The coachman showed them outside. He didn't speak, except to say that their carriage was waiting, and that the Duke would reply to them soon.
Then, the great doors boomed shut with an echo of finality, and Aurora's heart sank.
"Howdare you," she accused, "this was supposed to bemypresentation. I had it all planned out, pages of notes all detailed in order! You didn't even mention our five year plan, or how we wanted to graft the angel's trumpet, or even what it can be used for!"
Lord Winters visibly paled, and he took a nervous step backwards. "I don't think His Grace was interested in those details."
"He was the one who asked for them!" Aurora snapped.
Father's hand, still touching her back, reached to squeeze her shoulder now. His expression was sympathetic, but firm.
"Aurora, let's not do this on the manor doorstep."
"Why not?" she challenged, and her anger only grew. "Lord Winters was out of line, and he needs to know it. He can't just sweep in and take over when he feels like it."
God, itwasChristopher all over again. Her greatest fear, realized. This was awful. Anightmare.What was she supposed to do, when everything was a mess? Even after all of her worries, she had allowed herself to trust Lord Winters.Stupid.
They stood there at the bottom of the steps, awkward silence filling the space between them. Father hadn't said anything more, and Aurora was grateful that he was allowing her to speak; but it was too late for it to matter. The deed was done.
"This was supposed to be my idea. My first try at being arealbotanist! Do you know how many people dream of such a thing? Now, he's going to think that it was all you."
"Please," Father urged, "let's discuss this at home. Or at the very least, inside the carriage."
Fine. Aurora's whole body was burning in frustration, but she had run out of things to say. She turned, stormed across the path, and yanked open the carriage door.
Lord Winter's coachman hopped down to help her inside, but she waved him off with an awkward smile.
"I'm fine, thank you," she urged, "I need to prove I can do at least something on my own."
Unwilling to argue, the young coachman backed away.
Aurora took a moment to right herself, smoothing out her skirts and folding her hands neatly across her lap. Even as anger consumed her, she tried to gather her thoughts.
It was a long moment before Father joined her side. The carriage was small enough that their knees bumped as he climbed inside, and he smiled apologetically.
Aurora saw much more in his eyes than just that; he knew as well as she did that today hadn't gone as planned.
Lord Winters followed Father inside, and that was when Aurora's mood really soured. He was forced to sit across from her, since there was no room beside Father. Although he tried to sit in the middle of the bench, he was still too close for Aurora's liking.
Once again, that thick silence fell across them. Father shut the carriage door, and the thud echoed too loudly in the small space. There was no escaping it, just as there was no escaping what Lord Winters had done.
He had betrayed her in the most horrible way. Worse, Aurora herself had allowed it to happen.
The journey continued in tense, awkward silence; Aurora sat low in her seat and stared out of the window, refusing to look Lord WintersorFather in the eyes. She was all too aware of their closeness, of how Father's knee kept bumping hers and of how Lord Winters was right across from her.
Lord Elmore and Father started a low conversation; it was hushed and quiet, as if they didn't wish to disturb Aurora, but she was too close not to hear every word.
"I think the Duke was convinced by our presentation," Lord Elmore said softly, "although I'm not sure how much of it he understood."
"He's a busy man with many responsibilities; he doesn't have time to learn about toxic plants. However, he doesn't need to understand; he only needs to agree to let us continue."
"And provide us with whatever assistance he’s willing."
Father hummed in agreement; and when Aurora glanced at him, he was smiling.
Father had no right to be smiling like that; he had even less of a right to be happy about all of this. He had tried to defend her in front of the Duke of Stonehull; and yet he had still allowed Lord Winters to take over the presentation. Even now that they were out of that manor and on their way home, he hadn't said a word about it to Lord Winters at all.
Her frown deepened as she sank lower into the seat, arms folded stiffly across her chest.