Octavia gathered the children and led them outside. Laurence set Archimedes down gently, the cat meowed in protest but padded off toward the kitchen, and followed Hugo to the waiting carriage.
“We need to speak with Victoria,” Laurence said grimly. “Joan is avoiding me, but her sister might tell us the truth.”
“Agreed,” Hugo said. “Though you should probably try to look less like you’re planning to murder someone. You’ll terrify the poor girl.”
Laurence didn’t respond. His mind was already racing ahead, planning what to say, how to get Victoria to trust him enough to reveal what was happening.
They arrived at the hall to find Victoria gathering books and slates, her movements lifeless. The moment the three children burst through the door, she looked up in alarm.
“Imogen? Percival? Edmund? What are you doing here? You were absent from lessons, I was about to visit your parents to ensure nothing was amiss.”
The children exchanged guilty glances.
Octavia stepped forward smoothly. “Miss Sinclair, the children were worried about your sister. They came to the Duke’s estate to… well, to ensure he hadn’t harmed her.”
Victoria’s head snapped around, her eyes widening as she caught sight of Laurence and Hugo in the doorway. She immediately dropped into a curtsy, her face going pale.
“Your Grace. I apologize for the children’s behavior. They meant no disrespect, ”
“It’s quite all right,” Octavia assured her. “Actually, I think I’ll see the children at home. The Duke wishes to speak with you privately.”
She herded the three students outside despite their protests, leaving Victoria alone with the two men.
Laurence approached slowly, noting how Victoria’s hands knotted in her skirts, how her entire body trembled like a leaf in a storm.
Hugo hung back, his usual jovial expression replaced by something more serious.
“Where is your sister?” Laurence asked directly.
“She’s resting,” Victoria said quickly. Too quickly. “Taking a break after a bout of illness. She’ll return to teaching soon, I’m sure.”
Laurence watched her hands twist tighter in her skirts, watched the tremor that ran through her. “Since she’s unwell, we should all go visit her. Ensure she’s being properly cared for.”
“No!” Victoria’s voice rose sharply. “That won’t be necessary. She’s fine, truly. She just needs rest.”
“Miss Victoria.” Laurence gentled his voice, forced his features into the softest expression he could manage. “I care about your sister. The children are worried. That’s why they came to me, because they sensed something was wrong.”
He took another step closer. “I mean no harm to you or to Joan. On the contrary, I want to help. But I can only help if you tell me the truth.”
A tear slipped down Victoria’s cheek. Then another. Then she was sobbing, great, heaving sobs that shook her entire frame.
“She’s getting married to that monster,” Victoria choked out between sobs. “That monster. It’s all my fault. It’s all my fault. It’s me, it should have been me!”
Hugo moved forward immediately, pulling a handkerchief from his pocket and pressing it into Victoria’s hands. “Easy now. Whatever it is, it can be fixed.”
“It can’t!” Victoria wiped at her face frantically. “You don’t understand!”
“Then help us understand,” Hugo said gently.
Victoria took a shuddering breath. “I had an engagement back in London. To an earl. But I discovered he was unfaithful, he’d gotten his mistress pregnant. I couldn’t marry him after that. I ran away on our wedding day.”
She looked up at Laurence with desperate, pleading eyes. “That’s why we came here. To escape the scandal. But he found us. He came four nights ago with armed men. He demanded I marry him anyway, said he needed to restore his reputation.”
More tears streamed down her face. “Joan offered to marry him instead. To save me. And now she’s, she’s going to London. She’s going to marry him in three days, and it should be me! It’s my fault he’s angry, my fault we’re in this mess!”
Victoria sank to her knees, clutching at Laurence’s coat. “Please, Your Grace. Please save my sister. I’ll marry the earl. I’ll do whatever he wants. Just don’t let Joan sacrifice herself for my mistakes!”
Laurence looked down at the sobbing woman clinging to him, felt rage building in his chest, cold, focused rage directed at a man he’d never met.
