Chapter Thirteen

It was difficult indeed to stop herself trembling but Temperance forced herself to sit still and, clasping her hands tight together, kept her chin lifted as Lord Barlington was introduced.

She kept her gaze steady, silently demanding that she look at him though she did not rise to her feet to greet him.

Her mother's angry glare caught her attention but Temperance did not move. Much to her relief, her aunt barely got to her feet before she sat back down again, taking her place beside Temperance in obvious solidarity.

"How very good of you to permit me into this house." Lord Barlington bowed low in Lady Hartford's direction, his hand reaching out to her as though to beseech her all the more, though Lady Hartford remained where she was and did not move an inch. "And you, Lady Temperance, how grateful I am to you for your willingness to see me."

Temperance lifted her eyes to his, taking in Lord Barlington's handsome face. It was unmarred, his brown hair flopping over dark brown eyes… and yet her heart remained unmoved. Her chest grew tight, her hands clasping hard as she swallowed at the knot in her throat. Lord Barlington's eyes went to her cheek, his gaze tracing the scar which ran down one side of her face.

Temperance's face grew hot but she did not move. Her scar was something he had seen before and she fully expected him to turn away from it in the same way he had done before.

She was not disappointed. His eyes pulled quickly from her face and he cleared his throat.

Rather than squirm, Temperance forced herself to speak, her words brittle but honest. "I did not desire to see you, Lord Barlington," she answered, her voice hoarse and broken. "This meeting is not at all my desire. Do not think that I had any say in the matter."

"Temperance!" The Duchess got to her feet at once, her eyes filled with fire, her hands flung wide. "How can you say such a thing?"

Temperance looked back at her mother steadily, having already decided – both within her own heart and in conversation with her aunt – that she would be entirely truthful in this circumstance, no matter what was said. "Mother, I have no interest in being in Lord Barlington's company. It is yourself and father who have asked me to do this and it is for that reason and that reason alone that I have agreed… nay, have been forced into doing this."

"That is quite enough. Lord Barlington, I do apologise." The Duchess gestured for him to sit down and, though her father was not present, from the angry look which her mother sent her, Temperance understood that he would be informed of what she had done.

She did not care.

"It is more than understandable and please, do not think that I expected anything less." Rather than take his leave, as Temperance had hoped for, Lord Barlington sat down close to her and, with a scowl, she turned her head away from him. "I did not think for a moment that Lady Temperance would be glad to see me. That is, as I have said, perfectly understandable."

Temperance kept her head turned away, seeing her aunt roll her eyes and finding her trembling beginning to dissipate completely. With her aunt's company and obvious dislike of Lord Barlington's presence, she felt her courage rising just a little. She was not required to offer Lord Barlington anything and certainly did not have to give him even a single moment of her attention if she did not wish it.

Her hands softened in her lap and she took in a slow breath, letting her thoughts turn to her other friends. Lord and Lady Thurston, Lord Calverton and his mother would soon be joining them and though her mother was not expecting them, her aunt was and that would bring an even greater distraction to Lord Barlington's company and conversation.

"I do not have to stay for long, though I would very much like to speak with you, Lady Temperance." Lord Barlington's voice grew soft, a tenderness there which made her lip curl, her dislike of his presence growing all the more. "I know that I have done you a great wrong and I should very much like to have the opportunity to speak to you of my regret."

"I am sure that my daughter will be willing to give you such a thing," her mother said, before Temperance could offer a single word. "Would you like to speak with her now? I am sure that my sister and I could step to the back of the room for a time and – "

"Where is that tea tray?" Lady Hartford got to her feet, marching across the room to ring the bell, only to come back and sit back down purposefully beside Temperance. "Where is it that you are residing, Lord Barlington?"

Temperance reached across and pressed her aunt's hand in what she hoped was a surreptitious manner. She did not want to be forced into staying in Lord Barlington's presence and hearing him speak! She knew very well that her mother and father were eager for a reconciliation – her mother more than her father – but to press this onto her at their very first meeting was more than Temperance would have been able to bear. Clearly, her aunt had recognized that. If only my mother had too.

"I am residing in Lord Grayson's manor house, which is only four or five miles from here." Lord Barlington smiled as though this was something that Temperance ought to be delighted about but she turned her head away again, only to catch her mother's angry glare. With an effort, she ignored it, letting her gaze rest against the wall at the back of the room rather than looking at her mother or at Lord Barlington.

"I see. I am acquainted with Lord Grayson, of course, but not particularly well. He only resides here on occasion."

"Yes, that is so. He does spend a great deal of time in London," came the reply, just as a knock came at the door. Lady Hartford called for the maid to enter and a tea tray was brought in.

"Temperance," her mother said crisply. "Might you pour the tea? Thereafter, I am sure that your aunt and I can give both Lord Barlington and yourself a few minutes to speak."

Temperance opened her mouth to say that she had no desire to sit and listen to Lord Barlington, only for a knock to come to the door again. She caught her aunt's eye and saw a smile cross her aunt's face; the very same smile which came to her own lips.

"Do come in," her aunt called, and the door opened to reveal Lord and Lady Thurston, quickly followed by Lord Calverton and his mother.

Relief poured through Temperance like water rushing over her and she could not help but sigh gently as she smiled .

"Ah, an unexpected visit!" Lady Hartford cried, throwing up her hands in seeming delight. "Another tea tray, Jenkins, of course. Please, do come in!"

"Oh, but we are interrupting!" Lady Thurston did not pause in her entrance but came quickly towards Temperance, smiling at her as she spoke. "I must apologise. It was such a miserable afternoon and I was finding myself rather dulled – and then my dear husband suggested that we come to call on you both, only to find that you have company."

