Chapter Twenty-Eight

 

With careful hands, Anna pushed the needle through the fabric. Her blue dress, the best she owned, lay on the kitchen table. If she was to make a good impression, she had to resew the fraying hem and mend the places where the fabric had worn through. If only she could replace the entire dress!

She could barely contain her excitement— and her uneasiness. She was to meet the duchess in just a few short hours. It was one thing to tease a duke she had found asleep from consuming too much drink and quite another to be presented to his mother.

The truth was, the dress should have been discarded months ago, but with no money to purchase fabric for another, she had held on to it. It was certainly better than the dresses made of burlap, despite its holes.

“What’re you doing?” Henry asked as he leaned his elbows on the table. “Did you break your dress?”

Anna laughed. “A dress cannot break. I’m mending it so I can look presentable to an important lady.”

Henry did not seem to find her explanation satisfactory. “But why do you have to fix your dress for her? Doesn’t she like it well enough?”

Anna reached over and tousled his brown hair. “Sometimes we must take extra effort to make a good impression, which means having our clothing as nice as possible.”

He scratched his head and scrunched his face. “If you say so. I’m going outside to play.”

Thomas, who stood beside the counter with a glass of water in his hand, watched her as she worked. He had hardly spoken two words to her since her return, and he had surprised her by not giving an opinion when she mentioned this meeting. She hoped he would not use it now to dampen her spirits.

“This meeting with the duchess is important to you, isn’t it?”

Anna nodded. “It’s the first step of many that I must take to earn her acceptance. If only I had a better dress, I think my chances would fare much better.”

Thomas made no comment before leaving the room, and Anna resumed her mending, relieved her brother had not shouted at her.

Although Colin had expressed doubt at the river two nights earlier, Anna knew better. Duchess or not, his mother was a woman and would surely understand what they felt for one another. Of course, Anna would have to prove she was worthy. The bloodline she once believed was hers did not exist, but she loved Colin. And love was what mattered.

So lost in her thoughts was Anna that she nearly jumped from her chair when Thomas dropped a large box on top of her dress. Did he mean to sabotage her plans? The box had at least an inch of dust on its lid, which would dirty the fabric.

“What are you doing?” she demanded.

“Mother told me that one day you’d require a dress,” he said. “I asked her how I’d know, but she assured me that I would just know. It was her favorite dress, and now it’s yours.”

Overcome with emotion, Anna lifted the lid of the box to reveal a lovely blue muslin dress. “It’s my favorite color,” she whispered as she trailed her fingers over the soft fabric. “I remember Mother once wearing this dress, but I had forgotten about it.”

Joy filled her as she did something she had not done in a long time— she embraced her brother. “Thank you. There is hope, Thomas. One way or another, all our lives are going to improve.”

“I hope what you say is true, for I’ve given up thinking that anything good will happen to us.”

For the first time, Anna could see the weight Thomas carried on his shoulders. He did his best to never mention his despair. He had to have dreams, just as she did, and she prayed she could help him realize them.

“Anna!” Henry came rushing into the kitchen, his cheeks pink with excitement. “There’re two ladies here asking for you. Christian’s talking to them now, and one of them keeps giggling.” He scowled at this.

“Just two ladies? There’s no gentleman with them?”

Henry shook his head. “Just them two.”

Anna frowned. “Who could it be?” she wondered as she followed Henry to the front of the house. There she found Miss Caroline in a yellow day dress with matching ribbons in her hair. Beside her stood a young woman in a maid’s uniform clutching two bags.

“Oh, there she is!” Miss Caroline gushed as she hurried to Anna and hugged her. “You must forgive me for calling over without sending a request beforehand, but Christian has assured me that it’s no trouble.”

Christian’s cheeks were redder than any rose Anna had ever seen— a perfect match to Miss Caroline’s.

“You’re welcome here anytime,” Anna assured the young woman. From behind her, Thomas cleared his throat. “Oh, this is my eldest brother, Thomas. And this young lad is Henry. And, of course, you’ve met Christian.”

