Because Lydia knew that he was speaking about the Duchess of Dorchester, she did not interrupt and he went on,
“I was warned that her husband was jealous and that I could expect him to challenge me to a duel. That, as you know, is illegal, but it does frequently happen. At least he would prevent me from seeing his wife again.”
The Earl paused and Lydia asked in a voice so soft that he could hardly hear it,
“What happened – then?”
She could hardly bear to hear what he was telling her, but at the same time she wanted to know the truth.
“The Duke was too clever to do either of those things,” the Earl went on, “and instead he went to the Queen.”
“The Queen!”
“He intimated to Her Majesty that a scandal would be detrimental both to his position at Court and to mine.”
Lydia drew in her br
