Chapter 12
“Mother!” Lavinia shouted from her bed as she wiped the few tears that escaped her eyes. “You must learn how to knock!”
She had been stuck in a melancholic state where any thought of the Duke made her heart break into pieces.
I should not be distressed. He does not want me… and I do not love him. He does not hold my heart!
However much she wanted to ignore the excruciating grief in her heart, she had been deeply wounded by his sudden avoidance yesterday.
“I am your mother, Lavinia. You should not expect me to announce my entrance. I should always be welcome in your chambers,” the Baroness complained, but her smile was an indication of her letting it go.
“What could your presence mean, Mother?” Lavinia asked as she stood up to fix herself up in front of the mirror. She took her brush and gently pulled the bristles through her slightly tangled hair.
“I heard your brother’s planning something.”
“He is,” she confessed. “But do not worry, Mama. I talked him round and convinced him to postpone the outing until tomorrow.” She gave her mother a warm smile. “We will not miss your banquet.”
Her mother fixed her with a look that indicated she was waiting to hear something else, so Lavinia added, “I warned him that you would not approve.”
The Baroness sighed. “I didn’t say I would not approve of an impromptu outing. Your brother is old enough to decide on his own how he spends his days. It is you whom I am worried about.”
“Me?” Lavinia said in a defensive tone.
“Indeed,” the Baroness replied. “It seems like your head has been in the clouds these last few days more than usual…” she drifted off, giving her the impression that she was the one who could not focus on any single subject.
“Have I done something wrong, Mama?” Lavinia asked with trepidation.
She knew quite well that she had engaged in plenty of naughty behavior this week.
Is it possible that Lord Windham pressed the issue? Did he tell Mama that he knew I was lying about being out of bed on that first night and—
“You must avoid the Duke of Pemberton, Lavinia,” the Baroness pressed.
She pulled her shoulders back as her eyes narrowed on her daughter’s blue ones.
Lavinia could see in her mother’s eyes that this was a real and true warning. “Why?” she could not help but ask in a tremulous voice.
The Baroness frowned. “It distresses me to spread rumors, especially when they involve dear Henrietta’s son, but I just heard that the Duke has ruined Lady Overstreet.”
“Lady Overstreet?” Lavinia’s brow furrowed as she tried to recall anyone with that title.
Her mother sighed heavily. “She is a few years younger than you, Lavinia. She made her debut two Seasons ago.”
“Ah,” Lavinia murmured. “That explains why I do not know her.”
The Baroness continued talking, ignoring her.
“Everyone said she was the loveliest girl on the marriage mart, and they were sure she would make an excellent match. And she did!” Her voice rose, but then it dropped to a whisper, indicating how she was crestfallen to report this news.
“But then she allowed herself to be seduced by the Duke of Pemberton.”
Lavinia gasped. She could not help it. She should have known that her mother’s story was headed in that direction, but the revelation came as a surprise just the same. “No… Surely, the Duke would not dally with a married woman.”
“He did, and he has,” the Baroness replied. She blew out a breath, causing her feathery light bangs to flutter. “I just heard every sordid detail from Lord Windham.”
Lavinia’s mouth fell open. “Lord Windham? What does he know of the Duke’s affairs?”
The Baroness shrugged. “It seems that Lord Windham has been investigating the Duke’s business.
” She paused and pursed her lips. “He did not tell me why he was so keen to learn about Henrietta’s son, but I suppose that is beside the point.
” She huffed. “All I know is that the Duke has ruined Lady Overstreet’s reputation forever and that Lord Windham advised me to have you be on your guard. ”
“Believe me when I say this, Mother—I am trying.” It was the most truthful thing Lavinia could bring herself to say.
“Very well, you are my daughter after all.” The Baroness exhaled and then smiled, as if she had not just delivered distressing news. “I trust that you’ll make the right decision.”
Lavinia sighed as soon as her mother left.
If my mother trusts me, why did she feel the need to tell me about the Duke and his dalliances? What does she know? What has she seen? What has Lord Windham told her?
Lavinia flopped back onto her bed, picked up a pillow, pressed it to her face, and screamed loudly. It did her precious little good to shout into the soft folds of her pillowcase, but she did feel marginally better after releasing some of her frustrations.
