She’d been accosted by the least savory members of theton, sneered at by the society ladies, and generally relegated to a serving maid despite everything Gwen did to bring her forward. It had been a humiliating year. “It was a pleasure to watch Gwen blossom into the beauty she is.”
He cast her a sidelong glance. “Do you always choose your words with such care?”
“Yes,” she answered honestly. “Society prefers life to be pleasant. Why challenge that to no purpose?”
“Because I should like the honest truth.”
He seemed to mean it, so she complied. She didn’t mean to tell such an angry anecdote, but the words tumbled out anyway.
“I attended the coming out party of a young lady. I was very excited, you understand, because it was the most popular ball I had been invited to all Season. I thought perhaps I was becoming more accepted because of Gwen and Lord Sayre’s patronage. I wore my best dress and resolved to charm any soul—man, woman, or young lady—who chose to come my way. I would show them that I was a delight, and they would want to have me in their company.”
“Having experienced your charm firsthand, I expect you took gloriously.”
Of course, he would. “I soon learned that the only reason I was there was to entertain the girl’s drunken, wastrel uncle. Being family, he had to be invited to the come out, but no one wished for him to shower his attention on a proper woman. He and I were shoved together into a back room.”
“The devil you say.”
“I don’t know what they expected me to do. Entertain him in the most lewd manner, I suppose. I did not.”
“Did you cry out? Did you call them to account for such abominable behavior?”
“I was locked in a back room, my lord. And they specifically distracted Gwen so she could not come find me, though I am told she and Lord Sayres looked.”
She could feel the tension in his arm. He was clearly angry on her behalf, and she was grateful that at least someone beyond her immediate family could feel outrage for her.
“What happened?” His voice was a low growl of fury that shivered along her skin.
“I broke a vase over his head, and he howled for a doctor.” She smiled in memory. “He was bleeding quite profusely.”
“I would prefer you had knocked him unconscious,” he grumbled.
“I did try. I escaped when a servant opened the door. Then I left the ball.”
“Whose ball was it?” he asked.
She turned to him. “Would you beat the man again?”
“I would.” She believed him, and it made her smile.
“Then you must beat every man who makes free with a woman of lesser status. There is quite a long list.”
“I’m aware,” he said, and his grumpy voice rumbled into her heart. “I have been trying, you know. I have thrashed more than one idiot boy in my life.”
She didn’t doubt it, especially as he had done that to three drunken dandies on the night they first met. She squeezed his arm in thanks. “It is done.”
“Was your entire Season like that?”
“No,” she admitted. “There were evening musicales and a couple nights at the theater. Lord Sayres was very generous in bringing me around. His attention was predominantly fixed on Gwen, of course, but he was kind to me, and I am grateful.”
“I would be filled with anger, were I you. Outrage and venom.”
“Really?” she asked. “They why do you perpetuate the very problem that created me?” It was a bold statement, but she was tired of hiding her true thoughts. She was a lot smarter than she pretended, and he did ask for her honest opinion.
“I beg your pardon!” There was outrage in his face as he quickly spun her to face him.
She remained firm despite his expression. “Society believes that parentage is the measure of a person. I am less because I was unfortunate in my parents. You are more because you were lucky to be born to an earl.”
“I don’t see you as less.”