by Eva Andrews
Feeling the carriage move, she closed her eyes and let the words out, “I don’t even know where to begin.” She admitted.
“Let’s start with why you are crying.” Gideon offered as gently.
“Your damn brother, that’s why!” She retorted in an angry tone, so taken back with her answer. She placed a hand over her mouth, she had actually yelled at a duke, her best friend’s husband and Luke’s brother. She had never taken a tone with someone like Gideon before in her life.
Helena shot a look at her husband before asking Genevieve, “What happened Vieve, why were you alone? Where is Luke?”
Sitting back against the tufted carriage seat she bounced her head off the back of the seat and began, “After a botched engagement attempt, and subsequent fight, I stole aboard Luke’s ship that was bound for Ireland. He was heading there on a mission and I needed to make peace with him.”
“So where is my brother Vieve?” Gideon asked, obviously worried his brother’s mission went awry.
“I would imagine he’s still at the whorehouse I followed him to, in the arms of his redheaded whore.” She snapped back, watching Gideon’s brow rise at her temper.
“Surely you are mistaken Vieve, if Luke asked you to marry him he’d honor the sanctity of your bond, he’d never touch another woman.” Helena offered, she had known Luke since they were babes.
“A note arrived at the inn, like a fool I read it and arrived at The Irish Thistle in time to see Luke enter, and the woman fly into his arms. He hugged her like he hugs me Helena, he rubbed her back like he rubs mine, do you know how much that hurt to watch? I saw her take his hand and follow her back to God knows where!” Covering her face with her hands she began to weep again.
“No!” Helena shook her head and moved across the carriage to sit next to her, wrapping her arms around Genevieve she stroked her hair and rocked her back and forth.
“The note, what did it say?” Gideon asked.
Sniffling she looked up at Luke’s brother, “It said she had something for him, to come to The Irish Thistle, and to wear black as she loved what it did for his eyes, and that he had left too soon the night before and it went on about things she wanted to do to him…again.” Rubbing the rolling tears off her cheeks.
“Why do you ask Gideon?” Helena questioned her husband.
“I know that Luke has informants, one well placed informant at The Irish Thistle, Lady Jade I believe her name to be, was the letter from her Vieve?” He asked with all the patience and care possible.
“Yes, Lady Jade. Are you saying she’s a spy?” Sitting up a little straighter, looking across the moving carriage at the duke.
“She’s not an official spy like Luke, he pays her to eavesdrop and relay information back to him. I’m wondering if what you saw was an act, I seriously doubt that Luke would taint his love for you with a common whore, let alone any other woman.”
“But the way she looked at him, the way she touched him, the embrace they shared? I didn’t mistake that Gideon,” she retorted, even though in her heart she knew Gideon could be right. Did she overreact again?
“Being a spy requires you to play your role extremely well Genevieve, I do not doubt what you saw. What worries me is, Lady Jade has worked with Luke for years. He knew where she was located, she didn’t need to list The Irish Thistle in her letter.” Gideon peaked out the closed curtain.
“What do you mean?” Genevieve questioned, clearly not understanding his logic.
“That letter was meant for you my dear, some how Lady Jade learned of your existence and wanted you to see that scene. She listed The Irish Thistle in the letter so you would know where to find them.”
“Why?” She asked, trying to understand.
“Now that, I have no idea. I would imagine Luke came back to your room to find you missing and will be arriving back in town shortly; you should talk to him about it.” He offered as the carriage rolled to a stop.
“I don’t ever want to talk to him again Gideon, it is over between him and me.” She tilted up her chin and adverted her eyes from both Helena and Gideon.
Rubbing her back Helena smiled at her, “That is your right my dear, things have a way of working themselves out, let’s just take it a day at a time, okay?”
Genevieve nodded and tried to keep her lingering tears at bay, “Thank you for taking me home, I’m sure my parents will have a lot of questions for me. I’m a ruined woman now, no fiancé, no future, I always ruin everything.”
