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"Why do you feel that I need this information?"

"I wanted you to know that it is okay. It is alright to leave the duke if you cannot cope with him. You do not have to endure this marriage. I have strong allies in the seat of the Lords so I can help you acquire an annulment. It would be like the marriage never held."

Victoria sat there frozen in shock staring at the stranger that sat before her that bore a striking resemblance to her best friend. Slowly the shock faded and was rapidly replaced by fiery blinding rage. Standing to her feet she addressed Theodore.

"I never knew that you thought that I was that vain to abandon my husband because of his scars." she said in a quiet voice that belied the rage that flowed in her veins.

"I actually like my husband, everything about him including his scars. I didn't marry him despite his scars but in spite of them. I would thank you to keep your counsel to yourself when it comes to my marriage ".

The shocked look on Theodore's face should have been satisfying but she was too angry to appreciate it. She turned and marched out of the room before she says something that she didn't mean in anger.

She scoffed in anger after she had taken only a few steps from the drawing room, her mind replaying the conversation she had just had with Theodore.

She couldn’t believe he had gone as far as conduct such an investigation on her husband. And to have told her such private matters?

She shook her head.

It would take more than a few days for her to forgive him this time and she intended to make sure he knew he had crossed an unbreakable line in their friendship.

Still, despite her ire, he had helped her understand why he had chosen to arrange a match rather than court a maiden as was customary. He couldn’t trust that he wouldn’t be rejected as harshly as he had been in the past.

She respected the bravery he had had to resurface in society knowing well that they were a judgmental bunch.

She sighed as respect filled her heart for him and had a burst of an idea on how she could help restore his reputation.

ChapterFifteen

When Victoria came down for breakfast the next morning, it was to see that her father, sisters and Theodore was yet to make an appearance for breakfast but she guessed it was quite early, she was only awake because she had become used to waking early growing up because her schedule required that she woke early of she wanted the household to run smoothly. Also she wanted to keep the duchess company while she had her breakfast.

The older woman might never admit it, but she was lonely and the more time she spent the woman she understood that that continuous isolation was one of the roots of the woman's thorny character.

"Good morning, your grace." she greeted with a courtesy.

A smile lit up the woman's face which she immediately hid.

"Good morning, Duchess." She replied sipping her tea daintily

Victoria bit her lip to keep her amusement at bay. The woman was determined to keep her icy attitude but it seemed her week old campaign was producing fruits because she could already see that the woman was already cracking.

She walked to a seat opposite from the Dowager Duchess. She pulled out a seat, sat herself.

The Duchess disliked having footmen around when she dinned alone. She insisted that their presence was suffocating even though they were as silent as well be grave.

That meant that she had to serve herself during breakfast. Victoria did not really mind but that just added to the many Idiosyncrasies of the Dowager Duchess and she must admit that it did have its own charm

Pouring her own tea, she sipped delicately determining that it was to her liking before taking a bite of the freshly baked bread iced with a helping of fresh thick cream. She nearly moaned at the combination but remembered it wasn’t proper to do so.

It was a luxury that she had been denied in recent years since her family's finances started collapsing, they had to be prudent with flour and that meant they couldn't afford to have freshly baked bread every morning.

She closed her eyes to savor the bite, appreciating the small pleasure. When she opened her eyes, it was to find the Duchess staring at her with an unreadable expression.

Victoria felt the burn of embarrassment in her cheeks. She was sure the duchess must be judging her for her unladylike reaction to the simple fare. Instead of scolding her, the duchess transferred the pot of jam to her side of the table.

"It tastes even better with jam, even though I prefer honey myself." she said simply.

"Thank you." she said quietly.

The Duchess nodded in acknowledgement and continued her meal.