Chapter 14

Chapter 14

“Can we go to the confectioner’s, Edmund?” Mathilda asked.

“For more sweets, Mathilda?” Edmund laughed. “You’re going to end up eating nothing but those if you’re not careful.”

“And? I’m still a child, aren’t I?” Mathilda smirked. “I love sweets.”

Edmund rolled his eyes with a smile and sat back.

“I’m sure we can stop by for a little bit. But not too much. You know Mother warned me not to take you there.”

“And you’re going to listen to her, are you, instead of your little sister?”

“Don’t push it, Mathilda.”

Mathilda giggled. She then looked out of the window at the street, which made her frown. She sat forward.

“Something’s going on out there.”

“What do you mean? It’s a street of shops. There’s always something going on.”

“This is different. Look.”

Confused, Edmund looked outside and saw what his sister meant. There were people out and about, but they all seemed to be looking at something further down the street. Then Edmund heard some shouting over the sound of the wheels and the horses. He leaned out and hit the side of the carriage to get his driver’s attention.

“Stop here, Jefferson,” he called. “What’s going on?”

“It’s Lord Sutton, my lord,” the driver replied as he slowed the carriage to a stop. “He’s shouting at Lady Amelia.”

“What?” Mathilda looked wide-eyed. “What’s John doing? Why is he shouting at Amelia like that?”

“I don’t know. Something’s going on, that much is certain.”

Now they had stopped, and the shouting was very loud. And Edmund was shocked by what he was hearing.

“I can’t believe you would do this in the street, in front of everyone! Is this what you do to other men? Men who have wives waiting for them at home?”

Mathilda looked as confused as Edmund felt. She stared at him.

“What…why is he saying that?”

“I have no idea.”

“Amelia’s not like that!”

“We know that.” Edmund opened the door. “Wait in here, Mathilda. I’ll go and see what’s going on.”

“I’m coming as well,” Mathilda said firmly, trying to follow him out, but Edmund shut the door.

“It’s best that you stay here. And if you do, I’ll get you those sweets that you wanted and more. All right?”

“Are you trying to bribe me with sweets?” Mathilda demanded.

Edmund didn’t answer, slapping the side of the carriage to get Jefferson’s attention.

“Make sure that Lady Mathilda stays in the carriage. I don’t want her seeing this.”

“Yes, my lord.”

Amelia and John were at the far end of the street. Amelia and her maid, Taylor, were staring in shock at John, who was waving his arms around as he shouted at her. He was clearly upset, and both Amelia and Taylor were shuffling away from him, Taylor shifting a little to stand between her and John. Edmund noticed that Amelia’s hands were clenched into fists, and he could see the embarrassment in her expression. That was no surprise, considering everyone was staring. There was no conversation going on, with the focus on John.

What was his friend playing at? Was this his way of ruining the bet between them? Edmund wouldn’t be surprised.

He hurried over just as Amelia shouted back. Her face was flushed, her eyes flashing.

“What is your problem, Sutton? You asked, and I said no. That should have been the end of it. I don’t know what you’re trying to do here by doing this, but why would I try and seduce you in public after I told you that I didn’t want to court an arrogant man who thought he was better than he actually was. The fact that you’re behaving like this right now shows that I made the right choice in turning you down.”

“You think you can lie about how things went between us?” John shouted back. “You know that I’m the one who turned you down before, remember? Or is your memory that bad?”

“Don’t try and twist the truth to make it look better from your perspective! What are you doing? Why are you causing a scene here? You look like a madman, do you know that?”

“Why don’t you give up and admit that you’re the one who’s been lying all this time?”

Edmund slowed when he heard Lady Colette’s voice. She had been in the throng of people who had gathered around the threesome, and she strode over to Amelia. She held herself tall with her head high, looking like she was taking charge. Amelia stared at her.

“Lady Colette? What are you talking about?”

“You behave like a harlot all the time. I’ve seen you try to seduce all the men around you.” Lady Colette was practically sneering at her. “I was there when we were at the Duke of Blackwood’s house for dinner. I couldn’t believe that you were being flirtatious with the duke himself! Right in front of his wife! The nerve of you!”