“I have indeed met him,” Miss Caroline said with a sigh as she stared far longer than necessary at Christian. Then she shook her head and added, “This is my lady’s maid, Beatrice. She’s here to help me.”

“Help you do what?” Anna asked.

“Yesterday, I happened to overhear my cousin Colin speaking to his mother about meeting you. Well, a lady must be prepared to look her absolute best, so I decided to bring over a few items to help heighten your beauty.”

Anna stared at her in disbelief. “You’re willing to do this?”

“Of course,” Miss Caroline said as if Anna had said the sky was blue. “We are friends, but, more importantly, we’re women. Although it can be a burden, we must prepare ourselves for certain men. Some deserve it more than others.”

She glanced at Christian, a mischievous glint in her eye. It was clear Miss Caroline had fallen for her brother’s rugged good looks, just as so many others had, despite the fact that Christian never did anything to garner their attention. Now, he stood digging the toe of his shoe into the dirt in front of him.

“Well, we really should get started,” Miss Caroline said. “We don’t have much time, so let’s go inside to get you ready.”

Anna nodded, but when they reached the door, she stopped and turned to face Miss Caroline. “You’re more than welcome in my home, but I should warn you that it’s not up to your standards. I have no comfortable chairs to offer you.”

Miss Caroline laughed. “I don’t care about that. Friendship is not based on what we own.” As they went to enter, Miss Caroline stopped and placed an arm across the door. “I’m sorry, but when a woman prepares for a special event, she doesn’t need brothers milling around and gawking. Go entertain each other with stories of war or whatever other mundane topics men discuss.”

Thomas went to speak, but Christian grabbed his arm and said, “Of course, miss. Come on. Let’s leave the ladies to their business. I wanted to show you what I’ve done with the white stallion you brought me last week, anyway.”

Shaking her head, Anna led the two women into the house. “My mother left me this dress,” she said as she pulled it from the box. “I’ve never worn it and forgot it existed until just before you arrived, so I hope it fits.”

“It’s very beautiful,” Miss Caroline said as she fingered the intricate lace that lined the neckline. “Once Colin sees you in it, and after what Beatrice and I do, he may decide to elope with you no matter what his mother says!”

Anna could not help but laugh.

Beatrice went over and set several logs into the fireplace.

“What are you doing?” Anna asked. “It’s far too warm for a fire.”

The maid blushed. “I must be able to heat the curling tongs,” she said, glancing at Miss Caroline.

“Go on, Beatrice. Anna doesn’t mind, do you?”

Anna could only gape. “No, I suppose not.”

“Good. Now, there’s no time for shyness, so get out of that dress. I’ve brought a chemise and a short corset. I assume you have none.”

“No,” Anna replied, staring in wonderment as Miss Caroline removed the items from one of the bags. The stays looked rather uncomfortable in her opinion.

“I’ve also brought a variety of petticoats and gloves.” She pushed aside one of the bags. “You won’t be needing this gown. Yours is far lovelier. Now, I believe this petticoat will be better for your dress, would you not agree, Beatrice?”

“Yes, miss,” the maid replied. “The other’ll be far too warm.”

Miss Caroline nodded. “Now, let’s get you dressed.”

Donning the chemise, Anna welcomed the fabric, which was far softer than even her good blue dress. She grasped the counter as Miss Caroline and Beatrice pulled at the stays on the short corset, its bone structure digging into her flesh. It took some meandering, but they managed to get it into place, so it was not so uncomfortable.

“Before you don the dress,” Miss Caroline said, “we’ll have Beatrice curl your hair. She can do wonders, I assure you.”

Anna gave the iron a skeptical look. She had never had her hair curled before, not with a hot iron. She had used strips of cloth to wrap her hair before but doing so typically was not worth the time spent. Not when she was only going to the workhouse.

“Don’t worry, Miss Anna,” Beatrice said when Anna winced well before the iron touched her hair. “I’ve never burned Miss Caroline.”

