AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“What—what is it?” she finally asked.
“Her name is Helena Follet, her father is not a Lord, but he is a member of the Royal Society, as were his father and grandfather before him, so he has a lot of acclaim, clout and gains a lot of respect. Her father is known for hosting international artists and visionaries and showcasing their works at his estate, but before I go to that, I need to tell you how His Grace got involved with her.”
Amelia reached in and handed Louisa a saucer with a slice of pie, and she took it.
“I heard that he met the lady while she played the pianoforte at one of her father’s artistic summits about three years ago. Her father was an ambitious man and never agreed to let her marry a man of any rank lower than a Marquess or a Duke, and that she was raised to expect a title for herself. But I’m told the lady wanted the best of both worlds, to marry and have the title but to hold her freedom at the same time.”
Louisa sat the saucer to the side, as the ominous feeling in her body grew more assertive.
“It’s told that he fell head-over-heels in love with her; that she was beautiful, graceful and smart as well and he soon asked her to marry him, but she rejected the ring, asking for more jewels to it. Like any dutiful man, he got the ring adjusted and came back to her home—to find her in the arms of another man.”
The words registered with Louisa, and though she knew the implication, she chose not to let it sink deeply. “When you say in his arm, do you mean an innocent hug that—”
“She had kissed him, Louisa,” Amelia grimaced. “He was a Frenchman artist and had been staying at her father’s home. His Grace broke off their engagement only to deal with his father’s death around this time, and his mother died just last year.”
Shutting her eyes tightly, Louisa felt her heart clench. Amelia placed her plate away as well. “Some say that he did not leave his home for months, some say that he was spotted at the graveyard night after night, some even say that he had vowed to join his parents and that he would hurt himself.”
Staring at the cobblestones under her feet, Louisa felt as if she had been hit in the chest. “No.”
“Sadly yes,” Amelia sighed.
“How much can one suffer?” Louisa whispered. “I mean, he does not seem to be that old. I don’t…how oldishe?”
“His Grace is two-and-thirty,” Amelia replied.
He is eleven years old than I am, old enough to know tragedy but too young to have suffered so much, so quickly. And isn’t that ironic, coming from me?
Scuffing her slipper on the stone, Louisaasked, “What became of the lady?”
“I don’t know,” Amelia said.“Perhaps she married the Frenchman and moved away.”
Reaching for her pie, Louisa said, “At least she cannot come back to haunt him.”
Finishing her pie, Amelia wiped her mouth then added, “It's so sad all around, you know. Everyone says how much of a good man he is, and isn’t that the way it is, Louisa? The best ones get hurt while the wicked ones do not suffer a thing.”
“Yes.” she smoothed a hand over her hair, hating how the sweet taste of the pie in her mouth had gone bitter. It bit her deeply how the woman could have been so callused to throw away the affection of a man who would have loved her to the day she died.
Though there were still things about the Duke that Louisa did not know, she had the feeling that he did not do anything by halves. It was so illogical that the lady had thrown away the very man that Louisa would have paid her life’s wages to get an affectionate look from.
A touch to her hand had Louisa turning to face a deeply concerned look from her friend. “What’s wrong?” Amelia asked.
Had her unbegotten emotion for the Duke showed on her face? “Nothing,” Louisa tried to lie.
“I know you better than anyone,” Amelie said. “And I know that you are lying. Tell me what is bothering you.”
“I—” Louisa hedged, then decided to tell her friend what was bothering her. “I’ll tell you but before I do, promise me not to interrupt me until I am finished.”
Amelia held her hand, while her face grew worried, “I promise. Now, tell me.”
