Compromising the Duke's Daughter by Mary Brendan

Author:Mary Brendan [Brendan, Mary]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Eleven

In equal parts Bertha Denby resented and envied her elder brother, and always had.

Even as children, growing up in a slum, Drew had seemed high and mighty to her. Not for him the rough and tumble in a gutter with the other snotty-nosed imps scrabbling for farthings tossed by passers-by. As soon as Drew was old enough to do a day’s toil he’d earn his pennies honestly rather than beg. He’d boasted, too, that one day he’d be an officer in the Hussars, not a common soldier taking the King’s shilling.

Their affluent stepfather had bought Drew a commission in the Hussars, but even had he not, Bertha believed her brother would still have achieved his ambition; it wasn’t in his nature to give up on something.

Drew had always been able to discipline himself and rise above squalor and adversity. Bertha was sure she’d guessed how he’d acquired such worthy qualities: he was a guttersnipe with a distinguished sire. His character had been passed on from an admiral, or the like, whereas she had been a lowly seaman’s spawn. Their mother had been indiscriminate in her choice of client; when the ships docked and the navvies crowded the wharves, Rosemary would sooner lure a fellow with gold braid on his shoulders, but in their absence, anyone would do.

Spitefully Bertha reminded herself that with Saul’s help she’d finally tumbled her half-brother from his pedestal, snatching the riches left by Peter Rockleigh that Drew had refused to share with her. Now she was the one living the high life in Mayfair while he was back where he started, in a hovel.

Their stepfather had done his best to turn her into a lady, but he’d been doomed to failure from the start. If Drew was his father’s child then she was her mother’s: a harlot through and through. But she hoped her own daughter would turn out to be different, although Cecilia was already showing worrying signs of wantonness. Bertha knew she must soften Saul’s grip on his ward, for he would praise her flaws when it suited him to do so.

Cecilia yearned for Henry Laurenson to pay a call, but Saul had other plans for the girl and believed rich pickings were to be had from Lord Regan before she was married off.

Her brother and Luke Wolfson had been close friends before their estrangement and the connection through marriage to the Morlands remained. The grapevine between mutual acquaintances might provide too much information to Lady Joan. She seemed a spirited and inquisitive young woman. Bertha had overheard Joan questioning Cecilia about her family at Lady Regan’s and there were things that should remain concealed. Much as she loved social climbing, Bertha realised it might be wise to keep her daughter apart from the Duke of Thornley’s daughter.

‘I should like to see Lady Joan again, Mama. Shall we invite her and her friend to tea this afternoon?’

Bertha flicked the pages of a journal, then lifted her eyes to Saul for his reaction to Cecilia’s request, hoping it would come in the negative.

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