Page 14 of The Duke and the Spinster

“I see. Well, I will do my best Your Grace.”

“Good, I trust that you will, and very discreetly. I will call here tomorrow afternoon, to hear your findings.”

So saying, Garrett rose, and bid the man farewell before leaving. He walked slowly the length of the street and back, observing the townspeople and the visitors, enjoying the warmth of the summer sun. When he could delay no longer, he returned to the Tea Rooms, and gathered up his mother and sisters, using the need to prepare for the evening’s entertainment as a reason to draw them away. As he left the Tea Rooms, a snippet of conversation reached him, and he ground his teeth. It was another whispered retelling of Lady Juliana’s near fall of the prior evening, complete with suppositions about her health or mental state.

The sooner that Sandiford delivered him some information, the better.

~~~~~

Juliana had tossed and turned, sleep evading her until almost dawn, the horror of that moment when she had nearly fallen replaying itself in her mind, alternating with the horror of Lady Prudence’s words, and what they implied about the Duke. She still struggled to believe the words to be true, yet they made an odd kind of sense – if he was an accomplished rake, then it was entirely possible that he had been speaking to Juliana simply as a way to entertain himself at an otherwise boring house party.

It would also explain his flattering words – for a rake used to delivering empty flattery to ladies would not hesitate to lie, and call a Lady beautiful, when she was not, if it suited his purposes. She felt like crying when she considered how easily she had been taken in, how much she had wanted to believe him sincere, convincing herself. She was pitiable, pathetic – so much in need of being noticed that she had been gulled immediately.

By morning, she had managed a little sleep, but woke with the megrim she had invented the prior night. She supposed it was what she deserved for lying. She sent the maid for a small breakfast, and chose to stay in bed. If she went nowhere today, then she did not risk seeing him. The maid returned with a tray, and Lady Delbarton hurried in after her.

“Juliana, Mary tells me that you still have that megrim. I’m worried about you! You must be well in time to go to Hallingbrook Grange tonight – we shouldn’t waste your chances to meet a suitable gentleman, and, if you miss this afternoon’s picnic and walk to the ruins, you simply can’t miss this evening! Make sure that you rest properly.”

“Yes Mother.” Juliana said, to the closing door.

~~~~~

That evening, as they entered Hallingbrook Grange again, Garrett found himself immediately scanning the room, looking for Lady Juliana. He felt an acute need to see her, to know that she was alright, that, hopefully, she had not heard any of the terrible gossip about her.

He could not see her, not in plain view, and not in the secluded corner she had hidden in the previous night. The rooms had been rearranged, the folding panels between three rooms opened up, and the resulting space was set to allow dancing, with a small orchestra preparing in one corner. The thought of dancing made him smile, remembering her in his arms just a few nights before. Perhaps he could persuade her again?

As he scanned the room, he saw, too late, Lady Prudence approaching.

“Your Grace! I trust that you are well this evening?”

“Good evening, Lady Prudence. Yes, I am well, thank you. And you are obviously in the best of health.”

He could not bring himself to compliment her in any other way, for truly, he had never found her appealing, in mind or body. And her fashion choices were… simply horrifying.

“Oh yes! I am always healthy – it runs in the family – my mother is most robust, and that after bearing nine children!”

She lowered her lashes, and fluttered her fan, apparently attempting to look seductive. It failed.

He was saved from having to find a reply to that when she turned at the sound of the orchestra striking up. She studied the floor as various couples began to form up for the dance, then turned back to him, her expression falsely sweet.

“Oh look, Your Grace, the dancing is about to begin – it is wonderful that there is dancing tonight, isn’t it?”

She looked at him, expectantly, most obviously thinking that he would feel obliged to ask her to dance. He chose to disappoint her.

“Delightful. But at present I have some business I must discuss, so I will not be joining the dancing. Do excuse me.”

He bowed, and moved away. As he did, he heard her mutter, in an undertone, “Well! At least I don’t fall over my own feet like that scandalous Lady Juliana. I would have thought…”

He shuddered, suddenly wondering if Lady Prudence might be the source of some of the spiteful comments – surely not – would she actually stoop to that? He stepped into the hallway, glad to be out of the crowd, and made his way towards Mooresfield’s library. That seemed a suitable place to hide. Part of him wanted to laugh – that he was running away from Lady Prudence Baggington! Yet he was.

He slipped into the library, closing the door, and leaning back against it, relief coursing through him at the silence and peace after the crowds in the other rooms. Then a sound caught his attention. The sound of a book being slid from a shelf, seemingly loud in the otherwise silent room. He stepped forward, curious – who was here?

~~~~~

In the darkened area at the turn of the hallway, the Earl of Fondleton stopped, anger filling him. He had seen Lady Juliana slip away, and followed at some distance. When she had gone into the library, he had known a moment of exultation. There was no other door from the room.

He would wait a few minutes, listening, to be sure that there was no other person in the room, before he moved. He leaned against the wall, the shadows covering him, and waited. The silence extended, and finally, he straightened, about to move.

In that instant, Kilmerstan came wandering down the hallway and turned into the library, closing the door. Not again! How could this be – was it planned? Was this a series of assignations? Had Kilmerstan truly seduced her already. The thought drove him a little further into angry obsession.