“That’s true,” Miss Caroline replied. “And she’s always done excellent work. I’ve never left the house with my hair looking horrid.” She turned to the maid. “And how many times must I insist that I’m simply Caroline when we’re alone?”

“But we’re not alone, miss.”

Miss Caroline waved a dismissive hand. “I’m sure Miss Anna will not mind, will you?”

Anna laughed. “Not at all.” She found the pair very entertaining. They clearly had a close relationship despite their differences in station. Then again, Miss Caroline was different from many women of the ton. She treated people with respect despite their place in society.

“There,” Beatrice said after more than half an hour. The smell of burnt hair filled the room, and Anna could not help but wonder if she had any more hair to curl! “What do you think, Miss Caroline?”

Miss Caroline walked a complete circle around Anna. “Yes, that will do nicely. Now, let’s add a bit of color.” She placed several jars on the table, lifting each one in turn. “She does not need much. Perhaps a bit of rouge and some color on her lips. She’s already so beautiful.” She handed one of the jars to Beatrice.

“I must admit that witnessing this budding romance between you and Colin has been far better than any novel I’ve read. Do you realize that we’ll become family when you marry? Poor Davis will have a fit! But who cares? You’ll always be welcome at my home no matter what.”

Once Beatrice applied the makeup, Miss Caroline displayed a selection of gloves. “Do you prefer any in particular? Or perhaps you have your own to wear.”

Anna shook her head. “I don’t own any gloves. I believe I prefer the ones with the blue lace at the wrists. They match my dress.”

Miss Caroline beamed. “Those were the ones I was going to suggest. All right, Beatrice, it’s time to help her with the dress.”

Stepping into her mother’s dress, Beatrice pulled it up to her shoulders. With practiced ease, she soon had the tiny buttons in place. Finally, she helped slide the gloves over Anna’s hands.

“There,” Miss Caroline said as she took a step back. “Now, what are we missing? Oh, yes! Fragrance. Every lady needs perfume!”

After dabbing the scent of roses behind Anna’s ears and in the hollow of her throat, Caroline took one last look. “I must say, my work today is pure brilliance.” She turned and looked at Beatrice. “Do you not agree?”

The maid grinned. “I do indeed, miss,” she said, giving Anna a wink.

Caroline glanced around. “Do you have a mirror?”

Anna shook her head, her cheeks heating. “Only a small one. But it’s cracked and would do us no good.”

“No worries,” Caroline said as she pulled out a large hand mirror from the bag. “You’ll not be able to see the full effect, but you must trust me that you are absolutely stunning!”

Worrying her bottom lip, Anna took the mirror from Miss Caroline and gasped. Staring back at her was a woman she hardly recognized. Her blonde hair hung down her back in long ringlets. Her lips were stained with just a touch of red, as were her cheeks. But the dress was more exquisite than she would have ever imagined.

“Mother would be so pleased,” she said before turning back to Miss Caroline and Beatrice. “Thank you, both of you, for making me feel so beautiful.”

Miss Caroline gave a dramatic sigh. “You were already beautiful. We only enhanced what you already had. And you’re most welcome.” She kissed each of Anna’s cheeks. “May your romance continue to bloom. And write down everything that happens and send it to me so I can read about it like one of my novels!”

Promising she would, Anna bid them farewell. In just ten minutes, she would begin her walk to the fork in the road. Although all felt perfect, doubt crept into her heart.

Would her appearance impress the duchess? Could a simple dress bring about such a miracle?

But the question that had a firm grasp on her heart was, what would happen if the lady rejected her?

 

***

 

Another night of tossing and turning had kept Colin awake. This time, however, it was not due to worry but rather because of hope. Today, his mother would meet Anna and thus would begin the slow and tedious journey of acceptance. It would take time, of course, but his mother would come to see in Anna what he saw. And when that happened, she would have no choice but give them her blessing. And from there, find a way to make it work.

