Page 100 of A Scandal for the Beastly Earl

"I knew her well enough."

"Well enough to spread lies about her after her death?"

"Is the truth really lies just because it's inconvenient?"

"Is speculation really truth just because you want it to be?"

They'd all stopped riding now, forming a loose circle on the bridle path. The Duchess looked between them with the expression of someone watching a theatrical performance.

"Perhaps," Harrington suggested, "we should discuss something more pleasant."

"Indeed," Arabella agreed. "Let's discuss how you really met Lady Velott. Because I have it on good authority it wasn't at a funeral."

"What authority?" Cassandra demanded.

"Lady Potts. She's quite the correspondent. Mentioned you were seen at a gaming den in London, Mr. Harrington. With significant debts."

"Gossip," Harrington said dismissively.

"Facts, actually. Lord Potts owns the establishment. He has records."

Lucien looked at his wife with newfound admiration. When had she been investigating?

"Debts which," Arabella continued, "mysteriously disappeared after you began escorting Lady Velott."

"Are you implying..."

"I'm not implying anything. I'm stating facts. You needed money, she needed a companion who would support her version of events. A mutually beneficial arrangement."

"Like your marriage?" Cassandra snapped.

"Exactly like our marriage," Arabella agreed cheerfully. "Except ours is based on love rather than revenge."

"Love," Cassandra laughed. "You barely knew each other."

"And yet we know each other better after three months than you knew Lucien after three years."

"That's not..."

"True? Of course it is. You never knew him at all. You saw a title, wealth, position. You never saw the man."

"And you did? After five days?"

"After five minutes, actually. The moment he pulled me from that lake, annoyed and sarcastic and yet still saving me. I saw exactly who he was."

"Wet and angry?" the Duchess suggested helpfully.

"Honourable and kind," Arabella corrected. "Even when he didn't want to be."

Lucien reached over, taking her hand despite the awkwardness of being on horseback. "The moment I pulled you from that lake," he said quietly, "I saw exactly who you were too."

"Drowning and ridiculous?"

"Brave and impossible."

"I wasn't drowning."

"You were definitely drowning."