Page 1 of The Truth about the Lady (Whispers of the Ton #6)
PROLOGUE
“ T his year, you must be different !”
Hyacinth swallowed hard and dropped her head. There was no response she could give, nothing that she could say that would appease her ferocious mother.
“You have already ruined your reputation by hiding away,” Lady Coatbridge continued, walking up and down the drawing room, gesturing at Hyacinth now and again. “Last Season was your come out and what did you do?”
Hyacinth winced, though she kept her gaze low. She did not have the same confidence as her sister and certainly did not have the same ease of manner and spirit as Rose did! Hyacinth was well aware of her failings, for it was something that her mother had told her fairly regularly. It had not been easy for her to step into society as she had done and hiding herself away so that Rose might take the attention of the various gentlemen that surrounded them had seemed to be the very best of situations.
Though her mother had been greatly displeased – though her father, the Earl of Coatbridge, had been less so. He had shrugged and said very little, given that he was of a similar nature to Hyacinth herself.
“You hid away! You became a wallflower! And I expect that you have every intention of doing such a thing again, do you not?” Her mother shook her head firmly. “No, no, Hyacinth, you shall not be permitted to do that again. It was shameful enough to have my daughter regarded in such a way by the ton and my only saving grace was that Rose did so well.” She lifted her chin. “Indeed, if your father had permitted it, I am sure I would have had her wed last Season! Which might, in fact, make my present situation a little less of a strain.”
“I know what you want from me, Mama, but I cannot give it!” Hyacinth protested, feeling a shudder run through her as she imagined herself laughing and smiling the way that Rose did. “I do not have the same confidence!”
“The only thing you lack is beauty.” Lady Coatbridge’s gaze sharpened. “That is the only thing about you that you cannot change. Everything else can be learned.”
Hyacinth closed her eyes, tears lodging in her throat. Her mother did not understand, did not appear to even want to understand all that Hyacinth felt and all that she struggled with. It appeared to Hyacinth that the only thing her mother desired was for both of her daughters to marry and to marry well.
Regardless of how it came about.
“I cannot pretend to be someone that I am not,” Hyacinth tried to say, though her mother quickly dashed those thoughts away with a wave of her hand. “Mama, I cannot be Rose!”
“Yes, you can!” Her mother strode forward, reaching down to cup Hyacinth’s chin and gaze down into her eyes, her expression set. “Hyacinth, I will not have you protesting that you cannot do what your sister does. It is a matter of learning, that is all! And you can do all that is required of you, because there is no other choice but to do so. I hope that you can understand that.”
Hyacinth swallowed hard, wishing that she could find a way to tell her mother that she was quite wrong, that no amount of learning would change what she could or could not do, but from the fierceness in her mother’s eyes, Hyacinth understood that there was nothing expected of her aside from agreement.
“Now.” Releasing Hyacinth’s chin, her mother stepped away and began to gesticulate again. “There are a good many things that you must not only practice but do consistently, once we are in London. You will have to behave just as your sister does. That means standing tall, smiling brightly, and speaking to every gentleman that comes to speak with you. You must exude confidence but not arrogance, show yourself to be genteel but also interesting – more interesting than other young ladies! That is the only way you will be able to capture the interest of an upstanding, high-titled, and wealthy gentleman.”
Hyacinth closed her eyes, fighting tears. She did not want to marry a gentleman who had only a high title and good fortune! That was part of what pushed her back from society, part of what turned her away from it all. The last thing she desired was for her father and mother to insist that she marry a gentleman who had nothing good in him aside from his fortune! She wanted a gentleman of good character, one who was gentle and considerate, one who would understand her shy nature and rather than shun her, welcome it. Most of all, Hyacinth considered, she wanted to marry a gentleman who saw worth whenever he looked at her. It was clear by now that her mother only valued appearance, for Rose was always well-spoken of and delighted in. She, on the other hand, was not considered on the same terms and all because she lacked her sister’s beauty. Rose, thankfully, was not of the same mind though Hyacinth had noticed how much her sister reveled in the attention given to her from not only their mother but also the gentlemen who had come to seek her out. She was never unkind to Hyacinth but nor was there any real closeness. The things lacking in her life at the present moment were all what she desired to find within her marriage, should she be blessed with one… but her mother appeared to think of the entire situation in a very different manner.