Amelia’s mouth dropped open.

“What are you…? That never happened?”

“Are you calling me a liar, too?” Lady Colette challenged.

“Absolutely!” Amelia replied hotly. “I know exactly what happened, and I never spoke a flirtatious word toward the Duke of Blackwood. As for what he’s suggesting,” she said as she gestured at John, “that’s just ludicrous. Both of you have gone mad!”

“We’re mad, are we?” John demanded, his eyes blazing. “You’re the mad one who thinks you can seduce anyone you want, and you don’t care who you hurt in the process.”

This was getting silly. Edmund saw people glancing between themselves, and he couldn’t allow these two to back Amelia into a corner. As it was, he could see Lady Colette stepping toward Amelia. If she got too close, Amelia was going to lash out, and that really would tarnish her reputation.

Edmund pushed through the crowd and stepped in front of Amelia, nudging both her and her maid back as Lady Colette pulled up in surprise. He glanced over her shoulder at Taylor.

“Is it just the two of you here, Taylor?”

“No, we’re here with Lady Downe.”

“Go and find her. I’ll stay with Lady Amelia.”

This wasn’t proper etiquette—the maid was supposed to stay with her mistress—but with the amount of people staring at them, he doubted that anyone could say anything inappropriate happened. Taylor hurried off. Edmund glared at John and Lady Colette, who both looked surprised that he was there.

“What is going on here?” he snarled. “Why are you making a scene in public like this? What are you trying to achieve?”

“People need to know that Lady Amelia is a harlot,” Lady Colette cried. “She’s tried to seduce plenty of men since she entered Society.”

“And you’re telling me that she tried to seduce my father, the Duke of Blackwood, at the dinner party?” Edmund challenged. “The dinner party where she was never alone with him, and she was pretty much with me all evening?”

“She tried to seduce my father as well!”

Edmund couldn’t help but laugh at that.

“Try again, Lady Colette. I know Lady Amelia never spoke to him. He was too busy talking to Father about hunting and traveling. If you’re going to make up a lie about someone because you’re jealous that she’s got something you haven’t, at least make it believable.”

Lady Colette faltered, her eyes wide in her surprise. Then John was beside her.

“You don’t think that we shouldn’t get back at her for what she’s done?”

“You said that she tried to make advances on you when she rejected you in the past? Why are you lying now?” Edmund looked from John to Lady Colette and back again. “Do the two of you have no shame? Why would you ruin someone’s reputation for a stupid lie? You both know that Lady Amelia has rejected every man who wanted to court her, so why would she suddenly start becoming a seductress.”

The pair looked shocked that he was talking like that to them. Edmund hadn’t wanted to do this in public, but he was aware of Amelia trembling behind him. Whether it was from anger or embarrassment or if she was crying, Edmund didn’t know. But he hated that these two had reduced her to that. Amelia was always so strong, and this had to have shaken her.

If they weren’t in public, Edmund would have punched John and shaken Lady Colette to try and get some sense into them.

Then John began to sneer at him.

“And what about you, Silverton?” he jeered. “What are you doing here at this time? Are you lying in wait to rescue her?”

“What?”

“Is showing that you’re willing to protect Lady Amelia part of the bet as well?”

Edmund momentarily panicked. Amelia would have heard that part. But then he saw the smirk on John’s face. He had intended to ruin it all along.

“And was this part of it as well? I don’t think ruining a woman’s reputation is worth it if that’s how you’re going to behave.”

“What on earth is going on?”

Edmund almost sagged in relief when the Marchioness of Downe pushed her way through the crowd, Taylor just behind her. She stared at Amelia and Edmund, and then at John and Lady Colette.

“I could hear the shouting in the bookshop,” she said stiffly. “Taylor told me what was going on. So, Lady Colette, Lord Sutton, are you going to explain yourselves to me? Are you going to tell me why you’re shouting at my daughter in a public place and throwing such vulgar lies in her direction?”

John faltered, but Lady Colette seemed to have found the courage from somewhere, pointing in Amelia’s direction.

