“Yes. So I know these are real.”
Frederica sighed.
“So, you’re telling everyone about someone you know well sleeping with married women and having multiple affairs … for what? What do you gain out of it?”
Lady Marcia smirked.
“I have my reasons. Lucas Dashwood might think he’s a good catch, but he’s a rake who doesn’t know what monogamy is.” With another sly look at Dorothy, she stood up. “If you’ll excuse me? I think I’m needed elsewhere.”
She walked away, and Dorothy tried not to stare after her. Instead, she focused on her friend.
“What was that all about? Dashwood is a rake who goes after married women?”
“Oh, don’t listen to her,” Frederica huffed. “Lady Marcia is talking nonsense. I’m sure that’s not the case.”
“But what if it is?”
“Why do you care? It’s simply a rumour. For all we know, Lady Marcia herself started the rumours.”
Dorothy frowned.
“Why would she do that? What does she gain from speaking in such a way about someone else?”
“Haven’t you noticed? She has designs on him. She wants to become his countess and make sure nobody else will take that position.” Frederica shook her head. “She was rather obvious in how she spoke about him.”
“But why would she ruin his reputation to get him for herself? Surely, there’s a better way of doing it? And what if he finds out and says it’s not the truth?”
“Dorothy, you know what happens when rumours start. It doesn’t matter if they’re true or not; once they take hold it’s considered the truth.”
Dorothy was still confused. Surely, if Lady Marcia wanted to marry Dashwood, then she would not say such a horrible thing. Dashwood’s reputation would go down, and then she wouldn’t be able to marry him without hers taking a hit.
But despite Frederica’s words, Lady Marcia’s comments were hitting a bit close to the mark for Dorothy’s liking. If Dashwood really was a rake, that would make sense with what she had witnessed. She wasn’t a married woman, but that wouldn’t really matter, would it? She was an inexperienced girl, innocent in his eyes. He must have seen her as a toy to play with, someone to tease and annoy until she gave in to his attention. After his comment about how he wouldn’t have ended the engagement if he had known she was attractive, Dorothy was leaning more towards that. Lady Marcia’s words were just bringing the point home.
He was only seeing her as a challenge. Someone he could have a bit of fun with, and there was no shame about it.
“Dorothy, are you alright?” Frederica touched her arm. “You’re looking rather pale.”
“Oh! I …” Dorothy cleared her throat. “I’m fine. I … I might have hurt myself earlier.”
“How do you mean?”
Dorothy looked down at her chest, seeing the redness above the neckline. In the dim lighting, maybe Frederica hadn’t seen the mark.
“Do you mind if we head up to my room? I want to show you something.”
“Of course. But what’s going on? How did you hurt yourself?”
“You’ll laugh when I tell you.” Dorothy looked over her shoulder at the other guests. Nobody seemed to be paying them any attention. “I don’t want anyone to overhear us.”
Frederica looked confused. However, she nodded and stood up.
“Fine. We’ll go to your room. But you had better explain yourself.”
Dorothy planned to. Also, after what Lady Marcia had just said, she wanted to ensure they were out of the room before Dashwood came in and started bothering her again. She would end up going bright red with embarrassment, and everyone would know. She didn’t want that to happen.
Dorothy closed the book and stood up. She could read it in her room later. Lady Derbyshire wouldn’t mind if they excused themselves and didn’t come back. It was a holiday, after all.
Although, at the moment, Dorothy was beginning to wish that the holiday was finishing sooner than planned. Anything to keep away from Lord Lucas Dashwood.