Chapter 16
“Ihave a surprise for you today, Isabella,” Arthur announced two days later over breakfast.
Isabella looked up. “Really? What sort of surprise?”
“Well, I know that you’ve been lonely here at Windhill,” Arthur said.
Isabella had been less lonely since Aunt Olivia’s arrival. Aunt Olivia had taken to her at once, drawing Isabella under her wing and treating her like a member of the family. It was an experience unlike any Isabella had ever had before, being included and wanted so quickly by someone new. A part of her wished that Aunt Olivia could stay forever.
And it wasn’t lost on her that Aunt Olivia had had a similar impact on Arthur himself. She had thought that nothing in the world could soften her cold, harsh husband, but when he was around his aunt, he seemed easygoing and happy. He was like a different man. It surprised and pleased her to be able to get to know this new version of him, even though she was sure it wouldn’t last once his aunt returned to her home.
So, her loneliness was not currently something that plagued her. But even so, she felt eager to learn what sort of surprise he might have in store. She knew it might be something lovely, so she nodded.
“I’ve made arrangements for you to have company today during the day—and for all of us to have company at dinner,” Arthur said.
Only one part of that registered—he had referred to them having dinner together. That hadn’t been a part of her initial demands of him on the night he had found her in his office. Of course, it wasn’t unheard of for him to join her at the dinner table—he had taken an evening meal with her twice since Aunt Olivia’s arrival in fact—but it was something Isabella knew better than to count on. Whoever he had planned to bring to the manor as company for her, she doubted it could be more exciting than the simple gift of him joining her at the table—especially after the night he had come to her room and touched her cheek so tenderly before drawing away.
But she was taken by surprise. When she asked him who was coming, he smiled and said, “Your family.”
Her family!
Of course, she felt no particular urge to see her father or Rosalind, except perhaps to make a point to them of the fact that she was happy here. She would have to conceal from them the minor details of her life that she struggled with because she knew there would be no end to their mockery if they learned this wasn’t a real marriage. Rosalind would take particular delight in that, but Isabella knew it wouldn’t be hard to keep that a secret. Arthur wouldn’t want anyone to know, and they’d never suspect.
Much more importantly, a visit with her family meant a visit with Felicity, who she hadn’t seen since the day of her wedding when Arthur had hustled her out of her father’s house so quickly. If she had realized that it would be such a long time before they saw one another again, perhaps she would have insisted on lingering a bit, hoping to say goodbye. There genuinely wasn’t anything Arthur could have done for her that would have made her happier than arranging a day for her to spend with Felicity.
“That’s wonderful,” she said happily, full of sincerity. “Arthur, thank you. Truly.”
“This is wonderful,” Aunt Olivia said. “I’ll be thrilled to have the opportunity to meet your family, Isabella. I’m sure that we’ll all have a wonderful day together.”
Isabella’s enthusiasm dipped ever so slightly. She recognized Aunt Olivia’s good intentions, of course, but it was difficult to imagine spending the day with this kind lady who she was growing to admire and respect and, also, Rosalind, who would stop at nothing to tear her down. She could only hope that Aunt Olivia would still care about her, still respect her, after a day of hearing what Rosalind thought of her.
The unpleasantries started right away. Isabella’s family arrived right after breakfast. They stood in the foyer, looking about the place—Felicity with curiosity and delight but both Rosalind and the Viscount with a critical eye.
“So, this is the infamous Windhill estate,” the Viscount said.
“I don’t know about infamous,” Arthur replied, “but this is Windhill, all right.”
“Oh, I’m sure you know only too well how much curiosity this place has generated,” the Viscount said. “How many years has it been since anyone has seen the inside of the place? I don’t mind telling you that there was a part of me expecting an old ruin.”
Aunt Olivia laughed. “Of course it isn’t a ruin,” she said. “You wouldn’t have allowed your daughter to come and live in a ruin.”
She said this as if it was the most natural thing in the world, as if no one would allow their daughter to live in a ruin. Isabella had half a mind to disabuse her, but she wouldn’t be the one to make things more unpleasant than they needed to be.
“Well, this arrangement wasn’t really Father’s idea,” Rosalind pointed out. “Not that he minded, of course. It was very convenient, having someone come to our door and tell us that they wanted her! Still, I do feel some sympathy for His Grace.”
Aunt Olivia frowned. “Sympathy? What on Earth do you mean, Miss Rosalind?”
“I believe my daughter is referring to the fact that they had no courtship,” the Viscount explained.