“You have no idea what your daughter is like, Lady Downe! She’s a harlot! Everyone knows that!”

Lady Downe stepped toward her, and Edmund wished he didn’t feel satisfied as Lady Colette shuffled back, wobbling as she got to the edge of the street. When the marchioness spoke, her voice was level but very cold.

“If we weren’t in public right now, I would be doing something very unladylike and smacking you across the face.” Her voice was so quiet that Edmund barely heard it. Lady Colette’s mouth dropped open. Then Lady Downe suddenly spoke in a louder tone that made everyone jump. “How dare you? Do you think you can behave in such a foul manner and attack my daughter over stupid lies? A queue of men lining up outside the house? Did you think that her father and I would know nothing about that?

We’re perfectly aware of how much our daughter keeps turning down every gentleman who shows her any interest, so the fact you believe these lies just shows how disgusting you are.”

John flinched. Lady Colette looked horrified.

“Disgusting?” she gasped.

“Yes, disgusting. I don’t know where the rumors started, but I wouldn’t be surprised if it was either of you who did it. And what do you get out of it? You just look like fools. Shame on you for accusing my daughter of something she would never do. And making a scene here.”

She waved an arm to indicate the crowd that was still watching them. “If I hadn’t met you before, I would be asking for your families to commit you to the madhouse. Because that’s the only mentality that would make this acceptable.”

Edmund would have laughed at Lady Colette’s expression, but he didn’t. At least the members of the ton in the crowd were beginning to look a little chastised for listening in, and were beginning to move away. Lady Downe turned away and beckoned to her daughter.

“Come along, Amelia. Let’s go home. There’s no point staying here if you’re going to have mad people accusing you of such lies.”

“I’m not mad!” Lady Colette cried.

“Do you think you can convince me otherwise?” the older woman shot back coolly. “Go back to your parents and hope that I don’t have my husband pay a visit to them to demand for them to do something about your attitude. Hopefully, they’ll have to pay a financial price if we demand compensation for the defamation of my daughter.”

Lady Colette’s jaw might as well be on the floor. Amelia scurried out behind Edmund and went to her mother, Taylor keeping to her side. Her head down, not even looking at Edmund, Amelia followed the marchioness to their carriage, which had just pulled up. She ushered Amelia and Taylor inside first before giving Lady Colette and John a withering glare.

“Shame on you,” she hissed. “Rest assured that we’ll be looking for reparations from the pair of you for this.”

Then she got into the carriage, slamming the door hard. As it pulled away, the rest of the crowd dispersed. Murmurs started up again, and Edmund saw a few people looking at John and Lady Colette, who both looked a little stunned. Did they not think that they were going to get called out on what they did?

“Edmund!” Mathilda broke through a group of people and hurried over. “What’s going on?”

“Mathilda, I told you to stay in the carriage.” Edmund took her arm. “Let’s go back there now. These two need to think carefully about what they’re going to do next.”

Mathilda didn’t move. She was now staring at John, who was looking at the ground, hands on his hips as he breathed heavily.

“What are you doing, John?” she demanded. “Why would you hurt my friend like that?”

John looked up, but he didn’t answer, simply staring at Mathilda. Edmund didn’t want the two of them interacting after that. Pulling Mathilda after him, they got into the carriage and they were on the move before they had even sat down. Edmund looked out of the window, back at his friend. He had barely moved from when the marchioness started scolding them.

What on earth was going on with him? Why would he be doing that now? It didn’t make any sense. Was this about the bet? Or was something else happening?

Edmund doubted that he was going to get any answers anytime soon. He wanted to follow Amelia home and check that she was all right, but he doubted that she would want to see anyone, even him. What had just happened would humiliate anyone.

He was going to have to wait for his answers. But Edmund was absolutely going to get the answers he wanted.

***

“I cannot believe that happened!” Downe paced across the drawing room, a dark scowl on his face. “How can they do something like that in the street? What were they thinking?”

