Page 2 of My Ruthless Duke
Matthew’s smile softened, his eyes impossibly kind as he easily shifted the conversation. “Perhaps we have a good deal more to catch up on than I originally assumed?”
“That… is one way of putting it.” Cordelia smiled softly. She was beyond grateful that he was not pressing the issue further.
“You will agree that there is no time like the present? You shall give yourself wrinkles if you keep frowning like this all the time, Cousin.” Matthew reached up, rubbing two fingers into the lines on her forehead as he urged her to calm down. “You deserve to have a little fun as well. Whatever tragedy that your mother is concocting can surely wait a few moments?”
As if on cue, a loud crash resounded from the other end of the room. Cordelia cast her cousin a pitying look, and he released her hand, nodding in understanding as she hurried toward the sound. There was a collective gasp from those around them, the crowd of gossiping busybodies moving to circle around the spectacle that filled Cordelia with shame and dread the moment it came into focus.
There her mother was, her hand on Lord Blithe’s chest, their host, as she slurred her words. “You know, my lord, I have always wondered what it might be like should you let your guard down.” Lavinia’s hands moved up to his collar, running a finger brazenly along his skin as if to loosen the fabric right there in front of all of these people. “I think that we could make this evening a good deal more fun. Interested?” Her cheeks were wine-reddened as she grinned. Lavinia’s eyes were half-lidded as she ran her tongue over her lips.
Shame curled low in Cordelia’s belly as the crowd noticed her, glancing from her to her mother and then hiding behind their fans.
We should have stayed home.
“Lady Salisbury! What do you think you are doing?” Lady Blithe gasped, using her closed fan to smack at Lavinia’s shoulders and arms as she lavished seemingly unwanted attention on the woman’s husband. Lady Blithe was ashen and paling as she glanced at the gawkers around them. This was going to be in every gossip sheet come morning. Both that Lavinia, the embarrassment of theton, could not contain herself—and that Lady Blithe could no longer keep an eye on her own husband in their home. It would be disastrous.
“Lady Salisbury! Get off of him!” Lady Blithe protested once more; her teeth clenched. She glared daggers at Cordelia’s apologetic and sheepish smile as she moved forward to extricate her mother from the man who was not protesting half as vehemently as he ought to.
“I am so sorry! My mother is too deep in her cups… she is still very bereaved…” The words felt hollow as they left her mouth. She had said them so many times that it was so highly unlikely that anybody was going to believe them anymore.
“Do not speak for me!” Lavinia slurred as she attempted to push her daughter’s steady hands away from her. “I was merelyjesting. It is not my fault thatLady Blitheis too self-absorbed to see that her husband is miserable.” She practically sneered atthe hostess’ name as she waved her hands in a grand, dismissive gesture.
“Mama,please,” Cordelia hissed, hoping that her mother would take the hint. However, her gut told her that would not be the case.
“Get out. I knew that I never should have invited you. I thought that I was doing you and your mother afavorby inviting you! This is the thanks that I get?” Lady Blithe hissed.
It might have been kinder had she simply slapped her.
“Lord Blithe does not wish me to leave, does he?” Lavinia continued shamelessly winking at the hostess’ husband—who was not protesting nearly enough to satisfy his wife’s outrage.
“Of course, we are leaving! I… apologize once more, my lady,” Cordelia muttered lamely, her face burning as she half-dragged her mother through the ballroom, who giggled like a mad woman.
Cool night air wrapped around them the moment they were outside, and Cordelia shuddered against the assault on her senses. Lavinia curled into her daughter’s arms.
“Cordi… It is so cold…” Lavinia muttered, attempting to siphon warmth from her daughter. “Where is your father? If only… if only he had not left me, then he could have been here to keep me warm…”
“Father is gone, Mama. You know this,” Cordelia whispered, attempting to keep her temper in line as she waited for their carriage to be brought around to take them home.
“Selfish…” Lavinia hiccupped. “Selfish bastard. He left me all alone!”
She ought not to be angry with her mother. It was not her fault that her husband had killed himself. Their fortune had practically dried up overnight. Year after year, Cordelia had failed to secure a suitable husband who might have aided in their misfortunes. She knew that the fake tears were coming next. Lady Salisbury, when this drunk, tended to follow a predictable pattern.
A single hot tear rolled down Cordelia’s cheek but she quickly wiped it away.
When was it going to be her turn to mourn? Was this truly going to be her fate? A spinster forever destined to run after her mother, cleaning up all of her messes?
“I will have my revenge, Cordi, I will. That worthless man never should have left me!” Lavinia wailed, her voice carrying through the night and drawing the attention of the various footmen standing by their carriages.
“Could you cease, please? Just for a moment? You are the selfish one here!” Cordelia whispered sternly.
Lavinia turned, ready to fuss at her daughter, before seeing the look on her face. One solemn enough to sober her for just a moment.
“You are humiliating me. You are humiliating yourself, and you do not seem to care! I cannot fix this, Mama, you are ruining…” She paused, wiping another tear from her eye. “It is bad enough to insist on coming where we are so clearly not wanted. But, to drag me down with you?”
Lavinia’s mouth floundered as she struggled for words. She tried to stand on her own without leaning on her daughter for support and failed. No doubt she was ready to give another long-winded, blubbering excuse about how her actions were justified and that Cordelia simply could not understand what it was like to have to live with such a broken heart.
“No man shall ever wish to marry into such a disgraced family. What man will tolerate such belligerent behavior at all social events, Mama? You… you are hurtingmewith this behavior,” Cordelia said. There was no telling how much her mother was going to understand. There was no way to know if she would even remember their conversation in the morning after.
Cordelia dared to glance down at her mother, hoping for some flicker of understanding in the shorter woman’s eyes—but only defiance reflected there.