“You did not answer me, Hyacinth!”
Realizing too late that she had been stuck in her own thoughts and had not been listening to her mother, Hyacinth searched her mind for an excuse. “I apologize, Mama. I – I was only thinking about what you had said.” She raised her eyes carefully, relieved to see her mother nodding slowly, clearly believing what Hyacinth had said.
“I am glad to see that you are considering it all, at least.” The Countess’ eyes flashed with warning and Hyacinth looked away. “Though there is not much to consider, truth be told! Either you will do as I ask or, as I have just said, your father and I will arrange a suitable match for you. Your second cousin, mayhap, for he has been looking for a bride and – ”
“Not Geoffrey, Mama!” Hyacinth’s eyes flared in horror. “He has already divorced one wife and you know how much of a stain that brings to one’s reputation!”
Lady Coatbridge sniffed. “I must think about the shame that would befall me, should I fail to secure marriage for both of my daughters.”
“You already have my brother married and I am sure that you will have no difficulty when it comes to Rose!” Hyacinth exclaimed, suddenly finding herself on her feet though she had not had any intention of speaking to her mother in such a sharp manner. “Why are you so insistent that I must marry? Can you not see how troubled I am by the notion? Why is it that I must pretend to be someone that I am not and marry someone who does not know who I truly am? Why will you not permit me to do as I wish, to settle into society in the way that is secure for me rather than forcing me to do as I cannot?”
The moment Hyacinth finished, she knew she had spoken much too bluntly, much too forcefully. The glint in her mother’s eye had grown, a sharpness there which made Hyacinth shudder. There was a tightness about the Countess’ lips and though her voice was low and quiet, it made Hyacinth’s whole body tremble.
“How dare you speak to me in such a manner?” Lady Coatbridge came a few steps closer to Hyacinth though Hyacinth did her best to remain steadfast, knowing that nothing she had said had been, in itself, disrespectful. Her manner, however, had been much too forward for the Countess.
“You have no understanding of what it is like to be a mother who must find all of her children suitable matches,” the Countess hissed, her face very pale now save for a deep red spot on either cheek. “It is one’s duty and you stand here, complaining at my attempts to improve you?”
Hyacinth did her best to hold her mother’s gaze. “I – I do not think that I need improving,” she whispered, though the whirlwind that met her words had her whole body shaking furiously.
“Improve?” The Countess laughed bitterly. “Out of all three of my children, you are the only one who requires improvement – and the one who ought to be working hard to do as I ask!” Shaking her finger in Hyacinth’s face, the Countess glared at her. “I have told you before that you are lacking! And yet, you do nothing to change those weak parts about your character!”
Hyacinth hung her head, having nothing to say in defense of herself. She had tried and, in the face of her mother’s fury, had failed entirely.
“You think that you know best when, in truth, you know nothing,” the Countess continued, her face slowly turning a furious shade of scarlet. “You do not know anything about society, aside from what I have told you and the little you have experienced – and that is your own failing! I have your future in mind and yet all you do is complain! I have had quite enough, Hyacinth.”
Her eyes closed as a single tear dripped to her cheek.
“Now, you will remain here and consider all that I have said until the dinner gong sounds,” the Countess finished, her voice seeming to fill the room. “And you will improve your outlook, not only towards society but also to me and all that I am seeking to do for you. Else there will be severe consequences.”
With that, she swept out of the room, leaving Hyacinth wondering what it was her mother had meant about consequences as she fought back her tears. Slowly sinking into her chair, Hyacinth covered her face with her hands and dragged in slow gulps of air, having no desire to appear at the dinner table with a tear-stained face. That might mean that her sister and mayhap their father, if he was not too much taken up with business affairs, might notice and ask her about what troubled her so.
Such a conversation would not be a pleasing one.
Squeezing her eyes tightly closed so that she would not let another tear fall, Hyacinth sucked in a breath and slowly let her hands drop back to her lap.
How am I meant to do all that my mother is asking of me?
It was not a question that Hyacinth had any answer for, nothing came tumbling into her mind that would bring her peace and relief. Instead, there came only fear, doubt, and dread. Fear that she would fail, doubt that she would, in any way, be able to change her character, and dread over all that would befall her if she did not.
This truly was going to be an utterly dreadful Season.