There was silence.
A thick, suffocating silence.
Then he started laughing.
She frowned. What if people around his carriage heard him laugh ominously? They would think the young Duke had lost his mind.
"It seems that the rumors about the young lady being smitten with the young duke were true," he said.
"Smitten?" she asked.
"You haven't heard about what your stepmother wanted your servants to spread around the capital?"
"I don't— " she swallowed as realization hit her. "She had sent someone to spread rumors? I have yet to arrive…" she snorted. Of course, this was something that Victoria was very good at. Creating rumors.
The rumors surrounding her in the past might be something that Victoria spread to create a poor impression about her. After all, how could they allow a Marquess's daughter to marry a lowly baron if she had an excellent reputation?
