The Lost Duke of Wyndham Chapter Thirteen

lenity let Amelia set the pace, and as briefly as they were across the room, Amelia began whispering urgently or so the horizontalts of the morning, and then jolly Thomas having needed her assistance, and then some social function about her mother.Grace just nodded, her eye constantly darting toward the door. Thomas would be there at whatsoever jiffy, and although she had no sentiment what she might do to pr nonethelesst what would confident(predicate)ly be a disastrous encounter, she could not possibly think of anything else.Meanwhile, Amelia kept on whispering. Grace had just enough presence of mind to catch the end, when Amelia verbalize I beg of you not to contradict.Of caterpillar tread not, Grace express quickly, because surely Amelia had do the same request Thomas had minutes earlier. If not, then she had no idea what she was agreeing to when she added, You have my word.At that point, Grace wasnt sure she dispensed.They continued walking, lapsing into whitewas h as they promenaded chivalric Mr. Audley, who gave them a rather pick outing nod and a grinning as they went by.Miss Eversleigh, he murmured. Lady Amelia.Mr. Audley, Amelia returned. Grace managed the same, neverthe s faint her voice was unpleasant and croaky.Amelia began whispering again once they were sanitary(p) past Mr. Audley, exactly just then Grace comprehend heavy foot steps in the h all in all. She twisted about to picture, exclusively it was only a footman, passing by with a trunk.Grace swallowed. Oh, dear heavens, the dowager was already beginning to pack for their sparkle to Ireland, and Thomas did not scour know of her plans. How could she have forgotten to posit him during their interview?And then she became aware of Amelia, whom shed somehow managed to forget, even though their munition were linked. Sorry, she said quickly, since she venture it was her turn to speak. Did you regulate something?Amelia shook her walk and said, no(prenominal) Grace was clean-livingly certain this was a lie, simply she was not be to argue.And thenmore footsteps in the hall.Excuse me, Grace said, unable to condense the suspense for one moment longer. She pulled away and hurried to the open doorway. some(prenominal) more servants were passing by, all clearly in preparations for the upcoming transit to Ireland. Grace returned to Amelias side and once again took her arm. It wasnt the duke.Is someone going someplace? Amelia asked, watching as two footmen passed the doorway, one with a trunk and some other with a hatbox.No, Grace said. that she hated lying, and she was terrible at it, so she added, Well, I suppose someone might be, however I do not know about it.Which was also a lie. Wonderful. She looked at Amelia and attempt to smile cheerfully.Grace, Amelia said quietly, looking terribly concerned, are you all sound?Oh, noI mean, yes, Im instead fine. She tried for the cheerful smile again, and suspected she did a worse job of it than bef ore.Grace, Amelia whispered, her voice taking on a new and rather unsettlingly sly tone, are you in love with Mr. Audley?No Oh, good heavens, that was loud. Grace looked over at Mr. Audley. Not that shed wanted to, but theyd just turned a corner and were facing him again, and she couldnt avoid it. His guinea pig was tilted slightly down, but she could see him looking up at her, rather bemused. Mr. Audley, she said, because with him watching her, it seemed she should acknowledge him, even if he was too further intimately away to hear.But then, as soon as she had the opportunity, she turned covering to Amelia, furiously whispering, Ive only just met him. Yesterday. No, the day before. Oh, she was a ninny. She shook her head and looked firmly in front of her. I cant recall.Youve been shock many melodic theme-provoking gentlemen lately, Amelia commented.Grace turned to her sagaciously. Whatever can you mean?Mr. Audley Amelia teased. The Italian highwayman.AmeliaOh, thats unspoil ed, you said he was Scottish. Or Irish. You werent certain. Amelias brow scrunched in aspect. Where is Mr. Audley from? He has a issue of lilt as well.I do not know, Grace kingdom out. Where was Thomas? She dreaded his arrival, but the anticipation of it was worse.And then Amelia good heavens, wherefore? called out, Mr. AudleyGrace turned and looked at a wall.Grace and I were query where you are from, Amelia said. Your accent is unfamiliar to me.Ireland, Lady Amelia, a bit northernmost of Dublin.Ireland Amelia exclaimed. My goodness, you are far afield.Theyd destroyed circling the room, but Grace remained standing even after Amelia had disengaged herself and sat down. Then Grace moved toward the door as subtly as she was able.How are you enjoying Lincolnshire, Mr. Audley? she heard Amelia ask.I find it most surprising.Surprising?Grace peered out into the hall, still half listening to the communion behind her.My visit here has not been what I expected, Mr. Audley said, and Grace could well estimate his amused smile as he said that. actually? Amelia responded. What did you expect? I assure you, we are quite civilized in this corner of England.Very much so, he murmured. More so than is my preference, as a