Chapter 21
“Honestly, Georgina,” Violet said, “it just feels so good to get out of that house for a while. I have to thank you for being willing to come along with me.”
“Of course.” Violet’s lady’s maid beamed at her. “I’m excited about the prospect of going into town. It will be a good thing to help you select some new gowns.”
“Yes, well, Noah caused such damage,” Violet sighed.
“I don’t wish to be angry with him—I’m not angry with him, really.
But it did create a problem for me, because now I need something new to wear.
Although,” she admitted, “I would have wanted something new anyway. Agnes is having a dinner party, and I would like to make myself nice for that.”
“You must be looking forward to the party,” Georgina suggested.
“I’d like to say that I am,” Violet agreed. “The truth is, I’m not sure. Knowing that Jonathan will be in attendance changes things for me—makes them more difficult.”
“You don’t want him to come?”
“It isn’t that. You know I like Jonathan,” she said.
“But I do feel as if some time away from him would be a good thing, and in all honesty, I had counted on my friends to provide that. Knowing that we share friends in common makes it more difficult to compartmentalize our relationship. It means that I can’t quite get away from him. ”
“I see,” Georgina mused. “I suppose you could miss the party, if you wanted to.”
“I’m not going to do that. The moment Jonathan starts to move in on my life and cause me to miss out on things that have been important to me in the past, I will know this has all gone too far,” Violet said. “It’s bad enough that he’s trying to take away my home, for goodness’ sake!”
“I thought the two of you had been getting along a bit better as of late,” Georgina said. “It did seem as if things had been going more smoothly.”
“Well, I thought that too,” Violet said.
“But then, after this most recent prank of Noah’s, things changed between us again.
The way he tried to jump in and reprimand Noah when the matter was between Noah and myself made it very clear that he’s trying to paint himself as a capable taskmaster, and to paint me as helpless and inept.
I may not have it in me to be quite as stern as someone like Jonathan, but let me assure you, I have no trouble keeping Noah in line.
I don’t need Jonathan’s help with that or with anything else! ”
“And you think His Grace is trying to make you believe that you need his help because, if you thought that was true, you might relinquish the house to him?”
“Jonathan knows his only real hope of keeping this house is to make me leave it,” Violet said.
“He knows that the law will decide things in my favor. I’m sure he must have realized that.
That’s why he wants to shake my confidence.
I think it’s a low and dirty tactic, and I have no respect or patience for it. ”
“And what if that isn’t what’s happening at all?” Georgina asked her. “Forgive me, my lady. I don’t mean to disagree with you.”
“You know I’ve never minded disagreement,” Violet said. “I’ve always considered you a friend, Georgina. If you have something to say to me, you must say it. I want to hear it.”
“Very well,” Georgina said. “It’s only that I’ve noticed the way His Grace interacts with young master Noah. He really does seem to care for him. Maybe he just wanted to help discipline him for the boy’s own good. Could it be that simple?”
“No,” Violet said firmly. “That’s what he wants me to believe, but I don’t believe it.
I don’t think he is pretending in his care for Noah—I think that’s real—but it isn’t what motivates him.
He wants the house, and he’s willing to do whatever he must to get it.
In fact, I’m sure he’s made the decision that he would like to raise a child specifically because there’s one that comes with the house.
I don’t think that was something he yearned for before meeting Noah. ”
The bitterness curdled within her. She needed a house. She wanted a child. Jonathan needed neither of those things, and yet by a cruel twist of fate, he might have both of them—he might take them away from her. It was so unfair.
She took a breath and did her best to settle herself. It was useless to worry over what was fair and unfair. That was what children did. Violet was better than that. She couldn’t give those thoughts a home in her mind. And yet, the mere thought of Jonathan agitated her.
And then, too, there was the fact that he had wormed his way into her affections, even if only slightly.
She did like him. The picnic they’d shared—that had been a good time.
And he had been so kind to her when he had discovered her covered in tomato juice.
He’d been compassionate and gentle, and she was grateful for that even as she resented what had come after.
How could she feel such conflicting things toward one man? It was maddening.
“Do you know what I noticed about the duke?” Georgina asked her.
“No, what?” They were coming into town now, just arriving on the outskirts, and the bustle of conversation was beginning to spring up around them.
Perhaps Violet ought to have worried about being overheard.
There was, after all, something scandalous about her current arrangement, the fact that she was living with a man.