Lady Hartford beamed at them both. "That is quite all right. How glad I am to see you both!"

"And I was quite determined to speak to you, Lady Temperance, about your artwork," Lady Calverton added, sitting down in a chair without waiting for any sort of introduction. "I insisted that my son bring us here at once, for I was certain that you would not have stepped outside in such weather as this!"

Temperance glanced to the window, seeing the raindrops tumbling down. "Indeed," she smiled, sitting down quickly. "I am very glad to see you again. Of course, we may speak of whatever you wish."

"Though mayhap someone should make some introductions?"

Glancing to her mother, whose tone had dropped somewhat as she sent uncertain glances from one person to the next, Temperance gestured to her aunt. "Aunt? Might you be willing to do so?"

"But of course." Quickly, Lady Hartford introduced everyone and though some smiles were given and though Lord Calverton and Lord Thurston bowed, there was a clear coldness offered to Lord Barlington. Whether or not Lord Barlington noticed it, Temperance did not know, but all the same she found herself very grateful indeed for their presence. The second tea tray was brought in and Temperance let herself settle back a little more into her chair. She was quite certain that Lord Barlington would attempt to call again, would try to offer his explanation for what he had done at another time but she could not let herself think of that at this present moment. There was enough of a relief here for her to settle into, knowing that there was going to be nothing more that Lord Barlington could do to force her into speaking with him. No doubt her mother would be frustrated but Temperance could not let herself be concerned with that.

"Might I ask if you are well acquainted with Lady Temperance and Lady Hartford?"

Temperance's head lifted as she caught the slight frown flickering across Lord Barlington's forehead as he asked such a question, looking to Lord Calverton as he spoke.

"I would say that we are fairly well acquainted, yes," came the reply as Lord Calverton offered Temperance a small smile. "It has been a very pleasant experience becoming all the better acquainted also, I would say. Would you not agree, Mother?"

"Certainly I would!" Lady Calverton agreed, quickly. "Lady Temperance and I have a great deal in common when it comes to our painting."

Lord Barlington blinked. "Painting?"

"Yes, of course." Lady Calverton looked rather surprised. "Do you not know how wonderful an artist is Lady Temperance?"

A small silence spread across the room and, though she was a little embarrassed, Temperance kept her expression as calm as she could, seeing how Lord Barlington frowned.

"No, I was unaware that Lady Temperance had such a gift."

Lady Thurston laughed softly, catching everyone's attention. "Then you cannot have known her very well when you were connected, Lord Barlington," she said, making Lord Barlington's frown deepen though Temperance's heart lifted at the way her friends were coming together to support her. "Mayhap you were not particularly interested in that sort of connection, however? Although that, again, is a loss that you must bear. There is a great deal of worth and wonder in Lady Temperance's character and abilities. That is why I count myself as very fortunate indeed to be her friend."

Temperance smiled warmly as Lady Thurston finished, seeing her friend give her a small nod as she took in all that had been said. There was such a sweetness to Lady Thurston's words that even in the company of Lord Barlington, Temperance felt herself entirely at ease. This was showing Lord Barlington that not only did she have friends, but she had dear friends, those who valued her for who she was, even with the scar to her face. No-one here had rejected her, no-one had turned their back on her and sent her away. How much she hoped that Lord Barlington could see the difference between their words and his actions!

"It seems that I have a great deal still to learn – and still to appreciate – about Lady Temperance," Lord Barlington murmured, making Temperance's spine stiffen straight away.

She picked up her tea cup and brought it to her lips, refusing to look at the gentleman.

"It seems to me as though you may have already had that opportunity, have you not?" Lord Calverton's voice held a dark tone to it, a severity which made Temperance's lips curve into a small, satisfied smile as she looked across the room at him, seeing how he had pinned a rather fierce gaze upon Lord Barlington.

"That is quite true." Lord Barlington's shoulders lifted, his face a little flushed as he looked across to Temperance, though she made certain to lift her tea cup to her lips rather than look back at him. "Though, if I am fortunate, I may be given another opportunity."

Without having had any intention of doing so, Temperance snorted gently, only for her face to flush hot as every eye turned towards her. She took another sip of her tea as her aunt quickly suggested that everyone take something more to eat from the tea tray. Try as she might, Temperance could not remove the heat from her cheeks though, as she looked across the room and caught Lady Thurston's eye, she saw the smile there and found herself wanting to burst out into laughter.

"At least you made yourself clear," her aunt murmured, as Lady Calverton began to speak at length with Temperance's mother, asking about her residence and her situation there. "It is not something to be embarrassed about, my dear. Lord Barlington appears to believe that he is more than able simply to march back into your life and have you practically on your knees before him in gratitude at his return! Your friends and your own response to him have made it very clear that it will not be so."

Temperance gave her aunt a smile. "Thank you, Aunt. And thank you for agreeing to their arrival at the very same time as Lord Barlington."

"But of course!"

"Alas," Temperance continued, seeing her mother smile at Lady Calverton, though it was not a smile that spread wide, "I do not think that my mother is pleased. "

Her aunt shrugged. "It does not matter whether she is pleased or not, does it? This has been forced upon you and you are not required to be contented with it."

Temperance's heart squeezed and she took a moment to let her aunt's words sink in. "That is true, I suppose."

"And you will have me to defend you when your mother decides to berate you for this afternoon," Lady Hartford continued, firmly. "You are not alone in this, Temperance. Look around you! You are never alone."

With a smile, Temperance reached to squeeze her aunt's hand, her heart aching softly. In this room, with her friends – both new and old – she was not alone, left to face Lord Barlington without support or defense… and that realization brought her the greatest of encouragements.