Chapter 3
Three
Thalia breathed in the fresh air as she stepped from the ballroom and into the back garden. It was a cool night, but she was sweating visibly. Although such a state of being was not brought about because she ran hot, but because she was angry.
I knew this was going to be hard. I knew this was going to be darn painful. But I’d had no idea it would be so… impossible.
From the moment Thalia arrived at the ball, she had found herself at the center of every guest’s judgement. Scorn and slander directed toward her for no other reason than those in attendance had heard her name, knew a little of it, and decided quickly that she was beneath them.
Most of what they thought they knew was not true.
That she was a spinster. That her husband was a commoner who had left her with a child.
That she’d spent the last four years living on the edges of society because she thought she was better than everyone else.
She was, in their minds, trouble, and not worth their time.
For an hour she walked the ballroom, smiled and fluttered her eyes and searched for a lord whose interest she might court. But every time she thought she had one trapped in her gaze, his lips curled derisively, a scoff to go with it, and he looked away.
And that wasn’t to mention the whispers! Of which, there were many.
Her exiting the ballroom was needed so she might regroup and further consider her options.
Or rather, her only option, and how she might achieve it.
She could not leave this ball tonight without at least one lord showing his interest. She had to find some way to lure one close enough so he might see past her reputation.
But how? I knew my name was tarnished, I’d just had no idea how much!
“It is a nice night for a walk…” From behind, a deep voice drifted and wrapped itself around her.
Thalia’s eyes widened with glee. But she did not turn immediately, choosing to play it cool because she knew how much men of this sort enjoyed the chase. She walked forwards a little more, putting herself on the edge of the steps which led down to the sprawling garden. And there, she waited…
It was a moonless night. Through the darkness, she could see a few bodies wandering together and enjoying the grounds… and some privacy. Chatter drifted from them, laughter too, but she ignored it, listening to the footsteps that approached behind her.
“Too nice to be spent alone,” the voice continued with an air of confidence.
“Who says I am alone?” she answered without turning back.
He laughed at the comment, coming closer still. “You won’t be soon. Not if I have anything to say about it.”
She flashed her eyes, a sigh of relief because this was exactly what she needed. And then, ever so casually, she turned so she could see who it was that she had caught in her web.
Her smile was sincere, as was the relief felt, because the lord who approached her was dashing in all the ways that mattered.
Tall, but not lithe or willowy. A confident stride with a pronounced chest. Blond hair and clear blue eyes that shone even in the dark.
And his smile… it was cocksure and arrogant; there was the sense that he liked what he saw and wasn’t the type to be denied.
A good thing. Because neither was Thalia.
“How very bold,” Thalia said with a soft chuckle. “If not for the comment, thinking to follow a lady such as myself out here all on her own.”
“Done so for the right reasons, I assure you,” he said, his smile growing. “These are dangerous times, and a beauty as you are, should not be alone.”
“Oh, I am quite capable of looking after myself.”
“A risk we should not have to take.” He reached her and then, without waiting for her approval, took her hand and placed a kiss on the back. “In fact, I insist that you allow me to keep an eye on you until you choose to go back inside. For reasons of safety, of course,” he finished with a wink.
It was all very charming, and Thalia was sure that most women would find themselves swooning already. However, there was a falsity to his words, a sense that he was merely saying what he thought he must to seduce her. Not at all the type of thing that Thalia would ever fall for.
But desperate times called for… she really had no choice but to play into the lord’s game. While hoping that his approach was honest and not borne from wicked intentions.
“My hero,” she said, keeping her smile. “Might I have his name? Heroes do have names, don’t they?”
He chuckled deeply, still holding her hand. “Lord Farfield. But if you are kind to me, I might allow you to call me Reginald.”
“Oh…” She tried to peel her hand away, but he held it firm. “We shall see how kind I am feeling. As to my name? You may call me—”
“I know who you are.” Something changed in Lord Farfield then. His eyes flashed wickedness and his other hand snatched out so that both were gripping Thalia’s right hand. “Miss. Carstone…”
Oh no…
Thalia’s eyes widened as she took note of the look in the lord’s eyes, paired with the way he was holding her hand. The charm that had previously dripped from him was gone, replaced with a sense of aggression and slimy excitement.
“I… I am not sure what you have heard…” She tried to pull her hand free, but he would not let go. “But I assure you—”
“There is no need to be so shy or nervous,” he chuckled as he stepped closer to her. “Surely, we are beyond such things. From all I have heard of you, I would have thought you’d be used to the attention of young men.”
Anger boiled inside of her. A bad reputation was one thing. A reputation that was not true was another. But to be treated this way! It made her want to slap the lord across the face.
She did not, of course. Thalia was many things, but she wasn’t stupid. And somehow she guessed that to turn toward violence might make things even worse for her. If such a thing was possible.
“Whatever you have heard, I assure you it is not true,” she said through gritted teeth. “And I ask that you unhand me at once.”
He laughed and the look in his eyes was evil. “How about a walk, instead? I see many a hedge that you and I might find ourselves lost behind.”
“I said unhand me.”
“You will have to ask me nicely.”
“I said—”
“I suggest you listen to the lady.” A voice as deep as thunder rolling across a placid ocean washed over Thalia and Lord Farfield. It was not spoken loudly, but it was brimming with power, and it had the immediate effect of battering back the pesky lord’s advances.