But first, they had to meet.

They were not due to leave for another hour, so he took his time dressing. He wanted to give his mother no opportunity to devise an excuse to cancel their outing, and knowing her, she might do just that.

Colin sighed and made his way to the library. His plan was to spend the next hour reading in an attempt to pass the time. If he was able to keep his mind on the book, that is.

He stopped at the doorway. Evelyn stood peering out the window, dressed once again in her mourning clothes. This time, she wore no gloves, and her right hand was pressed against the windowpane. Although she had dined with the family the last two evenings, she had said little.

“Good morning, Evelyn,” he said, hoping not to startle her. “I don’t mean to disturb you. I’m just here to choose a book and I’ll leave you to your thoughts.”

She turned to him and smiled. “No, please stay. I had hoped to ask you something.”

Colin joined her at the window. A gardener squatted, hunchbacked, as he pulled the weeds in one of the flowerbeds.

“Caroline informed me that you intend to marry Miss Silverstone.”

Colin nodded, although he had not mentioned it to Caroline. The girl must have been spying. “That is my wish. But I’m afraid mother’s approval will take time. If it is even possible. I may be nearly fifty before that day arrives.”

He forced a chuckle, but Evelyn did not even smile. Instead, she pressed the tip of a finger against the glass. “I once had happiness,” she said. “Though the odd thing is that I didn’t realize I had it until it was gone.” She turned to face him. “So often in life, we come to find ourselves wanting more or better things without realizing that perhaps this is the best it will ever be.”

Colin found that he had no reply to her strange riddle. “Why are you unhappy?”

Before Evelyn could reply, the door opened, and his mother stormed into the room.

“We must speak now. Alone.”

Despite the fact the house was hers, Evelyn bowed her head in acknowledgment and left the room.

“What’s wrong?” Colin asked, surprised by the rage in his mother’s eyes and the curl of disgust on her lips.

She clutched a letter in her hand. “What I would like to know, my son, is how you could have forgotten to tell me that this woman I am to meet today is the daughter of a prostitute!” his mother said with a growl as she held out the letter to him.

“A prostitute?” Colin asked as anger rose in him. “I would watch your tongue, Mother. You have no right to levy such accusations against Anna! I’ll not have it!”

His mother thrust the letter against his chest. “Read it for yourself. I warned you that the woman was no good, but I had no idea how right I was.”

“What’s this nonsense?” Colin demanded as he took the letter in hand. “Who is this from?”

“Lord Leedon,” his mother spat. “The man was gracious enough to respond to my apology.”

Colin’s ire rose so quickly that he thought his face would catch fire. “You went behind my back after I told you to leave the man alone?” he demanded, his jaw clenched in rage. “How dare you go against my expressed wishes!”

To his bewilderment, his mother took a step toward him and tapped the letter with a finger. In the softest of voices, she said, “Read it and learn what he has to say about this woman you wish to bring into our family.”

What had come over his mother as of late? Meddling in his personal life had never been something she had done in the past. Not to this degree. Whispered suggestions on who he should marry, certainly, but to go this far? No, it was unlike her. What the letter had to say had to be serious, indeed.

He unfolded the parchment.

 

Dear Duchess of Greystoke,

 

I appreciate your offer of apology on behalf of your son. I shall not argue that the imposition His Grace put on me might have caused me a great deal of discomfort. I’m only thankful that I had the foresight to make sure Cecilia and the children were not present to witness such an atrocity.

 

Although I had never met Miss Silverstone before the day she arrived at my London home, I was indeed acquainted with her mother. The various charities I have supported throughout the years included one which helps women who have been forced to lead a life that is far less respectable than most. We worked with such women, gave them proper training, and found them honest work to put them on a path to better lives.

 

Miss Silverstone’s mother, Rebecca, was one such woman. The truth is, and please forgive me if I cause you distress with my forwardness, but she was a prostitute. Unfortunately, she filled her daughter’s head with nonsense, including informing her that I am her father. Any such relationship is purely fiction, I assure you.