Crawford Hall and the lush, green fields surrounding it served as a blank canvas for a simple yet elegant garden banquet.
Lady Crawford wore a satin dandelion dress that modestly followed the swell of her hips and flowed like air around her feet.
She was drowned in flattery, as each guest made it a point to stop by the table and compliment her liberally.
Lavinia hid her face behind her gloved hand and yawned in boredom.
I do wish we had gone ahead with the original plan and gone into Arlington.
She yawned once more.
Lady Crawford turned just then and caught her patting her lips with the tips of her fingers. “Keep smiling, Lavinia dear,” she said through her gritted teeth.
“Yes, Mother.” Lavinia tried to smile despite the heavy feeling in her chest. She blinked her eyes many times, and the tears almost spilled over.
Still dejected from her recent heartbreak, she watched the people around her.
At that moment, she just wanted to escape.
She remembered her brother. As absurd as he might be, Charles always knew how to have fun, and at that very moment, Lavinia wished that he would materialize and pull her away from this elegant but dull banquet.
“Lavinia!” Suddenly, like an angel coming down from the heavens, his voice filled her ears. It was the sweetest music she had ever heard.
“Charles!” It was the first time in a long time that she called her brother’s name with such excitement.
“I came here to save you, my dear sister,” Charles whispered, reminding her of all the times he would steal her away from her governess to play in the mud in the backyard.
Lavinia finally let out a long breath, releasing the heaviness that had filled her chest earlier. She would be eternally grateful to her brother for coming to her aid when she needed him.
She nearly jumped to her feet then and followed him away from the throng. She cast a semi-apologetic look over her shoulder at their mother, but Lady Crawford’s attention had already been snagged by one of the guests, so Lavinia did not linger.
“You know what, Sister?” Charles began as they hurriedly walked away from their mother.
“What?” Lavinia asked, almost sounding enthused.
Suddenly, she saw a familiar face in the crowd. A face that she could never forget. He met her gaze, but then quickly averted his eyes. Lavinia felt a sharp jolt of pain in her chest.
Why? Why can’t the Duke bear to look at me?
“I like the Duke of Pemberton; he is a great companion. I do not believe the rumors about him,” Charles noted as they drew closer to the Duke. “He is definitely far different from those stories circulating about him.”
Lavinia stole another glance at him, but the Duke seemed like he did not care much for her anymore.
Is this the distance he wanted?
“I don’t think he could ever do all those things,” Charles continued. “I mean, it is no secret that men like the Duke have desires that need to be quenched, but he could not possibly…”
Lavinia knew she ought to be rapt and listen to her twin’s every word, but she had closed off her ears and focused only on the Duke.
“He is an interesting individual all in all, and I should not object to getting to know him better.”
Suddenly, her brother’s stories about the Duke did not sit right with her. The way Charles described his new acquaintance was so different from what her mother had said just that morning.
Lavinia was tempted to ask her brother what he knew about Lady Overstreet, but she did not dare.
If Charles has a favorable opinion of the Duke, who am I to spread gossip and taint it?
“I think I need to get some air, Charles,” she said, cutting him off.
Without waiting for his reply, she walked away towards the tiny forest in the southwest part of the estate.
The forest had multiple and varied trees that naturally grew close together.
Her favorite part was the short stream that crossed the middle.
It may have been the reason the trees were able to survive on their own without care.
From under the canopy, she could hear the birds sing separately but beautifully. She closed her eyes and listened to the birds; she could stay here and be at peace for as long as she liked.
She stood restfully, unbothered by the small banquet that seemed miles away. She could hear the faint laughter and music drifting through the trees, but it did not unnerve her.
She knew that no one else—except for Charles, if he chose to follow her—was likely to be here. All the guests would be back near the house, enjoying the banquet. So, she was confident that she would be alone for her much-needed stroll.
However, luck was not on her side that day, and she was not alone in the woods. Soon, she heard footsteps following her. She immediately stopped and turned around to see who it could be. Her heart sank when she saw Lord Windham approaching.
“Do not be alarmed, Miss Fitzroy,” he said as he drew closer, with both hands raised in surrender. “I did not mean to startle you.”
“Did you follow me here, My Lord?”
“I had to follow you,” he said simply. “I saw you leave with Charles, and I did not want to miss my chance to…”
“To what?” Lavinia prompted.