A Duke in Winter: A Historical Romance Collection by unknow

Author:unknow
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Fiction, Romance, Historical, Anthology
Publisher: Dragonblade Publishing, Inc.
Published: 2022-12-28T18:30:00+00:00

Chapter Twelve

“Look like the innocent flower,

But be the serpent under it.”

Alice and two upper housemaids huddled together in the middle of the stage.

“When shall we three meet again, in thunder, lightning, or in rain?” asked Alice, dressed as the first of the three witches.

The second maid started her line, greatly relishing her role, “When the hurly-burly’s done, when the battle’s lost and won.”

“That will be ’ere the set of sun,” added the third.

Today was the first full-dress rehearsal, and Sapphira was glad for the distraction of it. Last night the men joined the ladies two hours after dinner, and the party broke up not long after that. The earl was florid; the self-confident man she’d seen yesterday now reminded her of a simmering pot ready to boil over. Her father looked as though he’d been slapped; he sat beside Maman and said little. Lawrence looked grim.

Sapphira’s stomach plunged with sudden realization.

Anthony had told them everything.

Not that a word of their conversation was spoken about, although she had no doubt that behind closed doors tonight a lot would be said.

Anthony looked positively exhausted. She desperately wished she could go to him openly and give him a touch of comfort.

Fortunately, Margaret and Caroline were completely oblivious to the atmosphere, and Innes, to his credit, worked to keep the atmosphere light.

Sapphira idly played solitaire as she half-watched the rehearsal. She set down a card and looked to Elizabeth who had joined Innes and the girls in a light-hearted conversation. If she was aware of Anthony’s state of mind, she gave no indication.

Sapphira excused herself and hastily wrote a note to Anthony, asking him to meet her in the drawing room at midnight. She slipped it under his door and returned to the rehearsal in the schoolroom.

Innes’s valet appeared on the stage, and Sapphira quickly flipped to the correct page in her script to follow as prompt.

“Good sir, why do you start; and seem to fear things that do sound so fair? I’ the name of truth, are ye fantastical, or that indeed which outwardly ye show?”

The young man knew his lines perfectly. The scene continued without interruption. Sapphira hid a yawn behind her hand.

Lady Beatrice noticed and approached. “I shall take your place for a while,” she said. “Your mother wishes to speak with you downstairs.”

Sapphira found her mother in the drawing room, a haven of tranquility compared to the chaos that reigned in the schoolroom.

“Are you aware of the conversation Lord Anthony had with your father and the Earl of Sheppard last night?” her mother asked.

“Not directly, but I can guess at the substance of it,” Sapphira admitted.

“So, you have spent time alone with Lord Anthony.” The disappointment in her voice was palpable.

Sapphira nodded, not trusting herself to speak, knowing she would need all of her remaining fortitude to bear the inevitable rebuke. It was nothing that she hadn’t already told herself. Regardless of his profession of love, Anthony was contracted to another and a reprimand must ensue.

She could see her mother’s expression change, weighing the words she wanted to say.

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