Chapter 19

CHAPTER19

“Are you ready?” Gerald asked Katherine as the carriage rolled to a stop in front of a beautiful garden.

Katherine took a moment to breathe in the fresh air, then looked at him briefly, having to remind herself of his question.

“I am ready, Your Grace,” she said as she stepped out of the carriage, linking her arm with his.

Things had been quite out of the ordinary ever since they had kissed. They felt much simpler than they had when the two first got married, but there was still a slight awkwardness that lingered between them.

Katherine liked Gerald a lot, but even worse, she could tell that he shared the same feelings. He was just a bit too hard-headed and afraid to admit it.

“I don’t particularly enjoy such parties,” Gerald mumbled as they started to walk down the pathway.

Katherine scoffed. “Neither do I, and yet here we are, walking right into the heart of one,” she said with a slight chuckle. Her grip tightened around Gerald’s arm as people started to come into view.

“We are the Duke and Duchess of Powell, after all.” Gerald sighed, plastering a large smile on his face.

Katherine could feel him tense the moment they joined the crowd. He was trying his utmost best to appear proper when interacting with other members of the ton.

She noticed a woman turn toward her, which she didn’t find so odd. Members of the ton were curious by nature, wanting to know every last bit of what was going on around them. But as soon as a fifth, tenth, and eleventh head had turned in their direction, Katherine began to feel uneasy.

“Are they staring at us?” she whispered to Gerald as she kept her smile. She had to make a good impression at all times ever since she had become the Duchess of Powell.

“I am unsure,” Gerald whispered back, having to bend down slightly so she could hear him. “But I can assure you that people have a tendency of staring at others when they’re curious.”

“It is making me rather uncomfortable, and it doesn’t appear as if it might stop any moment,” Katherine continued, her eyes flicking over the people who had stopped their conversations in an effort to look at them.

Some noticed her looking back and turned away as if nothing had happened. Others were less discrete, continuing to stare at her blatantly.

“If I had the ability to do so, I would have forced them all to stop in a heartbeat,” Gerald said as he continued to look ahead.

“Katherine,” a familiar voice called. A familiar voice Katherine hadn’t heard in a long time, and one she had missed, surprisingly.

“Mama?” she said as she turned in the direction of the voice.

Her eyes fell on the ever-familiar figure of none other than her mother, Prudence Barker.

“Oh, Mama!” Katherine exclaimed in excitement. “What a pleasure it truly is to see you again!”

She awaited her mother to return her greeting, but Prudence looked rather disappointed in her. This confused Katherine greatly, for she had finally been able to accomplish the one task her mother had given her—to find a husband.

“Is everything all right, Mama?” Katherine asked before Gerald had gotten the chance to greet his mother-in-law.

He looked at her in confusion, unable to read her facial expressions as Katherine had learned to do.

“Katherine,” Prudence said again, this time trying to plaster a smile on her face.

Katherine could see that the smile was mainly directed at Gerald, but it soothed her worry slightly.

“How do you do, My Lady,” Gerald greeted as he bowed to his mother-in-law, who seemed to be studying him.

Prudence appeared as if she were holding her breath, and Katherine worried slightly that she might faint.

“I am all right,” Prudence replied at last. But before she could continue her sentence, a couple that Katherine didn’t recognize passed by, staring atthe newlyweds strangely.

“Good day, Your Grace,” the man said as he passed by Gerald.

Gerald returned the man’s greeting before the couple disappeared into the crowd, but Katherine noticed them looking over their shoulders at them every couple of steps. She couldn’t help but frown.

“Why are all these people looking at us so strangely?” Katherine asked both Gerald and her mother.

Prudence’s lips pressed together into a thin line. “Katherine, I need to talk to the two of you,” she whispered.

Katherine nodded at her mother as anxiety started to make her heart race, unsure of what the problem might be.

“How, how are the two of you handling your relationship?” Prudence asked a bit hesitantly. She gave a small, false smile that Katherine could tell was only from her husband’s sake.

Katherine and Gerald shared a glance, before Gerald said, “Well, My Lady, I would say that we are doing rather well. No complaints whatsoever. I have grown quite fond of your daughter, and I can only hope that she shares the same feelings.”

Katherine felt the urge to laugh at how different he was when speaking in a public setting.

“Are you sure, Your Grace?” Prudence asked, her voice softening. She even took a few steps closer to the pair so they could hear her.

“We are quite sure, Mama,” Katherine said confusedly. For a brief moment, she thought her mother had become delusional. “Why do you ask, Mama? Is everything all right?”

Prudence pursed her lips, taking a moment to survey the people around them. Katherine did the same and found that several heads were still turned toward her and Gerald.

“Why is everyone staring at us, Mama?” Katherine pressed.

Prudence shot them a blank look, before scoffing. “I would not be showing my face out in public if I were you.” She shook her head.

Katherine was unable to determine if that remark had been directed at her, Gerald, or perhaps both of them. It hurt her nonetheless.

“Mama, I don’t know what you speak of,” she said in a quiet, timid voice. “I’m really confused here.”

Prudence cocked her head as if she had caught Katherine in a lie. “When one has a scandal on their hands, I think it best if they don’t parade around at events,” she whispered. “Shameful of you to feed gossip.”

