Enticed by the Viscount (Dukes, Spies, and Lies) by Elizabeth Brighton

Author:Elizabeth Brighton [Brighton, Elizabeth]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2022-12-27T18:30:00+00:00

CHAPTER 10

Liliana raced through the halls as she searched for Lady Aurora. In all the years Liliana had been friends with Lady Aurora, she had only seen her friend as distraught as she currently was once.

That had been after Lady Aurora had buried her parents.

Her brother had been in France, so all the preparations had fallen to Lady Aurora and her aunt. But Lady Aurora had shouldered most of the burden. She had wanted everything to be perfect for the parents she had loved so dearly.

And it had been.

An elegant, somber affair that was still held up as the pinnacle of proper mourning. It hadn’t been until after her parents had been properly interred that Lady Aurora had finally stopped being the perfect scion of society.

She had stopped eating. Stopped leaving her room. Stopped talking to anyone.

When her brother had returned from France, he’d been so worried he would lose his sister, too, that he’d asked Liliana for help.

Liliana prayed nothing would happen to Duke Erembour, but she would send word of all that was happening to Duke Aegir and Lady Violet that afternoon. Lady Aurora would need her brother and best friend if she lost her husband.

First, however, she needed to find and comfort Lady Aurora. To be there for her as Lady Aurora had been for Liliana so many times. When Liliana had lost her mother and sisters, Lady Aurora had convinced her family to let Liliana stay with them for a month. And Lady Aurora had stood beside Liliana as she had buried both of her brothers. She had chased away Lord Carlton and brought Liliana out to Riverwood to help her find happiness.

“This way, miss,” a maid said to Liliana after she opened the sixth wrong door.

Liliana buried her pride and followed the young woman.

The maid led Liliana to a lovely sitting room papered in butter yellows, with dark woods, and velvet taupe furnishings. An expensive painting hung over the marble fireplace and thick Aubusson rugs warmed the floors. Wide windows overlooked the gardens and filled the room with sunlight, adding to the cozy comfort of the room.

At the moment, however, there was nothing cheery about the space as Lady Aurora sat at her desk and stared down at a blank sheet of paper.

“Lady Aurora,” Liliana murmured.

She glanced up from her writing desk and swiped at her eyes. She then plastered a too-bright smile on her face. “Yes, Liliana?”

Liliana sat beside her dearest friend and hugged her.

“I was trying to decide on menus for supper this evening. Perhaps a blackberry compote to be served with the roasted pheasant.”

Liliana hugged Lady Aurora again. “It’s all right to be scared, but please don’t shut out those who care for you.”

“I…”

“I believe you told me that when I buried Daniel.”

Tears slipped down Lady Aurora’s cheeks, and she stared up at the ceiling as she fought to control them. “If he dies…”

Liliana hugged her friend again. “Then I will take you and Lord William to your brother. Lord Francis will grieve with you, but he loves you and Lord William.

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