sister
did not come to town often, and she did not offer Cordelia assistance. Ever.
"I am not sure that is necessary."
The look of disdain Diana sent her way would have shriveled
most people. Cordelia was accustomed to it, though.
"No, you do not understand what you are about to deal with.
You will become an interest for people, and they will watch your every
move."
Cordelia did not like the sound of that.
"From your frown, I can tell you did not think of it.
Blackburn might not be one of the ton ,
but as he said, he has links to some of the most powerful people in England. If
he can get the young Duke to do something like this for him, that is big. Very big . You will be the subject of
much gossip, and your life is now not your own."
The panic she had been fighting earlier returned. It was now
churning her stomach. "I can ignore it."
"Yes, but if there is one thing I know about the
Blackburns, they will not. They might be mysterious and they may shun the
London society, but they do take any slight against their family seriously.
They have ruined others for less."
She knew they had a lot of power. That is why she had
assumed the Blackburns had something to do with moneylending—or smuggling. If
you have the money, you could control so much. Still, she was just the woman
their son was marrying…and not by choice. She doubted that they would consider
it a slight if it was done to her.
“I think you are exaggerating.”
Diana shook her head. “No. I heard that they left the Earl
of Eddington to rot after he made a disparaging remark about a second cousin of
theirs.”
“They were the ones who ruined him?”
“The only thing they would help with was the care of his
family members. If I remember correctly, Adelaide Blackburn said she could not
let his children suffer because they had a man of loose morals and a small mind
as a father. That is your mother-in-law to be.”
"Good God."
"Really, Cordelia, do you have to be so vulgar?"
Cordelia smiled. "No, but sometimes I like to do
it."
Her sister rolled her eyes, and for a moment, Cordelia was
thrown back into her childhood. Diana had been a willing caregiver and very
indulgent with her. It was because of those memories she could never truly
blame her for abandoning her to marriage.
"All right, it is decided. I rented a very nice
townhouse over in St Andrew’s Square. There is more than enough room for you
until you get married. Knowing that Blackburn's family lives near Scotland, it
will take a few days to get them assembled for the wedding."
She opened her mouth, but Diana stopped her by holding up
her hand. “You might not care what others think, but you can be sure the
Blackburns and our brother will. You do not want to give Alex a reason to
appear in town and cause any problems. You know from experience that he is a
man who excels at little else than that.”
What her sister said was correct. Alex had always been a
problem. He did not fall far from the paternal tree in that regard.
“Believe me, you will be much more comfortable with me.”
She wanted to say no. She did not know what it was about
Diana now, but there was something so…uncomfortable to Cordelia when she was in
her presence. But she was offering to help, and if she didn’t do it for
herself, she would do it for Nico.
“All right, I will come.”
For the first time since the debacle in the library, she
looked forward to her wedding day. She prayed his family would make the trip
quickly because Cordelia was unsure just how much of society—and her sister—she
could take.
* * * *
“So, I take it you arranged everything today with your
bride,” Malik asked as he buttered his toast. It was midafternoon, and as with
many of their kind, Malik had just risen. Nico had been surprised to find his
friend awake when he returned. The night before could not have been easy on
him. Dealing with Mades always brought back bad memories of Malik’s turning. He
never spoke
did not come to town often, and she did not offer Cordelia assistance. Ever.
"I am not sure that is necessary."
The look of disdain Diana sent her way would have shriveled
most people. Cordelia was accustomed to it, though.
"No, you do not understand what you are about to deal with.
You will become an interest for people, and they will watch your every
move."
Cordelia did not like the sound of that.
"From your frown, I can tell you did not think of it.
Blackburn might not be one of the ton ,
but as he said, he has links to some of the most powerful people in England. If
he can get the young Duke to do something like this for him, that is big. Very big . You will be the subject of
much gossip, and your life is now not your own."
The panic she had been fighting earlier returned. It was now
churning her stomach. "I can ignore it."
"Yes, but if there is one thing I know about the
Blackburns, they will not. They might be mysterious and they may shun the
London society, but they do take any slight against their family seriously.
They have ruined others for less."
She knew they had a lot of power. That is why she had
assumed the Blackburns had something to do with moneylending—or smuggling. If
you have the money, you could control so much. Still, she was just the woman
their son was marrying…and not by choice. She doubted that they would consider
it a slight if it was done to her.
“I think you are exaggerating.”
Diana shook her head. “No. I heard that they left the Earl
of Eddington to rot after he made a disparaging remark about a second cousin of
theirs.”
“They were the ones who ruined him?”
“The only thing they would help with was the care of his
family members. If I remember correctly, Adelaide Blackburn said she could not
let his children suffer because they had a man of loose morals and a small mind
as a father. That is your mother-in-law to be.”
"Good God."
"Really, Cordelia, do you have to be so vulgar?"
Cordelia smiled. "No, but sometimes I like to do
it."
Her sister rolled her eyes, and for a moment, Cordelia was
thrown back into her childhood. Diana had been a willing caregiver and very
indulgent with her. It was because of those memories she could never truly
blame her for abandoning her to marriage.
"All right, it is decided. I rented a very nice
townhouse over in St Andrew’s Square. There is more than enough room for you
until you get married. Knowing that Blackburn's family lives near Scotland, it
will take a few days to get them assembled for the wedding."
She opened her mouth, but Diana stopped her by holding up
her hand. “You might not care what others think, but you can be sure the
Blackburns and our brother will. You do not want to give Alex a reason to
appear in town and cause any problems. You know from experience that he is a
man who excels at little else than that.”
What her sister said was correct. Alex had always been a
problem. He did not fall far from the paternal tree in that regard.
“Believe me, you will be much more comfortable with me.”
She wanted to say no. She did not know what it was about
Diana now, but there was something so…uncomfortable to Cordelia when she was in
her presence. But she was offering to help, and if she didn’t do it for
herself, she would do it for Nico.
“All right, I will come.”
For the first time since the debacle in the library, she
looked forward to her wedding day. She prayed his family would make the trip
quickly because Cordelia was unsure just how much of society—and her sister—she
could take.
* * * *
“So, I take it you arranged everything today with your
bride,” Malik asked as he buttered his toast. It was midafternoon, and as with
many of their kind, Malik had just risen. Nico had been surprised to find his
friend awake when he returned. The night before could not have been easy on
him. Dealing with Mades always brought back bad memories of Malik’s turning. He
never spoke
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