“I have no idea. I was shocked that it happened in the first place.” Lady Downe swallowed, clearly barely holding back her anger. “I never thought that letting Amelia go with Taylor would leave her vulnerable to this. I should have stayed with her as well.”

“Mother.” Amelia looked up, huddled on the settee. “You couldn’t have known that was going to happen. It’s not your fault.”

“Did I say that it was my fault?”

“You didn’t need to. I know you’re blaming yourself.”

The marquess grunted.

“Amelia’s right. You are blaming yourself for this.”

“Can you blame me? This happened while I was there!” Lady Downe rubbed her hands over her face. “That Lady Colette Reed…how despicable! I really wanted to smack her hard to leave a mark. I’ve never been violent in my life, and yet the way she spoke to my daughter…”

Amelia couldn’t admit that she would have loved to have seen that. She had been thinking the same thing as her mother. But that really would have made things worse for her.

Lady Colette and John’s words were still swirling around in her head. How was this even possible? What was going on in their heads to think that this was a good idea? It made Amelia sick just thinking about it.

“Well, I’m going to give these two a visit and notify their parents about what they did,” Downe said darkly. “And I’m going to demand an apology from both of them along with financial reparation for trying to ruin the reputation of this family.”

Amelia frowned.

“It was me that was insulted, Father, not you.”

“And you’re a part of this family. It was indirect, but we were humiliated as well.” Downe shook his head. “I can’t believe that people would believe those rumors about you. You barely leave the house unless we force you, and I still remember the argument about finding someone for you to court. How on earth would you have done all of that?”

Amelia had to smile a little at that. At least her parents understood. They were angry, yes, but not at her. She was grateful for that.

“Do you think you’ll be able to get any financial reparation from their families, though?” she asked. “I don’t think you’ll obtain that easily.”

“Oh, I’m going to make sure of it. Those were pretty shocking lies, and they need to know that there are repercussions.” Downe glanced at his wife. “Although I might just go on my own, seeing as your mother is going to forget herself if she’s in the same room as Lady Colette Reed. Then our reputation would be tarnished.”

“Can you blame me?” Lady Downe said hotly. “They insulted our child!”

Amelia held up her hands.

“Mother, they’re not going to come near me again. I’ll make sure of it.”

Downe approached her and sat on the settee across from her, peering at his daughter.

“Do you have any idea why they would do this, Amelia?” he asked. “Did you upset them?”

“I turned down Lord Sutton a few months ago. And before you say anything, Father, he was really arrogant, and I didn’t like him for that. You wouldn’t have cared for him, either. As for Lady Colette, I…” Amelia hesitated. “I believe it’s because she likes Lord Silverton, and she isn’t happy that he’s courting me.”

Lady Downe snorted.

“How childish can the pair of them be? All because of that? I swear those parents didn’t bring them up properly.”

“Well, I can have a word with them about it when I tell them what their children have been up to. Hopefully, they’ll be as appalled as we are.” Downe nodded at Amelia. “Why don’t you go and have a moment to yourself, Amelia? You’ve had quite a shock today.”

Amelia wasn’t about to be told twice. She mumbled her thanks before leaving the room and heading to her room at the back of the house. Once she shut the door, Amelia staggered to the settee and collapsed onto it. She slumped back and stared at the ceiling, trying to figure out what was going on.

She kept playing the moment over and over in her head. It was the most bizarre thing she had ever encountered, and Amelia never expected to be in the middle of it. She was shocked and scared that it happened at all.

What possessed the pair of them to behave like that? It was no coincidence that they were there at the same time, and Lady Colette took this opportunity to accuse Amelia of the rumors that had been circulating. This had to have been orchestrated between them.

As for Sutton saying that this was revenge for her rejecting him, Amelia was stunned. She had turned men down before, and none of them behaved like this. It was like his pride was really hurt. Amelia had suspected that Sutton was vindictive, but this was too much.

At least Edmund had been there to look out for her. Amelia had needed that right then when she was close to losing her own temper. He had stood up to the pair of them, something she had appreciated.

But there was something that Sutton had said which stood out to her. Something that Amelia couldn’t quite make sense of.

What was that about a bet? And how did it involve her?