His eyes widened with fear, and he spun about, at which point he immediately dropped Thalia’s hand. “Your—Your Grace,” he stammered pathetically. “I… I was just asking Miss Carstone if—”
“You were just leaving.”
Thalia’s breath left her when she saw who it was that had come to her rescue.
Her first instinct was fear, such was the level of intimidation that this lord wore as if it was a heavy cloak.
But that left her quickly, replaced by… she could not say exactly.
Her stomach flipped, her heart leapt through her chest, and her legs began to shake.
He was just so big. In the darkness, it was hard to make out his face, but he was like a growing shadow that absorbed the light. A mountain rising from the earth. A rabid wolf stumbled upon in the deepest and darkest of forests. There was a danger about him… and Lord Farfield knew it.
The repugnant lord said nothing. He did not try and argue. He did not try and defend himself. Shaking terribly, he let forth a terrified squawk and then hurried back inside as if his life depended on it.
As for the duke who rescued her? He stayed where he was, watching her silently. Again, it was too dark to make out his face, but she saw his eyes sparkling as they assessed her. Was he judging her like everyone else? Was he here to do as Lord Farfield had intended? Surely not.
A shiver ran up Thalia’s spine…
“Th—thank you,” she stammered. “I… I do not know what would have happened if you had not come along when you did.”
“I do.”
She frowned at the sharpness of his comment. It was not said rudely, but matter-of-factly, almost as if it was her fault that this had happened. But Thalia was determined not to rise to the bait, seeing as he had quite literally saved her.
“Yes, well…” She gave a nervous chuckle. “I suppose it is lucky that you came along when you did. My…” She swallowed. “My hero.”
Again, he said nothing.
But he continued to watch her, his eyes narrowing in cool assessment.
Thalia was as confident as they came, and she never much worried about what others thought of her.
In the moment, however, she became suddenly embarrassed by her gown, how she was shaking, and that she had found herself in such a situation to begin with.
“Your name,” he said finally. As he did, he took a step closer. “You are Miss Carstone?”
“Yes…”
“I have heard of you.” Another step forward and she had to fight the urge to take one back. He was just so big and intimidating, shrouded in darkness, it seemed to grow around him.
“And?” she said, waiting for the snide comment.
“With a reputation like you have, you should not have come out here alone as you did.”
Again, she felt a spike of anger. “So, it is my fault that this happened?”
“I did not say that.” Another step closer.
“You implied it.”
“I did not mean to.”
“Then what did you mean?”
He took a final step toward her, now less than three feet away, and when he did the shadows fell from his face and she saw him clearly for the first time.
His messy auburn hair. The large features that made his face; hard like granite, and unsmiling.
But mostly, she saw the scar that ran along his chin, and she gasped before she could help herself.
“People tend to assume things,” he said, either not noticing the shock on her face, or choosing to ignore it. “I know better than most what a reputation does to a person.”
Her mind raced as she tried to put the pieces together. Lord Farfield had called him a duke… Thalia knew most of them… and she knew of only one who was said to be scarred like this. One who, if rumor was true, was best to be avoided at all costs.
Her eyes widened with realization. “You are the Duke of Westvale…”
“I am.”
Her heart was racing. A part of it was fear, because he truly was terrifying.
Another part… was that excitement? A sudden realization of what this might mean.
Thalia had come here to meet a suitor who might rescue her from her situation.
And who better than a duke? One who she knew for fact was without a wife…
although the reason for that didn’t exactly inspire confidence.
“I…” She tried to catch her nervous breathing. “You are correct. I wasn’t thinking. And again, thank you.”
He frowned. “No need to thank me. But the next time you find yourself in a situation like this…” He looked down at her, his green eyes hollow pits that sent a shiver through her spine. “Don’t be.” And then, he turned to leave.
“Wait!” she called after him.
He turned back. “What is it?”
“I… you…” Thalia thought quickly. What could she possibly say to keep the duke talking? What she could possibly do to entertain his interest? From the little she knew, he was a recluse, he spurned social advances, and he likely had no intention at all of finding a bride.
“Yes?” he pressed on her.
That was when Thalia heard it. Voices coming from down the steps that led into the garden. There were three of them—two women and one man—lords and ladies who had gone for an evening stroll and were now headed back inside.
An idea came to her in the moment and not one that she was proud of or something she might have planned. But she was desperate. And in that desperation, she thought of Olivia and all that she was willing to do to make sure her little girl had the life that she deserved.
I just pray that she can forgive me. And that he might forgive me too...
“Oh no…” Thalia threw a hand to her forehead and began to sway as if she might collapse.
“Miss Carstone, are you—”
The duke was only a few feet away. He was so big that she knew he would not miss, and with the voices now moving up the steps, she let her knees give out and threw her body forward so the duke had no choice but to catch her.
His large arms wrapped her body and pulled her into him as if she weighed nothing. She quickly draped an arm over his neck and held him close. She looked up and met his eyes, a grateful smile that was also apologetic.
He frowned with confusion… only for those eyes to widen when he realized what was happening.
“What is the meaning of this?” a voice cried from the top of the steps. “Your Grace!”
Thalia gasped and turned to find two ladies and one lord gaping at them. Looks of shock and horror crossing their faces. Disgust mounting because, to their eyes, they had just stumbled upon a most scandalous scene. One that, should rumor spread, would not be good for either of them.
And Thalia… guilt overtook her, but she fought it back, knowing that she had done the wrong thing for the right reasons. Ever a theme in her life, it seemed.