Page 23 of The Duke and the Spinster

“Missing?”

“Yes, Your Grace. When Mary went to wake her this morning, my daughter wasn’t there. She took her valise, and two dresses. Mary looked everywhere, but she is definitely gone.”

Lady Delbarton looked on the edge of tears herself. Lord Delbarton patted her hand, and turned to Garrett.

“We cannot imagine that she has run off with a man – for a start, she has barely spoken to anyone save you, since we arrived here, and secondly it would be so far from her normal behaviour as to be impossible to believe. But we also cannot imagine where else she might have gone.”

At Lord Delbarton’s words, Garrett felt a little easier. If she had been stolen away by force, she would not have packed a valise.

He took a deep breath. He had been in such a situation before. Not so long ago, his sister, Lady Isabelle, had disappeared, and they had been frantic, only to discover that she had, in a fit of pique about something, taken herself off to London to visit her closest friend Lady Marguerite. Within the week she had returned, with no harm done to reputation or person, although it had taken some effort to keep it secret that they had initially been unsure of her whereabouts.

He wondered – did Lady Juliana have a friend, or a relative, that she might go to? Leaving aside her reason for going, about which he had at least some suspicions, it seemed logical to him that she would not run off without having a destination in mind. She was far too sensible to go with no plan, from everything that he knew of her. So, he chose not to panic, much though part of him wanted to.

“Lady Delbarton, does Lady Juliana have any close friends, who live not far from here?”

“No, Your Grace, she barely has any friends at all.”

“Then… are there any relatives of your family near here – in Bath, perhaps, or another nearby town?”

Lady Delbarton looked startled at the idea, then spent some minutes in thought before replying.

“We have few relatives near here. Most are far closer to London. But… there is my great aunt, Lady Bellinghaugh, who spends her summers in Bath. I don’t think that Juliana has seen her since she was about 5 years old. But she certainly knows where the house in Bath is, for we stayed there one year, while Lady Bellinghaugh was still in London.”

“Then I believe that is the best place to start looking. Lady Juliana is intelligent – I cannot imagine her leaving here without a plan.”

“But how will we…?”

“Stay here. Appear as if everything is normal, as if Lady Juliana is simply indisposed for a short while. I will go to Bath, if you will furnish me with the address, and either arrange for her to return here, discreetly, or at least bring you news of her, and a suitable explanation to use for her absence. I will leave immediately.”

“Your Grace, that is too much for us to ask of you!”

“You are not asking. I am volunteering, because I care what happens to Lady Juliana. And, frankly, I am rather bored with the house party and the surfeit of social occasions.”

“Well… I… thank you.”

Shortly thereafter, with Lady Bellinhaugh’s direction on a carefully folded sheet of paper in his pocket, Garrett returned to Kilmerstan Castle to arrange his speedy departure.

Lady Eleanor watched him leave their rooms in Hardcastle House, sighing to her mother, “Isn’t he heroic?”

~~~~~

Before returning to Kilmerstan Castle, Garrett stopped past the Bell and Whistle Inn, and asked if, perchance, a young woman had taken the coach to Bath that morning. The confirmation that, indeed, a young woman with blonde hair had done so, brought him some relief from his worry.

Within the hour, Garrett was on the road, the carriage prepared to travel into the night, with carriage lights mounted. He had simply informed his mother and sisters that an urgent business matter had arisen, which required a very quick trip to Bath. His mother had accused him of using it as an excuse to avoid the continuing social events, but he had simply smiled, and informed her that he was going regardless. Her long-suffering sigh was not unexpected.

Yet, as the carriage rolled out of Upper Nettlefold, excitement filled him – almost as much as worry did. He had to trust that Lady Juliana was as sensible as he believed, and trust that she had come to no harm on the way. The thought of seeing her soon, of resolving whatever trouble had driven her away, filled him with pleasure – somehow, in a few short days, she had become vastly important to him. Keeping her safe, and resolving her troubles, had become the most significant thing in his life.

He did not closely examine why he felt that way, he simply focussed on the need to hurry to her side.