Katherine continued to look between Gerald and her mother in confusion. When she noticed more people turning to stare at them, she tugged on Gerald’s sleeve.

Gerald didn’t respond at first, his confused gaze fixed on Prudence.

Katherine tugged on his sleeve again. “I think it best we leave, Your Grace,” she said, feeling more and more pairs of eyes boring holes into her back. “I believe attending this party was a bad decision.”

“Of course,” Gerald agreed without a second thought. “Good day to you, My Lady.”

Prudence only nodded once, watching the two walk away, as the rest of the party-goers did.

Katherine felt her skin crawl and her heart palpitate in her chest.

A scandal? She couldn’t possibly think of any scandal that she had brought upon herself, and it appeared that neither did Gerald. Both of them looked at one another with questioning eyebrows, but an unspoken agreement led both of them to remain silent until they had full privacy.

As Katherine sat back down in the carriage, she felt her body shake. She was feeling a whirlwind of confusion and anxiety. The word scandal continued to ring over and over in her mind.

“Are you all right?” Gerald asked as he sat across from her. “You appear as pale as a sheet.”

“A scandal?” Katherine asked him at last. “What scandal could my mother possibly be talking about?”

“I intended to ask you the same question.” Gerald sighed as he realized that she was in the dark just as much as he was. “But I truly have no idea what your mother might have meant with that statement.”

“How does one quash a scandal they are unaware of?” Katherine scoffed, her thoughts racing. “I can’t think of a single thing that might have led everyone to stare at us in such a manner.”

“I’ll fix it for us, Katherine,” Gerald promised quietly as he took one of her trembling hands into his own.

Katherine looked at him, trying to steady her breathing. She stared down at his large hands, and for a second, she thought it to be love.

The moment that thought had come to her mind, she withdrew her hand. How could she fall in love with someone who had been constantly reminding her that he had no intention of taking things further? She might have been a fool in some aspects, but she was surely not ready to make a fool of herself in that manner.

“I just don’t understand what could have possibly caused those people to look at us in that manner?” Katherine huffed.

“I find it a difficult question to answer myself, Duchess,” Gerald said as he straightened up, lowering his hand to his side.

Katherine turned to stare out the window, the garden party disappearing from sight, the tall trees and perfectly trimmed shrubs turning to small green dots.

* * *

Katherine wandered the corridors of Powell Manor aimlessly. She was too restless to sit, but she had nothing to do. Thus, she resorted to a not-so-leisurely stroll through the corridors.

She hadn’t even noticed that her feet had led her to a certain place—or rather a certain object. The painting of the deer stared back at her as she approached, the eyes of the fragile creature containing certain secrets only she could understand.

This then led her back to the drawing room, where her easel already stood, awaiting her. Anne had finally removed the painting that Simon had torn, leaving the easel clear and ready for a new project.

Katherine reached for a blank canvas, placing it neatly on the wooden easel. Her hands started to instinctively grab at several paint tubes, starting to mix several colors without a clear thought about what she was doing—a painting driven by instinct. Paintings Katherine often found the most pleasing to indulge in.

“Katherine.” Prudence’s voice interrupted her artistic flow.

For a moment, Katherine thought that she was imagining her mother’s voice, still haunted by what had happened at the garden party. But then she heard the same voice once more.

“Katherine,” Prudence said slightly louder, causing Katherine to whip around in her seat. “Are you deaf?”

“Excuse me, Mama,” Katherine murmured with a quick shake of her head, trying to gather her thoughts. “I have been lost in thought.”

“I can see that,” her mother drawled, pursing her lips. “I told you that painting is not a sound task for a lady. It is already turning you mad.”

“No, Mama,” Katherine said with the smallest of sighs. As she rose from her seat, she spotted Gerald standing a few feet behind her mother, unsure when he had appeared. “I’ve been thinking about what happened at the garden party. I must admit, neither His Grace nor I have the slightest idea of any scandal that might have befallen our household.”

“You have not the slightest idea?” Prudence retorted, her expression one of disbelief, until she realized that her daughter truly had no idea of what she was talking about.

“We are still in the dark, My Lady,” Gerald interjected, stepping closer to them. “But, in hopes of quashing this supposed scandal, I find it in our best interests if you let us in on the matter.”

Prudence looked up at him for a moment, nodding her head in agreement. Before she could start to explain, Gerald motioned for them to sit.

Prudence sat down, her back ramrod straight. It looked a bit strange to Katherine, as that was the exact same chair that Simon used to plop into.

After taking their seats, Gerald and Katherine looked up at Prudence with wide eyes, awaiting an explanation.

“There have been some shameful rumors regarding you, Katherine,” Prudence began.

Katherine’s head started to spin with any and all possibilities of what she might have done, but few came to mind. Could it be the fight that Gerald had with Charlotte in the park? Worse yet, could it have anything to do with her history with Elias?

“I have come here to warn the two of you to tread carefully, as I find the entire ordeal already perilous,” Prudence continued, her eyes darting between the two of them.

Katherine wanted to shake her mother by the shoulders, ask her to spit it out, but instead she waited patiently.

“I am just asking you not to arouse any further suspicion.”