Seduced By the Devil Duke (Completed)

Chapter 17. 1855 

Vivian was sitting at the breakfast table of Blanchett Hall, enjoying a late night cup of tea and a plate of chocolate biscuits. Her eyes scanned the document in front of her, and she smiled deviously. She knew her stepdaughter's true identity, but no one else did.
The paper was Rosalie's birth certificate. It had her parents, Charles and Elizabeth, the day she was born, and her full name. However, Rosalie wasn't her true name. At least, not her first true name.
Vivian scowled at the name beside Rosalie's. It wasn't a name she would have chosen if she had a daughter. Rising from her seat, she ignored the birth certificate glaring up at her and moved towards the staircase leading upstairs.
The fire light from the candle resting beside the birth certificate made the piece of paper glow brilliantly. The golden glow illuminated the feminine writing of Elizabeth Blanchett perfectly. If anyone came across the birth certificate, they would know that the young lady was far from being named Rosalie.
Parents. Charles and Elizabeth.
Birthdate. January 31, 1834.
Name. Jacqueline Elizabeth Rosalie Blanchett.
Vivian smiled to herself, now lying in her very large and very comfortable bed. Aside from Rosalie's identity, she had a secret of her own. There was a letter that she possessed, a letter that divulged the truth behind Elizabeth Blanchett's death.
Everyone believed that Elizabeth had died of a sudden and very deadly illness. That, of course, was a lie. Vivian's smile only grew as she replayed the events of that night 14 years ago. How she had put a small drop of wolfsbane into Elizabeth's blood wine that night at dinner. How, after Elizabeth had finished her wine, had the former Viscountess looked rather pale and not well.
Vivian recalled the events after dinner. How Elizabeth had gone to bed, and then had started vomiting an hour later. She had witnessed the beautiful young woman with dark auburn curls and amethyst eyes slowly suffer from the poison racking her body. And she hadn't done anything except stand there and smile. She knew, once Elizabeth was no longer alive, the title of Viscountess Blanchett, and everything that came with it, was going to belong to her. She smiled even wider as those memories flew through her mind.
Vivian's lady in waiting, Victoire, poked her head into the room. "My lady, I'm so sorry to disturb you, but there is a gentleman who wishes to see you."
Vivian. "Send him in Victoire."
Moments later, the Marquis of Provence was standing in the middle of Vivian's doorway, his left cheek bruised from an evident punch. "I do apologize for coming so late, but I have failed with what you have told me to do."
Vivian glared at him. "Don't tell me that you lost her."
Arthur. "She is gone with the Duke of Brittany. Where, I don't know. I saw them take his carriage and depart the ball."
Vivian growled. "That putrid bitch is going to be the death of me."
Arthur. "Do you wish for me to go and find them?"
Vivian shook her head, pushing the covers back and climbing out of bed. "No, don't bother with that. Go home and rest. I'll take care of Jacqueline myself."
Arthur turned and left the room, massaging his cheek.
Taking a seat at her dressing table, Vivian took up a pen and a piece of paper. She was going to make sure that Rosalie knew exactly who she was dealing with. Dipping her pen into a jar of ink, she wrote her stepdaughter a letter.
Dearest stepdaughter,
I advise you to leave his grace immediately. If you do not, I will reveal your secrets to him. One such secret is the fact that you had a child with Viscount Olivier, but sadly lost the child three months into the pregnancy after accidentally tripping down the stairs.  I will also reveal that your name is not Rosalie, but Jacquelin.
If you leave the Duke of Brittany, these secrets won't be revealed. If you choose not to leave him, then you will be ruined.
Vivian.
Placing the letter into an envelope, Vivian gave it to Victoire to give to the Blanchett messenger. Once that was finished, she climbed back into bed and snuggled under the blankets once again. She was going to make sure Rosalie was ruined, one way or another.