“Oh shush, you aren’t ruined, you have a fine future ahead of you Genevieve and you do not always ruin things, shoulders back, chin up. Gideon and I will escort you inside to your parents, I’m sure they are worried about you and will be happy to see you.” Helena patted her shoulder.
“I need to speak with your father anyway dear, shall we?” Opening the carriage door, Gideon stepped out into the busy street and helped the ladies out of the carriage, picking up Genevieve’s trunk and carrying it in for her.
Before they were even up the stairs, her parent’s townhouse door was thrown wide and Annabelle came running down the stairs towards her, dressed for the evening events she nearly tripped as she ran to her, “Oh Vieve, where have you been? I’ve been so worried, Ma and Pa haven’t told me anything! All of London is spreading rumors of your disappearance!” Annabelle’s worry was evident in her tone as she hugged her tightly.
Helena stepped in and offered an explanation for her best friend, “I’m sorry Annabelle, I selfishly stole her away for a surprise for Amelia and Hero. I asked your parents to keep it a secret, I know how you girls can’t keep anything to yourself,” playfully joking with Annabelle, Gideon herded the ladies back into the house and saw Genevieve’s parents running towards their daughters.
“You’ve been with the Duke and Duchess of Montrose Vieve?” Annabelle asked suspiciously as their parents walked up catching the end of the conversation.
“Yes, I’m sorry I didn’t tell you Anna.” Running with Helena’s story she caught her parents looking back and forth with one another and over the group now gathered in their foyer.
“Oh Genevieve, I’m glad you are home my love! I can’t wait to hear about your time with Helena and Gideon!” Turning her attention to the newlyweds, Lady Selina offered, “I’m so happy to see you two, we’ve missed you! I hope your honeymoon was wonderful, girls, let’s get some tea,” escorting the ladies, including Helena into the morning room.
Lord Phillip stood in the foyer with the younger duke and scratched his head, “I need a drink, want one?” He asked Gideon as he turned towards his library.
“Love one.” walking with the earl, they walked into the well-appointed library and sat down behind closed doors.
“Will you tell me what the hell is going on? My daughter left me a note saying she stole aboard Luke’s ship, days later I get a letter from Luke saying she is safe. He said he’d return her to me personally. Where did you find her? I don’t buy Helena’s story, although it’ll be a damn good cover up for the Ton’s ears.” Phillip handed Gideon a glass of whiskey and sat beside the Duke.
“Found her on the docks, she had just came off a passenger ship. She left Luke in Ireland; I suspect he’ll be back within the next day. I think she is confused about what she saw, assumed the worst, overreacted and here she is.”
Gideon knew he didn’t have to fluff up the story for the older Earl.
Sighing in frustration, “that girl will be the death of me, before she ran away to his ship she had herself holed up in her room for a week after an argument they had. She just can’t see reason when it comes to him, always jumping to conclusions.”
“I know Luke’s intentions towards her, I doubt he’ll let her call off their engagement so easily, best prepare yourself, I think you’ll be in the middle of a battle royale between the two. They are both too stubborn and passionate for their own good.” Gideon stated, draining his glass, “I’m going to collect my wife, keep me updated, I’ll stand behind the story Genevie
ve was with us for the past few days, I suspect that the Ton won’t question my word, it’ll make it easier and keep her reputation safe,” Gideon nodded to the older earl; he stood up and went to look for his wife.
Gideon found them in the morning room, “Are you ready to go home Helena?” He asked as he quietly entered the room with the chatty women.
“Indeed, I’m sure I’ll see you ladies tomorrow. Genevieve, get some rest sweetheart.” She nodded to the ladies and gracefully walked over to her dashing husband and linked arms with him and made their exit.
Lady Selina was well aware of where her eldest daughter had been; sitting back in her chair she knew something was very wrong. Lady Selina and Anna had already dressed for tonight’s event, an engagement ball for a distant relative. Knowing Vieve was in no shape to attend; clearly exhausted and emotional; she made a smooth escape hole for her daughter to take.
