Falling for the Marquess - Julianne MacLean Page 0,86
put on an innocent air. “Clara, what’s wrong? I don’t like your tone.”
Clara almost laughed out loud at the nonsense spurting from this woman’s mouth. “Nor do I like yours. And I doubt Seger would think too much of it either, if he could hear you now. Your purpose is obvious. You’re like a bad actress in a bad play, and if I weren’t so appalled by your duplicitous behavior, I might find it amusing.”
The color drained from Gillian’s cheeks. “How dare you. I am a member of Seger’s family.”
“And I am his wife,” Clara firmly said. “The mother of his future children, heirs to his title. Mistress of this house.”
Gillian narrowed her eyes and approached Clara. “You think I’m being obvious, but do you know what is really obvious? How much you hate me, but that is not surprising, is it?”
“What are you insinuating?”
“I’m insinuating nothing. In fact, I hope I am being very frank. You can’t stomach the fact that I am close to Seger and you are not. I know that you are not, because I know him so well. He shares his deepest feelings with me, and he tells me that you are little more than a stranger to him. So, do not blame me for what is missing in your marriage, and do not go complaining to him about me either, because he will see right through you. If Seger is distant and that upsets you, it is not my fault. I have done nothing wrong. I assure you I am still only a close friend to him. Nothing has happened, at least not yet, but you hate me anyway, don’t you? Even though I’ve done nothing to deserve it.” She turned away from Clara and walked to the window. “If you’re going to hate someone, hate Lady Cleveland.”
Clara stood motionless. Words failed to come. She couldn’t think of how to respond to Gillian’s outburst. She was in complete and utter shock.
Just then, Quintina entered the room and kissed Clara on the cheek. “Good evening my dear. What a beautiful day it was.” She sat down on the sofa. “I believe Seger is having dinner at his club tonight, isn’t he?”
Gillian raised an eyebrow at Clara, as if to suggest he was not at his club. Her expression was triumphant.
When Clara did not respond, Quintina glanced at Gillian in the corner and said with a jolly tone, “Well, you both look famished. Are you ready to eat?”
They nodded and moved into the dining room. It was the worst meal Clara had eaten since she’d set foot on English soil.
Clara was removing her earrings, feeling angry and nauseous, when a knock sounded at her bedchamber door. Hoping it would be Seger—yet not at all sure what she would say to him if it was—she went to answer it.
Her mother-in-law stood in the corridor. “Quintina.”
“Hello, my dear,” the woman said with a sympathetic tone. “May I please come in?”
“Of course.” Clara stepped aside.
Quintina moved to the center of the room. “You were quiet at dinner. Is everything all right?”
Clara thought carefully about how she should answer that question. She could hardly confide in Quintina and tell her that she’d had a huge fight with her niece, especially knowing how much the woman loved and doted on her twin sister’s only child.
Nor could Clara tell her that she was worried, rationally or not, that her husband was in another woman’s bed at that very moment.
“I was just tired, that’s all.”
Quintina nodded but seemed unconvinced. She let her gaze sweep the room. “You have so many lovely things.” She picked up a framed photograph on Clara’s desk. “Is this you and your sisters?”
“Yes. It was taken when I was twelve.”
“Indeed. You were all so lovely, even then.” She set the picture down and met Clara’s eyes again. “Please tell me what has upset you. Is it the conversation you had with Gillian this evening?”
Clara stared in silence at her mother-in-law.
“I sensed the two of you had argued, and when I asked Gillian about it, she told me you discussed Lady Cleveland. Poor Gillian. She’s very concerned about you and feels terrible for even mentioning that horrid woman’s name in this house. I’m afraid she’ll never forgive herself.”
Quintina stepped forward and hugged Clara. The warm gesture was unexpected, and Clara had to work hard to keep her guard up.
“It was kind of you to come and check on me,” Clara said.
The woman drew back and touched Clara on the nose.