Chapter 7

Chapter Seven

V ictoria was feeling strangely calm sitting in her father's study waiting for him to calm down enough to get to the business of scolding her.

The man was bent over his table, pouring and downing shots of whiskey so fast she felt pity for the state of his insides. He was about to pour the fourth glass when she decided he had enough and made to stop him.

Probably deciding that he have had enough to take an edge of his anger, he turned abruptly to her causing her to retake her seat from her half crouched position

"Victoria Isabella Hobbs!" He thundered

Seems the alcohol had not touched his anger, if anything it seemed to have caused to burn hotter.

"I always thought you were demure with a good head on your shoulders. You have been running this home so smoothly that I scarcely have to attend to most of my duties myself."

"Yes, I agree. I took it for granted, unburdening most of my duties on you. I agree it was most irresponsible of me." he said his eyes turned introspective.

His spot of self-reflection ended very fast, because the next moment he was back to scolding her

"That, however, does not justify what you have done, dragging our entire family into a scandal. Do you understand the gravity of what you have done? You were found in flagrante delicto with your sister's intended."

"He cannot be her intended, if she never consented to the engagement," she found herself countering her father.

Her reply seemed to infuriate him because his color became ruddy with anger and a vein throbbed in his temple that she became concerned for his health.

"I am sorry, Father," she apologized grudgingly.

"I scarcely think this matter can be sorted out by a simple apology. You have brought shame to our family girl. How could you ruin your sisters chances of landing a good match with such behavior?” he said throwing up his hands in frustration. She watched as he downed another glass of whisky, wincing on his behalf.

Seeing how distraught her father was, she felt the stirrings of guilt in her chest. Now that she took a closer look at her father, she started noticing some changes she had not noticed previously.

His hair was more grey than it's vibrant mahogany color, he stood by his desk his shoulders more slouched than before, the hand that poured his whisky shook with a slight tremor and his motions were significantly slower.

Sadly her strong father was becoming weaker with age and it was unfair to him to have to deal with the possibility of a scandal at this age.

She tried to imagine how he had felt standing in the ballroom while his counterparts whispered about the scandalous behavior of his beloved daughter. Now she thought about it. She might have thought to save her sister but she just might have ruined her prospects with such a big scandal.

Because while her baron might claim to love her, the truth was that members of the ton married for recognition and wealth and most would not want to be associated with a scandalous family especially when the family in question also lacked the attraction of a fat dowry.

Now that her mind was no longer under the influence of the charm of a certain duke. She could see the situation with a clarity she had lacked hours before.

It seemed in her quest to solve the problem, she just might have made it worse by allowing her emotions take over. She didn't regret the kiss of course. She would do almost anything to do that again. She only felt guilt at the possibility that she might have hurt her family.

Standing up she walked over to her father. Stilling his hand when he made to pour himself another glass of whisky. He looked up at her with brown eyes like hers that was dulled with frustration.

"This will not solve anything, Father. You need to sit and rest," she said guiding him to his seat.

The fact that he allowed her to lead him to his chair quietly was enough to tell her he was intoxicated and exhausted or at least close to being so.

"Why did you do it? We could have been perfect. Why did you ruin it?" he asked, fixing sleepy eyes on her.

"I did that because Charity was not happy with the match and I would not be able to live with myself should I allow her enter a union that would lead to her perpetual sadness."

"So you sacrificed yourself for your sister, eh?" he asked a mischievous smile appearing on his sleepy face. Almost like he had an inkling of what she was hiding. With that last disturbing remark, he drifted off to sleep, snoring softly.

It just might be the effect of the alcohol, but she wondered how everything would play out if they knew that the primary reason she had landed them in this scandal had less to do with selfless sacrifice and more to do with her infatuation with the Duke in question.

With how far reaching the consequences of the scandal seemed. The duke and his hurried proposal of marriage seemed to be the best solution. That hope also didn't have anything to do with her internal fantasy of belonging to the intense man.

Adjusting him properly on his seat. She tried to make him more comfortable on the seat. He was most likely going to wake up with a nasty crick in his neck but there was little she could do to prevent that as the footmen had retired for the night and their butler was getting on in age. He was not the perfect person to help transfer the Viscount to a more comfortable surface in his chambers.

She attempted to wake him but it seemed he was deeply asleep courtesy of the alcohol he had been downing with careless abandon.

Sighing in defeat, she loosened his cravat, removed his shoes to at least offer him a little comfort. She put off the numerous candles leaving a single one to light the room in dim tones.

She left the room, closing the door quietly behind her she headed towards her bedroom but with the thoughts that weighed on her mind she doubted she would catch a wink of sleep.

When she opened the door to her chamber she was surprised to meet Charity already sitting in her room waiting for her, clutching the skirts of her long night gown, her eyes huge in her face and circled with red rings that indicated that she had been crying. She looked like a frightened innocent child.

The earlier feeling of guilt returned with vengeance.

