Page 56 of A Duchess Untouched

Maximus whined and followed, his tail swishing from side to side. The dog had a few dried leaves stuck to its coat. Matthew shook his head in amusement, plucking a few off his loyal pet.

“Mother has her own scandals to worry about, is that not right, Maximus?”

Chapter 27

“All I can say is that titled men, wealthy or not, are utterly shameless! All of them!” Mrs. Pike declared, unashamed of her hasty generalization.

Steam rose in front of her, even as her hands were deep in a tub of soapy water. Selina was startled, halting her progress with the bundle of clothes she had been folding.

Selina had been looking forward to joining the widows that afternoon. The day before, she had received a fresh delivery of provisions and knew the women would be delighted. As they settled into washing, Mrs. Pike and Mrs. Hartley slipped into their usual chatter, complaining about who had gotten the best pieces and who would use the good washboard. Mrs. Debbs rocked her youngest baby in a basket at her feet as she worked, and Selina could not help smiling at the familiar gossip and laughter. It was exactly the kind of afternoon she had been craving.

“Oh, hush, Mrs. Pike!” Mrs. Debbs protested. The others did not seem to mind at all. In fact, they seemed prepared for more. “You cannot be speaking like that in a house of charity. We must only speak of good things here, even though life has certainly dealt us a bad hand.”

“It is no lie, Mrs. Debbs,” Mrs. Pike retorted, wiping her soapy forearm across her forehead. “As you know, my sister has worked as a maid in several noble houses.” This was not the first time Mrs. Pike had talked about her sister’s job. “The men in those houses act as if their marriages make no difference to them. They have mistresses of various kinds, such as opera singers and noblemen’s widows. Alas, the poor staff are not spared their attentions. They do as they please because they have money. But some naïve young misses also fancy themselves in love with their masters. Foolish girls.”

Scandalized murmurs and gasps rippled through the room. Even the widows who seemed focused on their tasks shook their heads in shock.

“You certainly have all sorts of stories,” Mrs. Hartley grumbled. Then, she brightened as if she had thought of something. “What have you heard? There must be something new, if you are talking about such things now. Your old mind cannot be dredging up an old story.”

“You cannot possibly believe all that. Mrs. Pike is much worse than the gazettes,” Mrs. Debbs complained.

“First of all,” Mrs. Pike began, “I am not old, Mrs. Hartley. I am only a decade older than you, and time runs fast. As for Mrs. Debbs, you are young and pretty. You should listen and be wary of such predators looking your way. They are nothing but scoundrels! They will promise to leave their wives or buy you a townhouse if you become their mistress, and then… You find yourself ruined, with no position or letter of recommendation.”

“I am not a fool, Mrs. Pike,” Mrs. Debbs murmured. “All I care about is my children. I would never fancy myself a lord’s mistress.”

“As you should. And you had better make sure that it stays that way,” Mrs. Pike said. “I have seen many a good woman ruined by the false promises of titled and wealthy men. I tell you, those men are far worse than the common folk.”

“Will you just tell us what you know?” Mrs. Hartley asked.

“What do you mean? I never said I know anything specific.”

“Oh, come now, Mrs. Pike. You would not have started this whole conversation if you did not wish to share some gossip. Which gentleman are you speaking of? Is he the same one you told us about last time? The one who was looking for a woman who works at Essex House?”

Selina stopped her work to listen more carefully, and her heart stilled in her chest. Could it be possible that her husband was still looking for other women?

Mrs. Pike smiled now that she had her attention. Perhaps she liked a bigger audience.

“I met my sister the other day,” Mrs. Pike confided, her voice dropping deliberately. “She told me that there is a lord, some Matthew Sheffield, who has been sending letters to a maid for a whole month! The man must be smitten, or he thinks he can get what he wants with the girl. And listen, everyone. Just yesterday evening, the man came through the servants’ entrance himself. A nobleman! Looking for a servant so desperately! He demanded to speak with the young woman he was writing to in private.”

The widows, including Mrs. Debbs, let out a horrified gasp.

“He has been sending her letters for a whole month?” the young widow clarified. “And visiting her in the servants’ quarters? Oh, the audacity! He is a stranger to the household, even.”

“And even though we cannot be entirely certain, my sister and I suspect he is the same man who had been asking for that woman on London Road,” added Mrs. Pike with pride.

“How scandalous! Do you think he is after the same woman? He is either entirely smitten with her, or he is a devil after the poor working women who have no protection,” said Mrs. Hartley.

“Are you sure about what you said, Mrs. Pike?” Selina asked, no longer able to contain herself. Her hands and voice were shaking, but she did her best to appear composed.

The widows stared at her, mouths agape. Some had gone pale. Mrs. Pike, in particular, looked ready to jump out of her skin.

She shrieked, “Your Grace.” Then, she managed to calm down as the other women murmured their apologies to the Duchess. “Apologies, Your Grace. We were merely passing the time with silliness.”

“We mean no disrespect,” Mrs. Hartley added, while Mrs. Debbs’s eyes remained wide as she nodded.

“Please,” Selina said, trying to conceal the desperation in her voice. “I did not mean to startle you. I am merely curious. It is not every day one hears such a tale.”

Selina felt as though her whole body had turned to lead. She shoved the pile of folded clothes onto the shelves, unable to carry it any longer. The warmth she had felt in her chest earlier had been replaced by a chill. She had arrived at the parish in high spirits, having woken that morning to Matthew making love to her. She had wanted to stay in bed, but remembered her responsibilities. If she had stayed beneath the blankets, she would never have learned what he had been doing behind her back.