Chapter 4

Chapter Four

T he following morning Victoria was seated at her writing desk, still mulling over the great spice war and what role she could possibly play in it, when a knock came on her bedroom door. She narrowed her brows. Who would be coming to see her at this early hour?

Her maid, Mary, was already here, quietly tidying up a few things on the dresser. And if Lady Coco Kembal had successfully managed to sneak back into the house sometime before dawn, she would still be tucked up in bed, so it couldn't possibly be Victoria's sister.

Victoria and Mary exchanged a look of unease as the door opened and the Duchess of Mowbray swept into the room. Victoria caught sight of the gold colored gown which her mother had draped over her left arm.

She is up to something.

"Good morning, Victoria darling, lovely to see you. How was last night's dinner with Matthew?" said Lady Anne. She glanced momentarily at Victoria's maid and coolly announced, "You may leave us. Thank you."

Crossing the floor, she carefully lay the gown on Victoria's bed, fussed with it for a moment, then turned to face her daughter. The second the click of Mary closing the door behind her echoed in the room, the duchess let out a happy sigh and smiled. "Well now."

Worry had Victoria clenching her teeth. Lady Anne rarely grinned at anyone without there being something on her agenda. It was even more rare for her to sigh with joy.

Why did she bring me that gown, and why did she dismiss Mary?

"I think it's high time you and I had a little talk," announced the duchess.

Ice formed in Victoria's veins. Her mother had given her the talk long ago when her courses had first arrived, so it couldn't be that talk. Victoria shuddered recalling what had been one of the most awkward moments of her life. She couldn't think of any other great mystery of the universe which her mother should feel the need to impart.

"Yes, Mama?"

Her mother held out her hands and as soon as Victoria had taken them, the duchess pulled her daughter to her feet. Lady Anne's gaze took in Victoria's pale blue dress.

"Is that one of your new gowns?"

Victoria nodded. She wasn't in any sort of mood to explain to the duchess that she knew full well it was, and that she'd been the one who had instructed Mary to select it for today. As soon as the gowns had arrived from the modiste, Lady Anne had insisted Victoria tried them all on. From the moment they'd left the shop, she hadn't stopped mentioning the new clothes to Victoria, telling her she had to wear them. She'd also offered plenty of not-so-subtle hints about her daughter making more of an effort with her appearance and deportment.

Mama is up to something. She is never like this with me any other time.

The duchess ushered her over to the nearby cheval mirror. Victoria's mind was working at a feverish rate while the duchess gave her new blue and white floral gown a thorough looking over. She could think of a dozen reasons why her mother wanted this private tète a tète, and none of them were good.

Had Lady Anne discovered the truth of her daily custard bun habit? Or perhaps Richard had let slip that his sister's pin money was keeping his wallet flush.

Oh god, please don't let her have read my private restaurant reviews.

"It's a lovely gown, but I'm not sure if it's what we need," said Lady Anne, after a long moment of silence.

Need? Need for what?

"What do you mean?" replied Victoria. She took a slow, deep breath, readying herself for whatever was about to come out of her mother's mouth.

"Why for getting you back into society. It's time we set to the task of finding you a suitable husband."

Husband?

"Is there any particular reason for this sudden haste? I mean, it's well past the formal season. And if the rumors about Queen Charlotte's health are indeed true, then might it appear somewhat impolite for us to push ahead with a marriage campaign at this time," stammered Victoria.

She'd thought that with Gideon and Augusta's recent marriages, the duchess might wish to take a break from family weddings. Now it seemed that her mother was just beginning to hit her stride and was looking for the next of her children to throw into the arms of wedded bliss.

Why not one of the boys? Richard could certainly benefit from the steady hand of a wife. Or at least his long-suffering purse would. And what about Matthew? He was a year older than her.

Lady Anne met her gaze in the mirror's reflection. "I know I have been a poor example of a mother to both you and Coco over the past year. I should have been here and made certain of your success while out in society. It was wrong of me to stay in Rome. Since my return to England, I've come to understand that you and your sister endured some small hardships while I was away, and I'm…"

The duchess didn't finish her sentence. Victoria wished she would. Wished that her mother would finally offer up a long-awaited apology.

