Deceived

She nodded, unable to speak. Please God he never learn the way he had been deceived. He would never forgive her, and worse, his anger could be directed against George and their mama.

'I find your grandmother a delightful lady,' George said, attempting to bridge the uncomfortable gap. 'I wish Mama could meet her.'

***

Returning to the house, they found Calandra was awake and calling for her sister. Aurora excused herself and went to join her sister. Cally was sitting up in bed, an exquisite lace nightcap covering her dark hair. She was sipping a saucer of tea.

'Where were you?' she demanded.

'Valerian took George and me for a drive about the park.'

'How dull,' Cally said.

'He is going to arrange for us to visit the British Museum,' Aurora continued. 'I cannot wait to see the exhibits.'

Calandra rolled her hazel eyes heavenward. 'Aurora, what am I to do with you? If you are to catch a husband, you must not show so much intellect. Men do not like women of intellect. Besides, you will strain your eyes in a boring museum. You must maintain a feminine composure, and be charming. The gentlemen like that. I have become quite popular among the gentlemen in polite society. You must too.'

Aurora laughed. 'You are indeed in your element, Cally, but what of your duty to Valerian? You must give him an heir or two before you utterly exhaust yourself with all this frivolity.'

'If I have a baby I shall ruin my figure,' Cally said. 'Lady Standish told me that her waist size increased by an inch with each child she gave her husband. When she was my age her waist was eighteen inches. Now it is twenty-four!'

'A man expects his wife to give him children,' Aurora patiently continued. 'Have them and be done with it. Valerian seems to me to be a good man, and I do like his grandmother. You are fortunate in your new family, Cally.'

'I do not like the dowager. She hates me, Aurora! And she disapproves of me, but I do not care about that,' Cally said.

'She will approve of you completely when you have given her grandson an heir, Cally,' Aurora replied. 'The Hawkesworths are an old and noble family. There is no reason for them to die out. You must cease being selfish, little sister, and do your duty.'

'There is a ball at the Duchess of Devonshire's tonight,' Cally said. 'We have all been invited. Trahern will be looking for you. He is quite splendid, isn't he?'

'I find him a bit repellent,' Aurora said. Then, 'You will consider what I have said to you, Cally, won't you? Mama would not be very pleased with your behavior, you know. I do not know what I shall write to her. She cannot be fooled for long even if we are an ocean apart. After one inane correspondence on the many sights in London, I shall have no excuse but to tell her about this change in your sweetness of temperament. Now, I have warned you.'

'Oh, do not be mean to me!' Cally cried, and she attempted to squeeze a few tears from her eyes.

'You never could do that correctly.' Aurora chuckled. 'I am not in the least sympathetic to you. You have been awful, and now you must cease being so dreadful, Cally.'

'You are going to be no fun, I just know it,' Cally grumbled. 'I don't know why you bothered to come to England at all.'

'I suspect it is a good thing that I did,' Cally told her. 'Remember, had it not been for me, you should not be a duchess.'

'That is a terrible thing to say, Aurora!'

'But it is the truth.'

'You are sorry now, aren't you?' Cally sneered. 'You are sorry you did not marry him as Papa planned. Well, you had your chance. I am the Duchess of Farminster, and I intend remaining the duchess!'

'When,' Aurora demanded, 'when did I ever ask for the return of a gift, Cally? This marriage was my gift to you. I do not want it back. I never wanted it, but you have a duty to Valerian Hawkesworth, and you must fulfill that duty. Only then can you indulge your own desires and behave like a spoiled child!' She arose. 'I do not want to go to your damned ball!' Then she stormed from the room.

'You had best mend your fences with her,' Sally said. 'She has the power to unseat you, your grace.'

'You forget yourself,' Cally said coldly, handing the tea saucer to her maid. Then she sat back against her pillows, her eyes calculating, her demeanor thoughtful. Finally she said, 'The new ball gown. The turquoise one with the gold lace. Bring it to my sister with my apologies, and say I should like to see her in it tonight.'

'Your grace,' Sally replied, 'that gown is far too sophisticated for a virgin who is husband hunting.'

'You are right,' Cally said. 'What do I have that is suitable?'

'There is the silk gown in Appleblossom's Love, your grace. It has little silk flowers about the neckline, and lovely lace.'

Cally nodded. 'Take it to her. It is far too sweet for me. I don't know why I ever bought it in the first place.'

Sally fetched the gown in question and brought it to Aurora's bedroom. When Martha opened the door, she said, 'Her grace thought that Miss Aurora would look lovely in this, and hopes she will wear it tonight to the Duchess of Devonshire's ball. Have your mistress ready to leave at ten o'clock.'

'Ten o'clock!' Martha exclaimed. 'Respectable people are abed at that time of night, Sally.'

'In London, in polite society, folks in the upper crust have balls at ten o'clock of an evening. You'll get used to waiting up till three or four o'clock in the morning. I did.' Martha took the garment, shaking her head in wonderment as Sally hurried off down the hall. 'Dancing almost to dawn. It can't be right!' Martha muttered after the retreating figure.

'I told Cally I'm not going to any ball,' Aurora told her servant. 'Oh, Martha, Cally has become so selfish!'

'Always was selfish,' Martha answered. 'There just wasn't so much temptation back on St. Timothy. Now, don't you fret yourself, miss. This dress is the prettiest I've ever seen, and by the look of it, not worn even once! You're going to look lovely in it, and no nonsense about not going. Of course you're going. Your mama would be mighty upset if you didn't take advantage of every opportunity offered you while you are in England.' She hung the ball gown in the dressing room.

'Are you glad to be back in England, Martha?' Aurora asked her.

'I don't rightly know yet, miss. I was twenty-five when my parents died and I left. I'm over forty now. The best part of my life has been being in service to your family, miss. I'm happiest, I suppose, wherever you are.'

Aurora hugged the older woman. 'Oh, Martha, I do love you!'

The servant flushed, pleased. 'Now, don't go getting all mushy on me, Miss Aurora,' she half scolded.

The clock on the mantel struck one.

'Oh, I must join the others in the dining room. The dowager told me last evening that luncheon is at one o'clock! Is my hair neat?'

'As a pin,' Martha replied. 'Hurry along, miss!'

Aurora reached the dining room just as the others were being seated. Curtsying to the dowager, she apologized for her lateness.