Lady Belling's Secret by Bright Amylynn

Author:Bright, Amylynn [Bright, Amylynn]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Published: 2013-02-07T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Thirteen

Francesca and Anna were in her suite of rooms sorting through ribbons and other embellishments to refit some hats, when Christian slammed the door open and erupted into the room like an invading Vandal horde. Behind him, servants fled the family’s apartments in a steady stream of burgundy livery, flowing down the stairs, not wanting to be anywhere near the duke when he was in one of his moods.

Francesca stood so as not to be at any more of a disadvantage. “Can I help you?”

“Don’t give me that superior attitude.” Her brother’s handsome face twisted in a sneer.

Francesca blinked rapidly but made every effort to keep her face serene. “All right.”

“I talked to Thomas today.” Christian paced the room like a lion at the menagerie. “You are not to see him ever again.”

How had she not seen this coming? Obviously, she’d not used her head for anything other than holding up a hat since Thomas showed himself back in town. Still, in the interest of self-preservation, she thought it best to start with deniability. “I think that’s a bit extreme, don’t you?”

“Don’t play stupid with me.” He stopped his frenetic pacing directly in front of her and thrust a pointed finger inches from her nose. “I forbid it.”

“You forbid me to play stupid?” She couldn’t resist poking the bear.

Christian opened his mouth to launch into a tirade when Anna piped up from across the room and distracted him. “Isn’t he your best friend?”

Christian whipped his head around, and Francesca assumed he shot Anna the same look he’d given her so many times before. God bless her friend, but she didn’t quail under the scrutiny.

“Surely your disagreement isn’t so insurmountable as all that,” Anna noted with no question in her voice.

“If I don’t shoot him, it will be a testament to my levelheadedness.”

Francesca smothered a guffaw. This was not a laughing matter, and it wouldn’t do to elevate his ire any more than it was already. Still, she didn’t want to confess to sins he didn’t know about yet, and she couldn’t be sure how much of the truth he was really privy to. “What happened today?”

“I will not allow you to act like a harlot and humiliate this family. I cannot control what he does, but I can sure as hell control you.” His voice somehow managed to rise in volume and deepen in timbre until he was nearly roaring.

She was going to let that second part go. She mustered up some righteous indignation. “A harlot?”

“Oh, you don’t like that word?” he mocked. “That’s what they’re going to call you when this all gets out. Jesus, after what I witnessed today between your fiancé and Thomas, it’ll be a miracle if everyone hasn’t figured it out already.” He threw his hands in the air.

Francesca found it difficult to maintain her mock outrage. Everything her brother was yelling was true. A harlot? She hadn’t allowed her mind to go so far afield, but she knew the rules of society and that was a definite possibility.

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