Page 149 of A Baby to Seal the Duke’s Fate

Leopold stared at him. “Speaking of loudly avoided questions,” Leopold began, but Barnaby set his coffee down loudly on the table and rose from his chair without further explanation.

“Enjoy your breakfast,” Barnaby said as he walked out of the room entirely.

Leopold sat alone at the table for a long moment afterward, staring at the door Barnaby had just closed behind him.

“A church,” he said aloud, to no one at all. “He wants to borrow a church.”

“Your Grace?” Wilfred paused in the doorway, the morning post still in hand.

“Nothing, Wilfred. Merely thinking aloud.”

“Very good, Your Grace.” Wilfred set the post on the sideboard and hesitated. “Might I offer my congratulations in advance?”

“You were listening at the door,” Leopold said, looking at him directly.

“I was passing the door, Your Grace.” The butler’s expression had returned to its former relaxed state, with his eyes sparkling with amusement, as they often did when he was being witty. “The distinction matters a great deal to me personally.”

“I imagine it does.”

“Congratulations all the same,” Wilfred said. He withdrew before Leopold could formulate a proper reply.

Chapter 30

After dinner the following day, Leopold asked Honora to walk with him. Honora had just finished checking on Cecily when he appeared in the nursery doorway.

“She is asleep,” Honora said.

“I know.”

“How do you know that?”

“Martha told me.”

“That is odd,” Honora said, narrowing her eyes slightly.

“Will you come?” Leopold asked, his mouth twitching as he looked past her toward the crib.

Honora glanced back at Cecily, but before she could answer, Martha appeared in the doorway behind him.

“I will sit with her,” Martha said.

Honora turned to look at her properly. Martha appeared perfectly innocent, which was already suspicious. She had also conveniently appeared as if on cue, and she had changed her apron. Honora noticed right away, because Martha never changed her apron after six unless there was a good reason behind it.

“You planned this,” Honora said.

“I have no idea what you mean,” Martha said, her expression remaining entirely bland.

“Do you not?”

“Go,” Martha said, lifting one shoulder after Honora stared at her a moment longer.

“Very well,” Honora said, giving Leopold a look that made it clear that she was suspicious. Leopold’s expression did not change, but he did not meet her gaze directly. With a raised brow, she followed him downstairs.

The evening was cool, though the last light still lay over the western fields. Leopold led her through the garden and down the long path toward the far edge of the estate. They walked for a while without speaking, which had become comfortable rather than awkward at some point Honora could no longer identify.

“You are quiet,” she said eventually.

“I am thinking.”