass of brandy was clutched in Aunt Lottie’s hand. She didn’t look at all like a ruined woman should. The glow was back, lighting her from head to toe. A light blush pinked her cheeks, which frankly, could have been the brandy. “I was afraid that old dragon had kidnapped you.”
Aurora rushed to the settee and wrapped her arms around Aunt Lottie. “You don’t look the least ashamed.”
“I’m not.” Aunt Lottie winked at her.
“And I think there is much you should thank Her Grace for. I adore her, as you well know. Haven’t you put aside your disagreement over the gown?”
“The gown’s name was Roderick Candiment. A terrible name. Some of the girls called him ‘Roddy Candy’ which was barely polite. We both vied for his attention. Good lord, he was handsome, despite the unfortunate name. But in retrospect possessed little sense and barely discernable wit. We both patronized the same modiste, and the gowns she created were nearly identical. My neckline was cut much more dramatically.”
“Her Grace informed me.”
“Having both arrived at the same ball, dressed nearly alike, and both pursuing Candiment, you can imagine the gossips were rather gleeful. We dueled over him for the remainder of the evening. I won because I didn’t play fair.” She shrugged. “I allowed a stolen kiss to sway him to my side.”
“Aunt Lottie.” Aurora drew her brows together in false shock. “I can’t imagine.”
“Ha!” She took a sip of the brandy. “But Candiment was insufferable, upon further acquaintance. Had a nasty habit of scratching the end of his nose during a conversation. Or the edge of his ear. Like a twitch. Eventually I ended up a spinster. She became a duchess. A dreadfully unhappy one until recently. She adores you in return. As well as Tamsin. You couldn’t haveanyone better in your corner, Aurora. Her Grace will protect you as if you were her own.” Aunt Lottie paused. “Though she is less tolerant of your antics.”
“Are you abdicating your role as chaperone?” Because of Kenebruke. Aurora wasn’t surprised, only saddened by the news because she would miss knowing the older woman was right down the hall from her.
“For the time being.” Aunt Lottie sat up straighter, her tone becoming somber though her eyes twinkled. “I’ve beenruinedby Lord Kenebruke.” She stared at Aurora a moment longer, looking mournful before bursting into laughter. “Again. I thought I was well past the age of scandal, image my happiness at finding I was not. I won’t be a proper chaperone again until I bring Kenebruke up to snuff and he does the honorable thing.” Another peal of laughter escaped her. “I suppose I can take up the reins once more if necessary once I’m a countess.”
“He is the man you’ve always loved,” Aurora said softly. “All these years, you still longed for him.” Aurora thought of Worth. How was she to endure a lifetime of longing for him?
“Yes.” Aunt Lottie brushed at a tear that escaped and was making its way down her cheek. “I didn’t know Susanna had died when I saw him at the Berriwell garden party. As you can imagine, I tried to keep my thoughts from him.” She thumped her chest. “Because it was so painful. But we saw each other and—though now different on the outside, our hearts remained the same. No matter my silver hair or his. Our wrinkled hands. His leg which pains him.”
“What happened?”
“When Kenebruke and I first met, he was so bloody honorable. Dutiful. His father had arranged the match with Susanna. I tempted him. Made him fall in love with me. I daresay I seduced him. I was trying to be noble. After. I knew what his honor meant to him. I convinced him that ourrelationship was merely a dalliance. That I wished to remain unwed. But that wasn’t how I felt at all. And I was too afraid to tell him differently.” Her voice faltered. “I had no idea that Kenebruke would have broken off the betrothal for me. That he didn’t give a fig for his honor when he faced a lifetime forced into a marriage he didn’t want. Had I merely allowed him to speak. Tell me what was in his heart—” She wiped at her cheeks once more. “If only I had told him, Aurora. My entire life would have been different.”
Worth had been trying to tell Aurora something tonight, but her anger hadn’t allowed it. She’d been so caught up the tale of Cecily and his interruption of the attempted seduction of Mr. Healey, which admittedlywaspathetic, Aurora hadn’t allowed him to speak.
“Regret is a dreadful thing, Aurora. Especially when it stretches on for decades, which mine has done. If I had just gone to him.” Swallowing the remainder of her brandy, she wiped at a tear.
“But he’s here now.” Aurora pressed her cheek to Aunt Lottie’s hand.
“And he still wants me. As impossible as that seems. When Mr. Healey burst upon us, Kenebruke laughed at his discomfort. He declared, loudly I might add, that he had compromised me and must do the honorable thing. He wants to ask Emerson for my hand, properly, as if I were still that young, reckless creature he once adored.”
“You are to him.” Aurora’s own eyes filled with tears. She was terribly happy for Aunt Lottie and Lord Kenebruke. What a romantic tale. A love that had stayed true across years of separation.
“He is not pleased with Mr. Healey, Aurora. I will warn you now. As much as he loves the boy, Thomas has overstepped, rather dramatically. I will not relate his comments afterKenebruke made his intentions clear. And he purposefully kept us apart.” Aunt Lottie plucked at her skirts. “Healey burned my letters to Kenebruke.Deliberately.Didn’t inform me that his uncle was ill.” She lifted her eyes. “Had I known, I would have gone to Neddie and nursed him myself. He thought I’d abandoned him once more.”
