Page 58 of The Scandalous Love of a Duke (The Marlow Family Secrets #6)

John jogged downstairs thinking of Katherine, whom he had left dressing in the care of a maid. She had seemed happy, she had been smiling.

They had been married almost a week now and he had not let her down in any way for three days. Things were settling into a normal way of life he had never thought himself capable of.

In the day he went about his business, be it personal, parliamentary or state, and in the evening when he returned home Katherine was here.

After their first ill-fated attempt at socialising, John had prescribed a thorough dose of their own company until Katherine had chance to settle into her new life.

He had told her the stories of his sketchbooks and one evening he had taken up pencil and paper and drawn her in several poses. But the honeymoon period had to end sometime. Tonight they were venturing out again.

He had an invitation to the influential Devonshire ball.

She had endured a week of acerbic observations, now, as the women of his society had called here to pry and prise information from her.

They wanted to know her past. The question seemed to be on the lips of every man who sat in the House of Lords, as well as that of their wives and daughters, and beyond.

He had been asked countless times for her family name and urged to say where he had found her.

He had given no answers. He did not intend to.

Let them salivate over the mystery and never know.

John strolled into the breakfast room, smiling, but as soon as he entered John’s smile fell. Edward stood. His father’s face was grim. What now?

Edward picked up the folded newspaper and held it out. ‘John. You may want to read this in the library. Come.’ Edward caught John’s arm and turned him about. As they walked from the room, he handed John the newspaper. ‘Page four.’

Frowning, John opened it as they walked across the hall.

‘This paragraph,’ Edward clarified, pointing to a published letter as they stepped into the library. Edward closed the door behind them.

The letter was from an anonymous writer, denouncing the new Duchess of P as a commoner, an illegitimate dairymaid’s daughter. The author claimed to know both parties intimately and could attest to the truth of this statement.

John knew the author. ‘Wareham. The bastard.’

The man had been as silent as the grave since his disappearance but now this. Why had he struck at Katherine?

John folded the newspaper and looked at his father. There was nothing John could do. It was the truth.

‘Your Grace,’ Finch said, knocking on the door.

‘Come in!’ John called.

The door opened and Finch appeared, carrying a letter. ‘The Duke of Devonshire’s footman delivered this a moment ago, Your Grace.’

‘That was quick,’ Edward said dryly.

John took it and broke the seal. ‘Katherine is uninvited yet I am still welcome. Devonshire is petitioning me to vote with him on a bill he is presenting in the House of Lords, so of course he does not want to offend me but asks that I understand the sensibilities of his wife.’

‘And so,’ Edward said, ‘do you intend to give in, or do you intend to fight?’

But it was not about what he wanted. It was Katherine who would be hurt.

‘Is she strong enough?’ Edward asked.

‘I think so.’

‘Of course if you do not fight it, the hurt will be worse in the long term, there is the child too, John. You say Devonshire wants your vote. How badly?’

‘There is considerable risk his bill will not pass, many are publicly against it. He is charming us all to get it through.’

‘If you took Katherine to their ball with you, do you think the duke would turn you away?’

John held his father’s gaze. It was too hard to know for certain yet there was a possibility Devonshire may feel too uncomfortable if she were there in person.

It was a risk, but if they won this first battle the war to have her fully accepted might be half won before it even really began. ‘Possibly not.’

‘Discuss it with her. She is the one who should decide. In the meantime I will have your mother send word to your aunts. If our family arrive all together, it will be harder for the Devonshires to make a scene.’

John nodded.

Katherine would not welcome this. She did not need this pressure now, but the thought of Katherine not being accepted was untenable.

He thanked Edward and headed upstairs with the newspaper.

Katherine was sitting before the mirror in her dressing room, while Esther pinned up her hair.

‘Would you leave us, Esther.’

Katherine’s eyes widened.

As soon as Esther had gone Katherine stood. ‘What is it?’

He took her hand and led her into the sitting room, then bid her take a seat.

She did not. ‘Just tell me what is wrong.’

He opened the newspaper and folded it back.

He gave it to her. ‘There.’

She read the words he pointed out in silence, her colour blanching. He could have protected her from this but he knew she would not thank him for that.

When her gaze lifted back to him he passed her the Duke of Devonshire’s letter. She read that silently too, then took a deep breath. ‘So,’ she said, ‘I am not going.’ She gave him the letter back. ‘Never mind, his wife has called here, she is a supercilious cow.’

He laughed. He wanted to hug her. His father had asked if she was strong enough.

Of course she was. Yet the members of the false and fickle society he belonged to had long memories when they wished.

Edward was right. Left unchallenged, this behaviour could affect their unborn child and their future children. It needed to be quashed now.

‘I wish to take you anyway. If you will brave it?’

‘What if they will not let me in?’

He shrugged. ‘They may not. The only way we will know is if we try.’

‘And if they do not?’ Now she showed her insecurity. He lifted his hands and she slipped into his arms.

‘Then we will come home without making a fuss, but we will have made our point.’

‘This is important to you, is it not?’

He kissed her temple. ‘It is, yes. I have state duties to fulfil which will be hard to do if society rejects you and it will affect our children too, Katherine. I want to fight. If Devonshire lets you in, it will set the precedence for others.’ Of course the same applied if Devonshire did not. ‘I want you accepted. Do you agree?’

She nodded against his chest as he stroked her hair. He knew she was terrified.