She and Jonathan had agreed not to allow it to become scandalous, to quell any rumors, and she did at least trust him that far.
But such things couldn’t always be controlled.
Did people know about the arrangement? If so, what were they saying?
“I noticed,” Georgina went on, not seeming to take heed of everyone around them, “that the duke brought very few personal possessions when he came to the house. You brought all your things—and that makes sense, because you’re living there.
But he’s different. He hardly brought anything at all.
Most of the things in the house are yours, or were your aunt’s.
He has his clothing—and I don’t think what we’ve seen can possibly be all that he owns.
He has a few books, but not many. And he brought that painting, of course. ”
“What painting?” Violet glanced over at her lady’s maid. Georgina had been speaking frankly. She didn’t seem to think there was anything particularly intriguing about what she had said. But Violet was interested. “I don’t know anything about a painting.”
“You haven’t seen it?” Georgina shrugged.
“I suppose that makes sense. He keeps it in his bedroom. I’ve seen it when I’ve gone in to light a fire for him.
It’s not even on the wall, or at least, not yet.
It sits on the floor, leaning up against the wall by his bed.
I haven’t gotten a good look at it. I was there to do a task, and I didn’t want to stop and stare. But it did interest me.”
“Did you see what it was a picture of?” Violet asked. “Maybe a portrait of someone who’s mattered to him?”
“No, it wasn’t a face,” Georgina said. “It looked like a landscape—but I didn’t really get the best look at it, as I said.
“I just think it’s interesting that he brought so few possessions here with him, but one of the things he did take the trouble to bring was that painting.
You would think he would have left it at one of his other homes—or, if it was important enough that he needed to have it with him, you’d think he would have hung it up.
It makes me wonder why he didn’t do that. ”
“Maybe he just hasn’t gotten around to it.” Violet shrugged. The idea of a painting didn’t interest her that much. “It sounds like he means to put it in his room when he does hang it, so I can’t see the point in worrying too much over it. I’ll probably never see the thing at all.”
“Possibly not,” Georgina mused. “And yet…you don’t find it even a little bit interesting? That painting, what it might mean to him?”
“I suppose I don’t.”
They made their way along the main road to the modiste’s shop and went inside. The modiste was with another lady but nodded to acknowledge their arrival. Violet went to look at some bolts of fabric, and Georgina followed along behind her.
“Do you know what you’re going to get?” Georgina asked her eagerly.
“I thought I would get the modiste’s opinion,” Violet said. “But something in a lavender shade wouldn’t go amiss, I think.”
“What about this?” Georgina pulled out a bolt of fabric. Violet stared. It was a dark, garish purple that would have looked out of place in any room.
“I couldn’t wear that,” she said. “Could you imagine the stares?”
“People looking at you might be a good thing.” Georgina was smiling. “They would be admiring your clothes.”
“No, they would be mocking me, if I was wearing that. I couldn’t possibly,” Violet said firmly. “Put it back. I don’t even want the modiste to see you touching that ghastly fabric and think it’s something I might take an interest in.”
“Well, what about this one?” Georgina selected another bold. This one was deep maroon, with purple fleur-de-lis. “I think it looks regal.”
“It looks like wallpaper, Georgina. It looks like what people might have worn decades ago. I couldn’t wear this in public, not even just to go to Agnes’ house. It would be ghastly.” She shook her head. “Don’t try to choose any more, I beg you.”
“You really ought to have a little more of an open mind,” Georgina said. “Do you want to go out wearing exactly the same thing as everyone else? You’d never be noticed that way.”
“I don’t wish to be noticed,” Violet said.
“I’m just trying to get through this dinner party, and after that I’ll just be trying to get through whatever comes next.
I have no desire to stand out, as you well know—though if I ever develop such a wish, I can assure you that you will be the very first person I come to, Georgina.
You have a knack for spotting things that will make a person draw attention to herself. ”
The two of them smiled at one another. Though Violet was sure Georgina really had liked the fabrics she’d picked—it hadn’t been meant as a jest—the conversation had been lighthearted and teasing, and the two of them bore each other no ill will because of it.
The modiste finished with her other customer and made her way over, and Violet turned toward her, reflecting as she did so that what she wore might not even matter.
At the end of the day, the hardest part about any event she attended in the near future would be the simple fact that Jonathan would be there with her.
And as of right now, she found it impossible to relax in his presence.
If only I could get away from him!
But even as she had the thought, she couldn’t be completely sure that getting away from Jonathan was what she wanted.