 

The fault, I suppose, lies with myself, for I was the one who chose to spend time with people who live such terrible lives, ignoring the advice given me that I should keep my distance. Now, many years later, my choices have returned to haunt me.

 

I humbly beg of you to see that His Grace puts these rumors to rest. If not for me, then for the sake of my daughters, who are but children. I would hate to see their impeccable name tarnished by lies.

 

Respectfully yours,

Leedon

 

Colin’s stomach ached and all the air was gone from his lungs as if someone had struck him.

“Do you understand now what you’ve brought upon yourself?” his mother asked. “The shame you dare wish to bring upon this family with this dalliance?”

“I did not know,” Colin mumbled. “I had no idea.”

But was that the truth? He recalled the night in the park during the party at the home of Lord Dundwhich. Anna had said that if she were to explain the situation pertaining to her father, he would be disgusted. Now he understood why. The fact she was born out of wedlock had not mattered to him, for many children were brought into the world through a love that could not be.

This, however, was far different. Any man who had bedded her mother for money could be Anna’s father. How could he allow such scandal into his family? The truth was, he could not, and that tore at his heart worse than anything could.

“You’ve shamed me,” his mother said. “To say I’m embarrassed with the choices you have made as of late is far too lenient. Why would you do such a thing to me? Have I done something to bring on this act of rebellion? Is this the reason you came to the home of your cousins? To hurt me for some infraction I have done to you? You’ve never been a vindictive man, but I’m afraid that this…whatever you wish to call it has clouded your judgment.”

Colin folded the letter and placed it in his pocket. His heart, mind, and body were numb. “I didn’t mean to embarrass you, Mother. The purpose of this excursion to Wilkworth was to find myself.”

His mother let out a mocking laugh. “Find yourself? Do you not see what silly notions do? They threatened absolute ruin.” She shook her head and took hold of his hand. “My son, you are a duke. I don’t deny that you may have enjoyed your time with this woman, but you must now make a decision. Either you sacrifice everything and ruin your name or leave with me today and return to where you belong. I’ll see that our things are packed and placed in the carriage while I await your decision.”

Colin stared at the ruby set in his ring. Why had Anna not told him all she had learned? He would not have cared for her less, but it would have helped so he could navigate the storm in which he found himself.

Clenching his fist, he swore under his breath. Who was he fooling? The ship he commanded was sinking fast. Unless he abandoned it, he, too, would go down with it. His mother was right. He was a duke and had a responsibility to his family. The games he had played these last weeks were that of a simpleton. Although he cared for Anna, any marginal chance they once had to be together was now gone.

Knowing this made him close his eyes. He had no choice but to say goodbye to her this very day. Her heart would be crushed, but it was for the best. For both of them.

How long he stood there in thought, he did not know, but then the striking of the clock drew his attention to the time. What had begun as a day filled with hope had quickly turned to one of dread.

What he needed was time to consider how he would break the news to Anna.

Colin walked to the foyer and found Davis standing at attention. “Davis, tell my mother that I’m off for a walk and will return shortly.”

“Her Grace and Lady Katherine are not home, Your Grace,” the butler said.

“Not home?” Colin asked, alarmed. “Where did they go?”

“Her Grace did not say, but I did hear her mention something about ‘putting an end to this once and for all’ or something of that sort.”

Colin closed his eyes. His mother had gone to see Anna without him. What was worse, she had taken Lady Katherine with her!

Hurrying outside, he had hoped to see the carriage, but it was gone. “You!” he called out to a startled stable hand, “Fetch me my horse. Quickly!”

The man dipped his head and ran inside the stable.

Colin would have to make haste to stop his mother. To stop Lady Katherine. To save Anna.

And, as he had done so many times before, Colin turned his attention to his ducal ring. A ring that stood for everything.

One question sat in the forefront of his mind. Was he willing to sacrifice who he was for Anna?