matter of fact.Why, Mr. Audley, Amelia responded, whatever can that mean?If he repair a reply, Grace did not hear it. Just then she proverb Thomas coming down the hall, all tidied up and looking analogous a duke again.Oh, she said, the word slipping from her lips. Excuse me. She hurried into the hall, waving madly toward Thomas so as not to alert Amelia and Mr. Audley to her distress.Grace, he said, paltry forward with great purpose, what is the meaning of this? Penrith told me that Amelia was here to see me?He did not slow as he approached, and Grace realized he meant for her to happen in step beside him.Thomas, wait, she said with hushed urgency, and she grabbed his arm and yanked him to a halt.He turned to her, one of his brows rising into a haughty arch.Its Mr. Audley, she said, pulling him acantha even farther from the door. He is in the displace room.Thomas glanced toward the dra netg room and then back at Grace, clearly not comprehending.With Amelia, she lots hissed.All traces of his unflappable exterior vanished. What the hell? he cursed. He looked sharply back toward the force room, not that he could possibly have seen interior from his vantage point. Why?I dont know, Grace said, her voice snapping with irritation. Why would she know why? He was in there when I arrived. Amelia said she motto him walking by the doorway and thought he was you.His body shuddered. Visibly. What did he say?I dont know. I wasnt there. And then I couldnt very well interrogate her in his presence.No, of course not.Grace waited in silence for him to say more. He was pinching the bridge of his nose, and he looked rather as if his head were aching. try to offer some sort of not unpleasant news, she said, Im quite sure that he did not reveal hisOh, good heavens. How was she to put it?identity to her, she finished with a wince.Thomas gave her a thoroughly awful look.It is not my fault, Thomas, she retorted.I did not say that it was. His voice was stiff, and he did not offer any more words before stalking off to the drawing room.From the moment Grace rushed from the room, neither hoot nor Lady Amelia had uttered a word. It was as if they had reached an unspoken agreement silence would prevail while they both(prenominal) tried to make out what was being said in the hall. trap had unceasingly considered himself better than average in the art of eavesdropping, but he was unable to catch even the sound of their whispers. Still, he had a fair idea of what was being said. Grace was warning Wyndham that the evil Mr. Audley had got his claws into the lovely and costless Lady Amelia.And then Wyndham would curse under his breath, of course, as he would never be so crass as to do so in front of a lady and demand to know what had been said.The whole thing would have been highly entertaining if not for her, and the morning. And the kiss.Grace.He wanted her back. He wanted the woman hed held in his arms, not the one whod stiffly walked the border of the room with Lady Amelia, eyeing him as if he were going to steal the coin at any moment.He supposed it was amusing. Somehow. And he supposed he ought to congratulate himself. Whatever she felt for him, it was not disinterest. Which would have been the cruelest response of all.But for the frontmost time, he was finding that his conquest of a lady was not a game to be played. He did not care about the thrill of the chase, about remaining one enjoyable and entertaining step ahead, about cookery the seduction and then carrying it out with flair and flourish.He simply wanted her. maybe even forever.He glanced over at Lady Amelia. She was leaning forward, her head tilted ever so slightly to the side, as if to place her ear at the best possible angle.You wont be able to hear them, Jack said.The look she gave him was priceless. And completely false.Oh, dont pretend you werent trying, he scolded. I sure enough was.Very well. Lady Amelia waited for a moment, then asked, What do you suppose they are talking about?Ah, curiosity would always win out with this one. She was more intelligent than she let on at first acquaintance, he decided. He shrugged, dissembling ignorance. Difficult to say. I would never pretend to understand the female mind, or that of our esteemed host.She turned sharply in surprise. You do not like the duke?I did not say that, Jack replied. But of course they both knew that he had.How long do you hindrance at Belgrave? she asked.He smiled. Eager to be rid of me, Lady Amelia?Of course not. I saw the servants moving trunks about. I thought by chance they were yours.He fought to keep his expression even. He did not know why he was surprised that the old biddy had already begun to pack. I hazard they belong to the d owager, he replied.Is she going somewhere?He more or less laughed at the hopeful expression on her face. Ireland, he said absently, before it occurred to him that perchance this woman of all people ought not to be let in on the plans.Or maybe she was the one person who truly ought to be told. She certainly deserved to know. She deserved a sainthood, in his opinion, if indeed she think to go through with her marriage to Wyndham.He could not imagine anything less pleasant than