The Duke's Prize

Chapter 12

“Is she dead, papa?”

Cordelia heard the small voice near her, and let out a moan.

“No, no, Sarah, she is just sleeping.”

“Like the princess in the fairy story.”

“Yes. Now, please go to your Aunt, we don’t want to wake her, she needs her rest.”

Cordelia’s eyes fluttered opened and she saw the concerned  and handsome face of Captain Andrew Wedmore staring at her. She went to sit up, but he urged her to lie back.

“You need to rest, you were quite ill when Sarah found you.”

“Your little girl?” Cordelia croaked.

“She is quite fond of the oak tree. She found you and we brought you into the house immediately.”

At those words, a scullery maid came in with a hot milk posset and Cordelia, who was quite hungry despite her uneasy stomach, gratefully sipped it. Andrew sat by her side, watching her in silence. When the scullery maid had left, Cordelia expressed her thanks.

“Thank you, sir, for your kindness.”

“It is the least I could do, Cordelia.”

“You remember my name?”

“I could never forget the name of the person who introduced me to my Priscilla. It was a pleasant surprise to me that the house I acquired belonged to your family. That is exactly the sort of detail my beloved wife would have appreciated. She was quite romantic.” Andrew smiled, but the sadness in his eyes did not escape Cordelia’s notice.

Cordelia smiled back at him, but then dread entered her heart. Andrew had been kind of enough to take her in, but only because she had wandered onto what was now his property, and had the audacity to faint. The thought of her prostrate figure being found by his young daughter filled her with shame and her cheeks reddened. The child must have been frightened by her ghastly appearance.

“I imagine that you are in some trouble. I enquire only because I would like to consider myself a friend to you. You paid me a favor that gave me immense happiness and two beautiful children. My time with Priscilla was short, but I am eternally beholden to you for even that short amount of bliss. Can you speak of it, can you tell me what is the matter?”

Cordelia’s eyes began to sting as she remembered Edward and what he had done to her. What he had done to Violet. She shook her head and slumped her head back onto the pillow.

“Well, all in due time, I guess. You still need rest, and I am sure that you will find yourself feeling better once I have let you get it.”

As Andrew left the room, a calm feeling entered Cordelia’s heart. He was a good man, to consider her pushing him off on another debutante out of annoyance a good deed. She had actually liked Priscilla, who had been one of the only girls who was kind to her during her season, and the second the amiable gentleman began prattling away, she could see that he would make a good match for her, so she had good intentions when she suggested that he ask Priscilla to dance. This small act of kindness, however, would not equal to the scandal that could erupt and place his family in shaky social standing if it was discovered that she was lodging with them. Cordelia sighed and closed her eyes, promising herself that she would deal with the matter once she had gotten some more rest.

When Cordelia arose the next morning, she found that she felt so much better. She stretched and got up, finding a basin for her to clean her face and arrange her hair, and a simple muslin dress to wear. Cordelia ventured out of her room, and found the kitchen, where a plain woman with orange-red hair pulled back into a tight bun was having breakfast, along with a small lovely girl with red hair.

“The Princess is awake, Aunt Kitty!” The girl clapped her hands, and Cordelia could not help but to smile.

“I see,” said Aunt Kitty, who arched an eyebrow at Cordelia’s appearance. “Would your royal highness like to join us for toast and jam?”

“Yes, I would be much obliged.” Cordelia sat down and ate a slice of bread and jam with some tea. She watched quietly as the small girl chattered on about nonsense, and Aunt Kitty patiently replied to the little girl. Soon enough, she told the girl to go to the Nursery where the Nurse was certainly awaiting her help with her little brother Christopher. The girl curtsied for Cordelia before she left.

“You certainly have a way with children.” Cordelia smiled at Kitty, but her smile faded as she saw the seriousness in the woman’s face.

“I understand that my brother feels beholden to you for some perceived kindness in the past. I am not a cold hearted person. If you are a victim of tragic circumstances, I will support my brother in offering aid to your person. However, I have the interest of my family first and foremost in my heart, and in the prospects of my niece and nephew, and if there is a chance that your presence could harm these prospects, then I must know of it.”

“Where is Andrew?”

“We can join him in the study.”

With that, Cordelia followed tall, plain Kitty into the study, where Andrew was at his desk writing.

“Ah, I see you have met my sister. I apologize if she has frightened you at all. She can be quite formidable.”

At those words, Kitty finally smiled.

Cordelia cleared her throat. “What exactly do you know of my situation? I’m not sure what is known.”

Andrew nodded his head toward his sister, who spoke in a clear tone. “You were married lately to the notorious rake, the Duke of Marlborough. There was some controversy regarding the union, however, your presence at a party at Lady Ambrosia’s and your subsequent removal to Brookington Hall suggested that the Duke had reformed his ways. All accounts among the ton spoke of your marriage in a favorable light. I am guessing from your appearance here that the Duke perhaps has not reformed his ways.”

Cordelia felt the tears come. She could not even try to stop them. She remembered waking up that morning all alone, naked and used by the Duke, and then just discarded like one of his Sybarites. Then she remembered Violet’s tale of his violence towards her, and the tears flowed more freely. Cordelia was surprised to find that Kitty had moved closer to her, placing her arm around her and offering a handkerchief.

Andrew had stood up and began pacing around the room. “If I ever find that scoundrel, I would cut his heart out.”

At those words, Cordelia stopped crying and looked up. “Oh, no!”

“There is no cause for worry.” Kitty shrugged her shoulders. “My brother is a true gentleman. He will not act out in violence. He has his children to think of. But he also cannot abide by the mistreatment of women. And neither can I.”

“Kitty is right.” Andrew admitted sheepishly. “But what I can offer you, instead of vengeance, is safe haven. If that is what you wish.”

“More than anything.”

It was then proposed that Cordelia would stay at Green Boughs secretly. Andrew would circulate that the children were ill, which would keep visitors away, and give them some time to see what could be done to help Cordelia. Time was exactly what Cordelia need. Time to heal her wounded heart. Time to think about what would become of her life. She was grateful to Andrew and Kitty for taking her in despite the fact that it could create a serious upheaval in their lives. Cordelia felt a bit more at ease, but she had a feeling that she would not be able to escape the Duke’s grasp. She felt in her heart that she would be beholden to him forever, and the thought frightened her and excited her at the same time.