"Ines?" Aunt Margery asked again, her voice dropping to a harsh, urgent whisper. She reached out and placed a warm, steadying hand on Ines's arm. "Speak to me, child. What does the letter say? What did the duchess uncover?"
Ines slowly raised her head. She looked at Aunt Margery. Her dark eyes were wide, completely shadowed by the terrible truth she had just read. She swallowed hard, trying to force the dry lump of fear down her throat.
"Aunt," Ines started, her voice shaking so much she barely recognized it as her own. "The Duchess... she writes that she did not have any scandal on Celine's debut. She missed most of the social events that season because of her pregnancy at that time."
Aunt Margery frowned, a flicker of disappointment crossing her wrinkled features. If the Duchess of Hastings did not know the secret, who would? "Then why did she write back so quickly?"