spending ones life with such an arrogant prig.And then, as if summoned by his thoughts, the arrogant prig appeared.Amelia.Wyndham was standing in the doorway in all his ducal splendor. Save for the lovely eye, Jack thought with some satisfaction. It was even gorier than the evening before.Your grace, she replied.How lovely to see you, Wyndham said once he had joined them. I see that you have met our guest.Yes, Lady Amelia said, Mr. Audley is quite diverting.Quite, Wyndham said. Jack thought he looked as if h e had just eaten a radish.Jack had always hated radishes.I came to see Grace, Lady Amelia said.Yes, of course, Wyndham replied.Alas, Jack put in, enjoying the subnormality of the exchange, I found her first.Wyndhams response was pure icy disdain. Jack smiled in return, convinced that would irritate him far more than anything he could have said.I found him, actually, Lady Amelia said. I saw him in the hall. I thought he was you.Astounding, isnt it? Jack murmured. He turned to Lady Amelia. We are zero point alike.No, Wyndham said sharply, we are not.What do you think, Miss Eversleigh? Jack asked, rising to his feet. It seemed he was the only one who had noticed that she had entered the room. Do the duke and I share any traits?Graces lips parted for a full second before she spoke. Im afraid I do not know you well enough to be an spotless judge.Well said, Miss Eversleigh, he replied, offering her a nod of compliment. May I infer, then, that you know the duke quite well?I have worked f or his naan for five years. During that time I have been fortunate enough to suss out something of his character.Lady Amelia, Wyndham said, clearly eager to cut short the conversation, may I escort you home?Of course, she said.So soon? Jack murmured, just to make trouble.My family will be expecting me, Lady Amelia said, even though she had not make any indication of this before Wyndham had offered to remove her.We will leave right now, then, Wyndham said. His fiancee took his arm and stood.Er, your graceJack turned immediately at the sound of Graces voice. If I might have a word with you, she said from her position near the door, before you, er, depart. Please.Wyndham excused himself and followed her into the hall. They were still visible from the drawing room, although it was difficult indeed impossible to glean their conversation.Whatever can they be discussing? Jack said to Lady Amelia.I am sure I have no idea, she bit off.Nor I, he said, keeping his voice light and breezy. Just for contrast. Life was infinitely more entertaining that way.And then they heard IrelandThat was Wyndham, and rather loud, too. Jack leaned forward to get a better view, but the duke took Graces arm and steered her out of sight. And earshot.We have our answer, Jack murmured.He cant be crushed that his grandmother is leaving the country, Lady Amelia said. I would think hed be planning a celebration.I rather think Miss Eversleigh has informed him that his grandmother intends that he accompany her.To Ireland? Amelia shook her head. Oh, you must be mistaken.He shrugged, feigning indifference. Perhaps. I am but a newcomer here.And then she launched into quite the most ambitious speechAside from the fact that I cannot imagine why the dowager would wish to go to Ireland not that I wouldnt like to see your beautiful country, but it does not seem in character for the dowager, whom I have heard speak disparagingly of Northumberland, the Lake District, and indeed all of Scotland She pau sed, presumptively to breathe. Ireland seems a bit of a stretch for her.He nodded, since it seemed expected.But really, it makes no sense that she would wish for his grace to accompany her. They do not care for each others company.How politely said, Lady Amelia, Jack commented. Does anyone care for their company?Her look widened in shock, and it occurred to him that perhaps he should have limited his insult to the dowager alone, but just then Wyndham strode back into the room, looking angry and arrogant.And almost certainly worthy of whatever sort of insult Jack might fall to him.Amelia, he said with brisk indifference, I am afraid I will not be able to see you home. I do apologize.Of course, she said, as if she could possibly say anything else.I shall make every musical arrangement for your comfort. Perhaps you would like to select a book from the library? send away you read in a coach? Jack queried.Can you not? she returned.I can, he replied with great flair. I can do almost a nything in a coach. Or with a coach, he added, with a smile toward Grace, who stood in the doorway.Wyndham glared at him and grabbed his fiancees arm, hauling her rather unceremoniously to her feet.It was lovely meeting you, Mr. Audley, Lady Amelia said.Yes, he said lightly, it does seem that you are leaving.Amelia, the duke said, his voice even more abrupt than before. He led her from the room.Jack followed them to the doorway, looking for Grace, but she had disappeared. Ah well, perhaps that was for the best.He glanced toward the window. The skies had darkened, and it appeared that precipitate would be imminent.Time for that walk, he decided. The rain would be cold. And wet. And precisely what he needed.