“Genevieve, why don’t you go order a hot bath and stay in tonight? I can tell traveling has made you weary child, go on upstairs my love. We are going to Habersham’s tonight my dear; I’ll say you had a headache. Tomorrow will be soon enough to get back on the dance floor my love.”
Rising up out of her seat, she walked over to Genevieve and kissed her forehead and whispered so only Genevieve could hear, “I love you darling, everything will work out. Have faith my child.”
“A bath sounds wonderful, thank you. Have a goodnight; I will see you both in the morning. Annabelle, I’m sorry I had to keep it a secret from you,” managing a weak smile for her lovely sister, she saw Annabelle’s face light up.
“Forgiven, I was worried Vieve. I’ll see you in the morning, enjoy your bath!” Popping up from her settee, she joined their mother and exited the morning room leaving Genevieve alone.
As soon as they left she let her shoulders fall back into the tall Queen Anne chair and let her head tip backwards. Rubbing her face with her hands she moaned in exhaustion. She needed sleep; she needed to eat something and a bath sounded like absolute paradise to her. She was thankful to be home once again.
Gideon’s comment that she was meant to find Luke in the arms of another woman concerned her, who was trying to tear them apart? Who had succeeded so effortlessly? Why did everything she touched crumble?
Hearing her parents and sister exiting the townhouse, she waited until she saw them pull away. She loved them all dearly but was in no mood to talk any further tonight. Thank God Helena came up with a plausible excuse for her absence, no one would question the new Duchess of Montrose. Helena now wielded a considerable amount of power amongst the Ton. You’d be hard-pressed to find a person who a person to call Helena, the Duchess of Montrose a liar.
Prying herself off the chair she stood up and stretched her muscles, a yawn escaped her as she made her way to the kitchen to find some food and order a bath.
Chapter 14
Luke’s trip home took much longer than he expected. His ship had been sabotaged, the main mast had been weakened while it was docked in Dublin, of that he was sure. In his haste to leave that following morning he had forgotten his routine check of his ship before departure. Angry at himself for not catching the blatant sabotage, the main mast snapped while they were in the open ocean, with only two small sails to limp them home, it took six days before he stepped foot back on English shores.
As each day passed, his worry continued to grow. Did Genevieve make it home? Was she alive? What was the Ton saying about her? Had she suffered a major attack due to what she saw? It ate him alive every waking moment, and the few hours of broken sleep he had, he dreamt of only her.
Arriving in London at nightfall days after Genevieve, he ordered repairs on the ship before he left the dock. He needed to get home and clean up before he went in search of Genevieve. His entire focus was on his sable haired fiancée, and seeing her again.
The drive to his house wasn’t an overly long one; arriving home thirty minutes later he was greeted at his door by his majordomo Templeton, “Good Eve My Lord, you have several letters that have been delivered in past few days. They are on your desk sir, shall I order you a bath?”
Patting Templeton on the shoulder as he passed, “Good to see you Templeton, I’ll go check my mail, yes a bath would be sensational. Could you please set out my evening wear, I have somewhere I need to be tonight.”
“Of course sir.” Nodding, Templeton headed towards the bedroom to do as asked.
Luke walked into the library and rounded his desk, pulling back the chair he sat down, simply exhausted. Running a hand through his disheveled hair, he looked down at the enormous amount of correspondence sprawled across his large desk.
Shuffling through the stack, he pulled out a handful of urgent missives. He had several from both Alastair and Gideon, one from Genevieve’s father, and surprisingly, one from his new sister-in-law Helena.
He read through the select few with a quick eye, the rest of the correspondence could wait. The letter from Alastair updated him on information and intelligence they’d gathered while Luke was away. Gideon’s letter informed how he and Helena had found Genevieve at the docks, and her quick delivery back into her parent’s arms. Gideon explained the story they spun throughout London, apparently no one blinked an eye once Gideon and Helena, the Duke and Duchess of Montrose explained that Genevieve was with them for the past few days. This allowed Genevieve to assume her normal role about town with no censor from the Ton. No one dared speak ill of the duchess’s best friend.