Small hardships—she has to be in jest. The truth was that pretty much the entire haut ton had turned their backs on the Kembal family. Social invitations had shriveled away to nothing. The other matrons of the extended family, including the Duchess of Strathmore, had done their best to protect both her and Coco. But, in the end, the two young women were forced to leave London and retreat to the Mowbray family estate in the Leicestershire countryside.

Victoria couldn't find the words to tell her mother just how horrible things had been for the family once news of her having left the duke had broken in the London press. While the duchess had been enjoying herself in Rome, the rest of the Kembal family had been made to suffer.

But her mother hadn't been told of what had happened in London during that dreadful time. She didn't know that the grief-stricken duke had been in agony and had refused to leave his bedroom for weeks. Before he'd departed for Rome, Gideon had made his brothers and sisters swear an oath to keep as much of what happened during that awful period a secret. Even from the duchess.

She met Lady Anne's tear-filled gaze in the mirror and forced herself to say, "What is done is done, Mama. You came home. You and Papa are reconciled. Time will heal everything else."

Her words of comfort were empty. There had been a time when her resentment toward her mother had run fierce. She was slowly moving toward forgiving her mother, but it wasn't easy.

"I am so sorry, sweetheart."

Victoria sighed, slowly shaking her head. She stepped away from the mirror, not wanting to hear any more. This apology should have been offered to all the Kembal offspring, not just her. But she knew her mother only too well, the words of sorrow were not just a spontaneous outpouring of emotion. Everything pointed to Lady Anne having her own agenda.

She is planning something.

"Why are you here, Mama? And don't bother trying to tell me this is some sort of feeble attempt at an apology."

A gasp of shock escaped Lady Anne's lips as the blow landed, but Victoria calmly held her gaze. The events of the past year had hardened her.

"I have much to atone for, especially with you girls. The boys. Well they are men, and things are different for them. Gideon came home from Italy with a wife. Richard and Matthew will find their own way in life. But it's a mother's responsibility to see her daughters well settled."

But you didn't think about that when you left us.

"So what do you have in mind, Mama? I assume from this little chat that you have already hatched some sort of plan to secure me a husband," snapped Victoria.

The duchess flinched. "That's an unkind remark, Victoria dear. I am simply trying to do what is right for you."

"Right for me or for you?" She was tired of her mother's machinations, but even more hurt by the fact that the duchess didn't seem to comprehend how much she had hurt her children. How Victoria had felt abandoned.

This conversation couldn't have come at a worse time. After the disappointing evening she'd endured last night, Victoria wasn't in a charitable mood this morning. The food at the restaurant had been tasteless. Even her interest in the spice war couldn't spark her into a better frame of mind.

Victoria nodded in the direction of the gown which lay on the bed. "New gowns won't fix all ills, Mama. Nor will they secure me love."

The duchess moved toward the bed. She picked up the gold colored dress and returned to Victoria's side.

"You are right, new gowns won't undo the pain and scandal that my behavior wrought upon this family, but they will help to get you back into society. And to find you a suitable husband."

Her heart stung as she noted that her mother didn't mention the word love. Unlike the love-filled unions of her older brother and sister, it seemed that her marriage was going to be one born of necessity, not affection.

"And of course this search for a suitable husband will no doubt benefit you."

"I will admit that what works for you, will assist this family," replied Lady Anne.

I knew it. She's using me as a means to get back in circulation.

Her hands balled into fists. The weight of her mother's expectations now settled heavily on her shoulders.

How dare she place me in this unenviable position.

Hot tears stung Victoria's eyes. The temptation to say something even more hurtful, to strike out at her mother, was almost too much to bear.

But then the thought of her father, of what he'd been through, drew her up sharp. Only yesterday, her heart had caught at hearing his laughter once more. The light and spark had returned to the duke's eyes. She couldn't take that away from him.

If she took her place in society and secured a respectable husband, the rest of the Kembals would be able to move more freely about the ton . People would have her wedding to talk about rather than her parents' scandal.