"What is the matter, Charity? Is it about the scandal? It is being sorted out as we speak" she said hoping to reassure her distraught sister.

" No, it's not just that," she said between sobs, "I have been so selfish leaving all my problems at your feet, relying on the fact that you would always solve my problems. I have never taken time out to think about how the burden of our family problems affect you."I never stopped to consider that the fact that you carry it so gracefully, does not mean that the weight of responsibility is not heavy. You have sacrificed so much for our family," she said raising her tear stained face to look at Victoria, "and now you are ruined because of me."

No matter how selfless Victoria had been in previous years, there was always a little part of her that sought validation from her family. A part of her have always longed for a pat on the back as they acknowledged her sacrifice.

But at this moment in time, when she was getting the validation she so longed for. The pleasure she should have felt was now tainted with guilt because while her sister was under the impression that she had done it in self sacrifice. This time it was more selfish than if was selfless.

"Charity, this is not your fault," she said sitting down beside her and taking her hands in hers

"It is my fault," her sister countered, "if I had not asked you to help me break my engagement with the Duke, you would not be ruined. But I was so in love with Robert and the possibility of my happiness that I never stopped to consider your own happiness too. I am so sorry Victoria," she said, sobbing.

"I am not ruined, Charity," she said, pulling her head to rest on her shoulder and petting her back in soothing strokes, "The Duke will do right by me. He promised he will."

"I hope he does," Charity said as her sobs died down

I hope so too.

Victoria could not imagine any other alternative because no matter how they thought about it, her family's future in Society would be bleak, should the duke abandon her to her ruination. Unfortunately, she could not blame him if he took that route especially considering how she had gotten said proposal.

She was just staking all her hope on the flashes of honor she saw in his dark eyes whenever they met. She hoped his honor triumphs over his anger and resentment towards her

Because if it does not, her entire family was doomed.

Just when she felt Charity's sobs starting to die down, the door opened to admit Diana who skipped in excitedly.

"I just heard the juiciest story from Ben-" she stopped when she saw the tear stained face of Charity and her small face scrunched in concern

"What is this? A cry fest. Why are you crying?" she asked coming to sit beside them at the foot of the queen sized bed.

"Diana, there is nothing wrong. I just got something in my eye," Charity said wiping her tears with the back of her hand.

In response, Diana shot her a look. "Do try to remember that you are not speaking to a child and whether you believe it or not, I can tell when someone has an eye irritated by some errant insect and when they have been weeping,"

"I am sorry, Dian,a" Charity apologized. Seeing that Diana was not buying her lie, she decided to change the subject. "What juicy morsel of gossip did Ben share with you that have you this giddy with excitement?"

"Apparently the story has to do with you too. Seems that Victoria was caught kissing the Duke," Diana said shooting a sly look in Victoria's direction.

Victoria could feel herself reddening and she silently cursed Ben for her propensity for gossip.

Benedicta, Diana's Sassy maid took the definition of an accomplished gossip to a whole new dimension. It shouldn't have surprised her that in a few hours, the girl had managed to get news of the latest scandal that occurred in a ball she did not attend. If this was not the confirmation that news of the scandal had spread, she didn't think anything was.

"Diana, I would not think that this is an appropriate topic to discuss this night," she said.

"Well it is, if Charity is crying because of it. Tell me," she said, leaning closer to Victoria, "how did it feel to kiss the big bad duke?" she asked with a mischievous smile on her face.

"Diana!" Victoria groaned in exasperation. It seemed Benedicta's sassy behavior was rubbing off on Diana. At this rate she would be an absolute hellion by the time she debuted.

She made a mental note to perhaps change Diana's maid to at least separate her from the girl

"Diana, shouldn't you be more concerned about the impact of this on Charity than how the scandal happened?" she scolded.

"I was just curious," she grumbled under her breath. "Besides, I see no reason for her to be distraught about this. Now she can marry the Baron as she desires" she said

"I didn't want that at the expense of ruining Victoria and our family!" Charity blurted out in defense.

Diana paused to understand the statement then her forehead furrowed with curiosity. "What does it mean to be ruined? I never could understand why people are said to be ruined when they are caught alone with a gentleman, they dance with gentlemen all the time. Why are they ruined simply because they were seen together and why does everyone dread ruination so much?"

"My dearest Diana," Victoria explained quietly, "that is because, if the gentleman in question refuses to marry the lady, the family will be shunned from society, no invitations to balls, no money to visit the modiste as we will be cut from profitable businesses and most importantly there will be no season for the young ladies of that household. Even if they do debut, they will have very small pool of suitors or no suitors at all."

At this explanation, Diana gasped in dismay, "I hope the Duke is honorable. I hope he marries you."

Victoria smiled to herself, of course Diana would take this more seriously now that her fashion fascination was under threat.

Her sister's love for new gowns, bonnets, jewelries and balls were second to none and she hoped for her sake that her family did not get ruined and rob the sweet girl a chance for a beautiful shiny debut.

She really hoped that her hope in the Duke's honor was not misplaced.