An Artful Decision by Holly Newman

Author:Holly Newman [Newman, Holly]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Oliver Heber Books
Published: 2024-10-22T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 12

MISS MILLIE SOUTHERLAND

The next morning, Gwinnie and Rose climbed into the ducal carriage, followed by Mr. Martin sitting in the rear-facing seat. They were all going to Mrs. Southerland’s House.

Nerves had Gwinnie plucking at a fold in her coat, scratching at an imaginary bit of fluff.

She’d never been to Mrs. Southerland’s as the daughter of a duke. She’d always gone as Sarah Knolls, the daughter of a solicitor. It was a deceit, and she couldn’t carry on the deceit now that she had been a witness at the inquest as Lady Guinevere and not Sarah Knolls. Mrs. Southerland had stressed honesty to the women. How would the women take the knowledge of her deceit? And Mrs. Southerland’s admonitions? How would they take her being a duke’s daughter?

She bit the corner of her lip. She loved them all dearly and wanted the best for every one of the women who lived there. Would they believe her or think her just another wealthy lady out doing charity for a lark?

She looked out the window. No one could understand the burden of being a duke’s daughter. It was certainly unique to the position. Yes, others might laugh at the idea that being a duke’s daughter was hard. It wasn’t difficult, not like so many lives were. It was bound up with so many rules, so many expectations— not just from within her family, but from society!

Gwinnie wryly acknowledged she had managed to thwart most of those rules. But her grandmother had once warned her there was a danger in flaunting her ability to ignore the rules too much. And if she did that too often, others in the Ton, in high society, who had once admired her would turn to ridiculing her. She might be able to handle that, she mused with a bit of false bravado; however, her quartet would likely lose engagements, and the others in her group needed the money a concert paid to support their families. She wouldn’t do anything to hurt them.

And she could not forget the role her height and large-boned stature had in her society image.

But it wasn’t society she worried about today. It was the reactions of ten women who had made the hard decision to leave their lives in the brothels, the stews, the pubs, and the theater background players to carve new lives for themselves. Would they feel betrayed?

“You look solemn, Lady Guinevere,” said Lewis, seated across from her.

She nodded. “I am. I’m a little frightened.”

He tilted his head. “Frightened?” he queried.

Rose turned to look at her as well.

“I had an easy camaraderie with the women in the house. How will they treat me today?”

“Do you intend to be different as the daughter of a duke compared to the daughter of a solicitor?” Lewis asked

“Gracious, no. I am who I am.”

“Precisely,” Lewis said, nodding.

“He is right, mi lady,” said Rose. “I’ve always seen Sarah as you, just in different clothes. Don’t get haughty-like because you think they expect you to be haughty. That’s not who you are.

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