Page 39 of His Arranged Duchess (Regency Wedding Crashers #5)

However, due to a source who wishes to remain anonymous, this newspaper has finally come to the truth. The source produced letters between the opera-singer who currently calls herself a Baroness and the father of the current Duchess of Blackstone.

Now, readers will likely wonder who the Duchess’ true father is, and this part is every bit as shocking as the rest of the tale.

According to the letters produced, in which the opera-singer wrote to the father of her child about it, the father was none other than Lord Matthew Montague, the older brother of the current Duke of Clapton.

Lord Montague, as readers will recall, died in an unfortunate plummet into the Thames.

As the heir to the title, he would have become the next Duke of Clapton, leaving the title to pass to his younger brother instead, Lord Cassian Montague.

There is evidence to prove that these letters, detailing how she expected his child, were never delivered.

Whether the current Duke and Duchess of Clapton know of this scandalous tale remains to be seen.

However, the facts remain that the Duchess of Blackstone—who may very soon be calling herself Frances Knight once again when her husband discovers this sorry tale—has led a life of the most scandalous deceit, heavy with lies and malice.

Born out of wedlock, she has no right to a place in polite, respectable Society, and certainly ought not to occupy her current place as a Duchess.

For shame, Frances Knight. For shame!

The last sentence blurred before Frances’s eyes. She let the newspaper fall limply from her fingers.

“The other papers all tell similar stories,” Katherine murmured.

“Some suggest that the secret was hidden from you, too, and place the blame squarely on your mother. Hardly any newspapers use her proper title, and insist on calling her the opera-singer , as if she hasn’t been a pillar of Society for close to two decades. ”

Frances closed her eyes. Tears were pricking at her lids, coming close to the surface. There was a sort of numbness underneath it all.

The worst has happened at last, then.

“I’m sure you are angry that I never told you about this,” Frances whispered at last. “Mama told me of my true parentage when I was thirteen years old. It made sense, somehow. I had never felt close to the Baron. I think he knew that I was not his child, and I do not think he cared very much. It was Mama he wanted, after all. It was always the darkest secret. If even a whisper of this had gotten out, I would have been ruined, like I am now. I am sorry I didn’t tell you, but I couldn’t risk it. ”

Katherine reached out, tentatively taking her hand.

“I am not upset, Frances. This business of your parentage… Well, it doesn’t matter , does it? You’re you, and that’s all that matters. I couldn’t care less who your parents are.”

Frances gave a tentative smile. “That’s good to hear, Katherine. Thank you. I think perhaps that you are in the minority here. Most people will care about my parentage, very much indeed.”

“There’s a danger that the Baron’s relatives might try to sue you for your dowry,” Katherine added tactfully. “They will say that you had no right to it.”

Frances had to smile at that. “They can try, but my dowry did not come from the Baron. It came from the Duke and Duchess of Clapton.”

Katherine’s eyes widened. “He knew, then. About his brother’s child?”

She nodded. “I call him Uncle Cassian when there's nobody to hear. I suppose that will come out, too.”

Katherine bit her lip, clearly wanting to say something but not quite ready to do so. At last, she spoke.

“What about the duke, your husband?” she asked carefully. “How will he… How will he react?”

Frances shrugged. “He already knows my parentage.”

Katherine flinched, clearly surprised, then let out a long sigh of relief. “Well, that is excellent news, isn’t it? You have nothing to fret about if he already knows!”

Frances gave a short laugh. “Well, he never minded, but now that my sordid little secret is splattered all over the papers, he might decide that it would be the perfect excuse to apply for a divorce or an annulment. Who would blame him, under these circumstances? I’m certainly not the wife he expected.

This could be the perfect opportunity for him. ”

Katherine frowned. “That can’t be right, Frances. Surely he wouldn’t do such a thing.”

Frances stared into the middle distance, her eyes glazing over. She could almost imagine the gasps of delighted shock and scandal all over London, as people who knew her, liked her, or envied her read about her downfall.

This is it, she thought bleakly. It’s over. This is what Mama had feared all along. I suppose it was inevitable, in the end. I was never going to be able to escape my fate.

Katherine was talking, no doubt offering some practical advice, but Frances barely heard her. The words were a muffled buzzing in her head.

I’m so tired, Frances thought wearily. I don’t even have the strength to care about what comes next. I am tired of the lies.

Oh, Lucien. I am sorry. I accused you of hiding things from me, and now it will be revealed that the greatest deception here is mine.