Luke sat back; he was immediately relieved to know she got home safe and that her reputation was in tact. Luke was confident he could win the fair Genevieve back; he knew she loved him and without a doubt, he knew there was no other woman for him. Failure was not an option. If he had any hope of living a long and full future with any sort of happiness, it had to include Genevieve.
Luke read Helena’s letter next, he knew it wasn’t going to be pretty. Not only was Helena extremely close with Genevieve, she had also been his best friend since they were born. He knew he was about to get a lashing from her via her letter.
Reading through her elegantly scrolled handwriting, he read a letter with two tones, one that scolded him as he expected, and another that gave him hints on what he faced when he found Genevieve. Helena loved both Luke and Genevieve, she wanted to see them together, she guided Luke with tidbits of information to help him secure Genevieve’s hand.
Setting down Helena’s letter, he looked at the last letter, from Lord Phillip, Genevieve’s father. Breaking the seal he read through the bold script and smiled, Lord Phillip was still on his side, his words were short and precise. Tossing the letter with the others, he picked them all up and threw them in the fire. It was an old habit; he burned all his communication.
Walking upstairs he thought over his plan of action tonight, Helena was kind enough to give him with the group’s route for the upcoming days in her letter, he knew they would all be at a masque ball thrown by the Duke and Duchess of Rothschild tonight.
He needed to see her face, he needed to touch her, and he had to fix everything. He wasn’t sure the kind of scene she’d throw, would she shun him publicly? Would she even talk to him? He understood she felt as though her heart was broken, inside; Luke hoped she at least wanted to believe he was innocent. Luke’s brother, Gideon, had written that he attempted to explain Lady Jade’s involvement in Luke’s case, that she was an informant and nothing else. He prayed that she had time to cool down and think through everything. Luke agreed with his brother, Jade had sent that letter for a reason; she wanted Genevieve to see that scene she created in the windows of The Irish Thistle.
Across town Genevieve was busy getting herself ready for yet another masque ball, growing tired of the new fad, she picked out her gown to match her mood, wearing scarlet red she twirled before her long mirror and inspected the entire outfit. Her ebony tresses were scooped up in a romantic mass upon her head, her gown was elegant perfection, it fell off her shoulders and pushed her breasts up. The waist was p
ulled tight to show off her small figure, the skirts fell around her hips in rows of red satin. She felt alive, she felt empowered, she knew that any day Luke would get back to town, each day she braced herself for their meeting. She wasn’t sure what to expect, she had so many conflicting emotions lately. She just wanted to see his face, to look into his eyes. She assured herself that once she looked into his eyes, she would know the truth.
Plucking her black-feathered mask up off the table, she gave one final twirl before she walked out of her bedroom. In the past few days she had resumed attending social events with her family, she had plastered on a fake smile and danced through the nights as if her heart wasn’t broken.
As soon as Genevieve and her family arrived at the ball, both Genevieve and Annabelle’s dance cards filled up within minutes of setting foot in the ballroom. The majority of guests had already arrived, the ballroom overfilled with bodies quickly, finding a quiet corner Genevieve chatted with a group of friends when Alastair found her.
Standing directly behind her he leaned into her ear and said, “Hiding again Genevieve?”
His closeness startled her into a giggle, turning to greet her friend, the Duke of Blackstone, “Good evening Alastair, of course I wasn’t hiding, you’d find me even if I was.”
Taking her hand he wrapped it around his strong arm and joined her group.
Over the past days Alastair had been a wonderful shoulder for her to lean on, he kept her separated from Rossdale at all times. He scared away eager gentlemen who pawed at her, and tried his hardest to make her laugh.
Pulling her away from the group, he walked her around the ballroom as they chatted, “You look breathtaking Genevieve.” He said as he tilted his head towards her.
“You are too kind, save your compliments for the women drooling at your feet,” she said as she playfully slapped at his shoulder.