“Oh, well,” Aunt Olivia said with a laugh. “When you know, you just know, don’t you? That’s the way it was with me and my late husband. We had a courtship, but the whole thing felt like marking time until my parents would allow us to move forward with the marriage we both wanted. Now that he’s gone, all I wish is that we had had more time together! A short time is better than no time at all, but I do miss him very much, and I’m glad to see my Arthur here seizing the moment.”
“What about you?” Isabella asked Felicity, ready to move the subject away from herself. “Have you had any suitors lately?” After all, this had been a part of her original agreement with Arthur—he was supposed to be speaking to the various members of the ton, letting people know about Felicity and encouraging them to seek her out. She should have had people calling on her by now. Isabella felt guilty for a moment about the fact that she hadn’t followed up on that promise to make sure that Arthur was living up to it.
But Felicity smiled. “Some gentlemen have come to call,” she said. “They’re all so kind and pleasant to spend time with. I’ve been having a marvelous time.”
“They’re nothing special,” Rosalind huffed dismissively. “The one who came the day before yesterday was only the son of a viscount—the second son of the viscount, not even the first. Although, I suppose Felicity shouldn’t expect anything better than that,” she added. “Not given who her mother was.”
“Well, now, I don’t know about that.” Aunt Olivia was clearly struggling to put her finger on the reason for the animosity that had entered the room with Rosalind and the Viscount, but it was also clear that she wanted to try to smooth things over. “Just look at Isabella here. Married to a duke! And she’s a duchess now. It’s living proof that anyone can marry anyone if they truly want to. Love conquers all.”
“Love.” Rosalind snorted. “There’s no love in that match. He married her because she tricked him into it, that’s all.”
Isabella couldn’t believe that Rosalind had been bold enough to say such a thing right in front of Arthur and his aunt. Even the Viscount looked surprised and a little abashed, and Isabella was sure that, while this was probably something the two of them had discussed privately, her father had never intended those words to see the light of day.
But it was Arthur who responded. “What did you say?” he asked, narrowing his eyes.
Rosalind had the decency to look abashed in the face of the Duke questioning her. “Well—it’s only the truth, Your Grace,” she murmured, although she did sound less confident in her assessment now. “We all know it. You married her because of that lie she made up. I’m sure you were just embarrassed about the scandal that would take place if you had to admit to the fact that it had never been real. Why else would you want to marry someone like her? The daughter of a maid and a known liar! Of course, it was to spare yourself from having to explain away her lies. A neat trick on her part, I must say, though I personally would never stoop so low as to try to trick a gentleman like that.”
Arthur held up a hand. “I won’t hear any more of this,” he said. He turned to the Viscount. “Lord Cliffrows, I insist that you get your daughter under control. She is a guest in my home as are you, and I won’t have her insulting my wife—the Duchess—in this manner. I realize that you are family, but if you can’t show the Duchess the respect she deserves, I’ll be forced to rescind my invitation and send the two of you home right now.” He turned to Felicity. “Though you would be welcome to stay as long as you liked, of course. I know how important it is for you and Isabella to see one another. She’s mentioned to me countless times how much she misses you, Miss Felicity.”
Isabella felt instantly grateful to Arthur for making it clear that he wouldn’t be sending Felicity away if he felt compelled to get rid of the others.
Rosalind sulked, and the Viscount said quickly, “No offense was intended, Your Grace. My daughter has a sharp tongue.”
“Teach her to soften it if she wishes to spend any more time in my home.”
“Of course,” the Viscount agreed quickly.
When Arthur wasn’t looking, the Viscount shot a glare at Isabella, as if she had been the one to reprimand Rosalind. Isabella didn’t mind. It felt so good to hear someone put Rosalind in her place that it didn’t matter to her that her father was angry about it. Let him be angry! It was about time someone had said those things.
The rest of the day passed pleasantly enough. Rosalind couldn’t seem to get over the fact that she had been scolded as she had, for she sat quietly and said little at all. A few times, Isabella met Felicity’s eyes, and she knew that she and her sister were thinking the same thing—what an improvement this was.
Her father was less easily abashed and continued to make pointed comments about the state of Windhill—how the house was nicer than he had expected, how he had assumed that the Duke didn’t have much money given his willingness to marry a maid’s daughter, but now, he could see that it wasn’t the truth. Nobody paid him much mind. Isabella was grateful for the ability Arthur seemed to have to ignore the things her father was saying. The Viscount was being very rude, but it didn’t seem to have very much effect.
“Are you going to the Manford ball?” she asked her sister as their visit drew to a close.
“I am,” Felicity said, lighting up. “Will you be there too?”
“Yes,” Isabella said with a smile. “All three of us will—me, Arthur, and Olivia, so we’ll see one another very soon!”
Rosalind gave a little huff at that as she took her leave, but nobody paid her any mind at all.