I can't say no. Our family has been through such a torrid time this past year. And poor Augusta, her husband has only just been cleared of a murder charge. And she's pregnant.

She had a duty to uphold. Resigned to her fate, Victoria glanced at the golden gown in her mother's hands. "What is that for? It's not one of mine."

The duchess offered a gentle but knowing smile. "Your other pretty new pieces are fine for walks in Hyde Park and tea parties, but if we are to attract the attention of London's bachelors it will take something more. Something like this gown."

Victoria took the evening gown from the duchess's hands, letting the soft, luxurious fabric run through her fingers. It was silk. The delicate embroidery on the bodice, a work of utter perfection. It was not the sort of thing a young unmarried woman normally wore in public. This dress had not been made with any timid miss in mind. It had a sensual feel to it.

"It's one of Serafina's—I think it will suit you. I would love for you to try it on."

She wondered if the Marchioness of Holwell had fully understood why she'd been co-opted into this scheme. Knowing Serafina, she wouldn't have seen anything wrong in her lending a gown to her sister-in-law. Gideon's bride was generous to a fault.

I would bet a bag of silver coins Mama didn't tell her why she wanted the gown.

After removing her new blue gown, Victoria stepped into the silken dress, standing quietly while Lady Anne helped to lace her into it. She moved back to the mirror and took in her reflection.

The gown did wonderful things to her appearance. It hugged her waist and hips perfectly. If she'd gone to the modiste and had the gown made, it couldn't have fitted her any better.

Her hand went to her décolletage as she attempted to cover the generous amount of her bust which the low-cut gown afforded. "I'm not sure this is the sort of thing an unwed miss should be wearing. It feels a little risqué. Perhaps I should wear a shawl over it."

Lady Anne brushed a kiss on her cheek. "No, it's perfect as it is. It speaks of a young, sophisticated woman, whose thoughts have moved beyond girlish things. Any nobleman in search of a wife will immediately come to view you as a potential bride."

Why not just hang a sign around my neck?

"And I know of a number of titled gentlemen who are indeed in need of a wife."

Victoria fought back rising panic. "Please tell me you haven't already chosen someone for me. That would be too bold, even for you, Mama."

If the duchess had already been in discussions with a potential husband for her, Victoria had to know. If her courtship was going to be some sort of charade for the benefit of the matrons of the ton , she would die.

What if her father was already in the throes of conducting dowry discussions with some stranger? Her future husband. A man she didn't know.

"Well?" The question was poised with more force than she would have ever considered using with her mother before the Rome scandal. Many things had changed.

Lady Anne's fingers stilled on the ribbons of the golden gown, and Victoria's heart began to race. Please no. The humiliation would be the end of her.

"I did suggest to your father that I could go ahead and speak to some friends of ours, but he said no, absolutely not. He was most adamant that you should have a say in the matter."

Thank you, Papa.

The gown she was wearing had to have been selected for a purpose. For an event. The duchess rarely did anything without a well-thought-out plan.

"And he is right. I have made too many missteps this past year, we can't afford another," added Lady Anne.

The mix of pain and shame in the duchess's voice tugged at Victoria's heart. Her absence from London society had cost her mother dearly. Lady Anne was no longer at the top of the social pile. Victoria had borne witness to a number of her mother's former fair-weather friends crossing the street in order to avoid having to speak to her.

But if there was one woman in London who could come back from both private and public failure, it was the Duchess of Mowbray.

Victoria took a hold of her mother's hand and gave it a gentle squeeze.

"Tell me about your plans, Mama. This is my future, and if I am to make a successful entry onto the marriage mart, then let's agree to make those plans together."

She was a duke's daughter, and as such, it was her duty to make a suitable marriage. If in doing so, she helped repair her family's name in London society, then that was for the greater good.

I owe it to Papa. And yes, even Mama. I owe it to my entire family to help put this scandal behind us.

Straightening her back, she let her hand drop from the bodice of the gown. Victoria met her own gaze once more in the mirror and made a fateful decision.

It was time for her to set aside her anger and resentment. Time that she got serious about finding a husband.