Ada & The Queen (The Woodhouse Series #3)

Chapter 22

CHAPTER 22

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*London Residence of the Duke and Duchess of Argyll, Mayfair/Scotland Yard, Westminster*

"Elizabeth!" Florence cried, pushing Theodore away but her adoptive mother stood in the doorway, the colour washed out of her face and anger seething over her as she glared at both of them.

"Ms Moore...let us explain..." Theodore spoke, hoping to get her attention.

"Dr Woodhouse ...you will leave this house willingly or I will have you arrested on trespass."

Her voice was calm but serious and Theodore nodded - a threat he had given in similar circumstances. He gave one final look at Florence before leaving the two women to talk.

Once the front door had closed, Elizabeth finally turned to Florence. "Have you hit your head?"

"What?" Florence frowned.

"It is the only explanation as to why you could be so stupid!" Elizabeth cried, her rage escaping her.

"You think the only way I can have feelings for a man is through some head trauma?" Florence replied, her anger growing. "You think so little of me?"

"I do not think little of you. I think highly of you, but I cannot understand this! How long has this been going on?" Elizabeth demanded as Florence hesitated. "How long?"

"Since we came back from Paris, around three months ago..." Florence explained and Elizabeth exhaled sharply, putting the back of her hand against her temple, her other hand coming to her hip. "Elizabeth...I did not want you to find out this way! We were going to tell you!"

"This is not about you telling me! This is about how you could be so stupid and do something like this!"

"What?" Florence replied. "Love a man?"

Elizabeth shook her head, scoffing. "Love? You think a man like Dr Woodhouse loves you?"

"He does! Why does that upset you?"

Elizabeth put her hands on her hips, shaking her head as she pursed her lips. "Men like Dr Woodhouse do not love others but themselves. They use women like us!"

"Theodore is not like that!" Florence defended him. "He told me he wanted everyone to know about us but I told him no, because this summer is about Adelaide and we cannot take her shine away! He cares about me - he always has."

Elizabeth looked at her, studying her and shaking her head slowly. Where had she gone wrong? This was never supposed to happen when she waved her goodbye to England. Florence was supposed to work as a companion or governess and then return when her time was up but she stayed, to work as Dr Woodhouse's secretary. She should've done more to bring her back to Scotland but Florence was stubborn.

"Florence..." She calmed down a little but she was still raging inside. "Men like Dr Woodhouse do not care for others. Your heart will be broken and I will have to pick up the pieces, which I will do because that is what mothers do, but there is no such thing as love for women like us."

"That is not true! Just because your parents did not love each other and you did not love your late husband, it does not mean we are not allowed to love..." Florence defended herself. "Viscount Porthleven loves his wife as did the late Viscount!"

"The late Viscount had an affair and had a love child with a maid! Both he and the current Viscount had to marry their wives out of duty after they took advantage of them!"