by Fanny Finch
The Duke of Thornwall knew everything Ursula was saying was reasonable. She would not lead him astray. If she thought Lady Elizabeth was not a fit match for him, she would tell him so.
Her encouragement to let go of Sophia was highly influential on the duke. He relied on her to advise him and trusted what she told him. She had been Sophia’s governess and the governess for the younger Argyle family members.
She was closer to the Argyles than she had been to him. But the past four years had brought the two of them together, creating a tight bond that no one could dissolve.
“Do you truly believe it is time for me to let Sophia go?”
Ursula looked directly into his brown eyes.
“If you can find the strength to do it, Malcolm, my advice is to do it. Yes. It is time.”
Chapter 29
Ursula left shortly after telling him in no uncertain terms that he must let go of Sophia or he could be sacrificing something wonderful. She was tired and would not accept his offer to walk her back to her rooms.
“You have been injured. You must relax your body and give it time to heal. Now Lady Elizabeth will have an excuse to take care of you, as well as Agatha.” She shot him a delighted grin.
He chuckled as she went to the door and slipped through on silent feet.
The Duke of Thornwall wondered what Lady Elizabeth was doing as he went down the stairs to the dining hall. She would surely stay now that they had formed a newfound admiration for each other. He could tell in her eyes she was enchanted by what he had done.
He was proud that his first instinct was to make sure Andrew was out of the way. He knew it took a lot of courage and was glad it came naturally to him. No one could accuse him of being a coward. Not for that incident, anyway.
He let himself think about the guilt he felt for the fire at the Argyle estate. He and Sophia had been having such a wonderful evening.
That last evening with her, the best he ever had with her, had ended in the most tragic way possible. The fire had trapped so many people. How was he to know she did not stay outside safely away from the house?
The Duke of Thornwall had to quickly push the thoughts from his mind. It was easier to bear at times. This was not one of those times.
He felt vulnerable because his heart had reawakened in the time Lady Elizabeth had been visiting. He was beginning to enjoy her unpredictability. She put a smile on Lady Agatha’s face, which was his main goal in life.
She put a smile on his face. That had so rarely happened in the last four years of his young life. He should count himself lucky he did not get sad lines in his features, twenty and six or not.
He stood up and went to the large mirror hanging on the wall to his right. It was large enough for him to see his whole body at a distance and from his knees up when close up. He stared at his large brown eyes in the mirror. He reached up and ran one hand through his long hair.
Just the simple motion made his arm ache and a streak of pain slide down his side. He lowered his arm slower than when he had raised it.
Slowly he unbuttoned his white shirt and slid it from his shoulders, revealing large black and blue marks across one shoulder, trailing all the way down his side. The rocks had cut him through the shirt, making sharp gouges in his skin up and down his arm and torso. He turned to the side and examined a deep cut on his shoulder.
The cut reminded him of the injuries he had received when he went back in the Argyle mansion to see if he could find any servants still in there. His eyes moved quickly up to the scar on his face. He stared at it, examining it in its current state. It was still very visible.
Suddenly, he could hear the sound of the Argyle house cracking around him. He looked up at his solid ceiling. The sound echoed in his mind. He looked back at his reflection.
He relived it for a moment, remembering how much pain he had been in when he finally got out of the house. How they had to hold him back when he realized Sophia was still in the house. She had gone back in.
She had gone back in.
He left his shirt off, turning from the mirror and scanning the room around him. It had changed little since Sophia was in his life. One thing he would have to do was change his décor. He needed to be surrounded by fewer reminders.
He looked back at the mirror, examining his chest. The left side looked virtually untouched, while the right side was bloody, bruised, and scratched.
It could have been worse.
Andrew could have been trampled by the horse and run over by the cart.
The Duke of Thornwall shivered, thinking of the injuries he would have sustained. He would have lost his life there was no doubt of that.
He grunted, hoping that news of what had happened would spread a good word for him through the village below. He did not want his villagers to think of him as cruel and harsh. He wanted them to know he was friendly and encouraging. He would change their opinions of him.
Lady Elizabeth could help with that. She mentioned she had visited Thornwall and spoken to some of them. The Duke of Thornwall was sure she had made friends with whomever she spoke to. Her light and cheery personality was endearing to everyone.
He wished he saw that side of her more often.
Her looks of approval and admiration were like the most beautiful paintings the Duke of Thornwall had ever seen. She was as pretty as the most gorgeous sunset or rainbow.
The Duke of Thornwall caught himself thinking poetic thoughts and blushed all the way to his dark roots. He was glad no one was in the room to see him. How had he gone from struggling to find a way to let go of Sophia to writing poems for Lady Elizabeth in his head?
He was ashamed of himself. He went to the cupboard by the mirror and opened it, scanning the shelves for items he needed. He took down a bottle of old, dark liquor and grabbed several folded cloths to use as swabs.
He would use the alcohol in the liquor to clean off the blood that had streaked down his side. Some of them were still bleeding from the first cleaning he gave them. He had not bandaged them, preferring not to wrap a bandage all around his torso.
He preferred to let the wounds get fresh air. Especially after swabbing them down with alcohol. It would sting but he was oblivious to the pain after what he had been through in the Argyle fire.
He turned the bottle upside down, letting some of the liquid spill out into a cloth he held in his hand just below the opening. He tipped the bottle back upwards and then decided to use a little more on the cloth, soaking it on one side.
He held the cloth in his left hand and ran the soaked cloth down his right side, wincing as the stinging began. He had a feeling some of the wounds were punctures from sharp rocks he had landed on.
As he washed away some of the blood and new blood began to seep out. He focused on the old scars he had after the fire. They were not exclusively on his right side. He could not see the long gash on the back of his leg left over from when his leg was caught.
The liquid was cold but once it touched his skin, it felt hot. He stared in the mirror, determined not to let the pain get to him. The last thing he needed was an infection.
It was much too risky.
Lady Elizabeth was a refined woman. Any man in London and every surrounding county would be blessed to capture her as a wife.
He was beginning to see why Lady Agatha insisted they would be a good match. He only had to get past his first impression and begin watching her, seeing how much her influence on Lady Agatha helped in her quick recovery.
He remembered when he could think nothing but unpleasant thoughts about Lady Elizabeth. Now, he was finding it difficult to think what any of them were. His mind was filled with happiness, despite the underlying physical pain he was enduring.
He reached over his shoulder and touched the deep cut with the cloth. The liquid soaking into the cut made the Duke of Thornwall bend over and groan loudly. He could not keep the cloth on it for very long.
Of all the injuries, that one would need to be bandaged and watched.
He would need to call for the doctor, this time for himself.
He looked up abruptly when there was a knock on the door.
Smithson came sweeping in, holding onto the door as he turned toward the Duke’s desk.
“My lord, Lady Elizabeth and her companion Phoebe are here to see y…”
His face turned white and he looked away when he caught sight of the Duke of Thornwall at the mirror without his shirt on.
He turned back to Lady Elizabeth quickly but it was too late. Lady Elizabeth had come around Smithson and was standing just on the other side of the door. Smithson was able to put his hand in front of Phoebe, stopping her with a shake of his head. He quickly turned back.
“My lady!”
“Oh!”
Lady Elizabeth’s hand flew up to her lips. She could not help taking in his naked torso, if only for a moment, and then turning her eyes away, lowering her head.
Chapter 30
“I am so sorry, Your Grace!” she said, quickly, blushing furiously. “I… I should not have come barging in. I apologize!”
Lady Elizabeth was not sorry she had barged in. She got to see two things. One, that the Duke of Thornwall was built well, that his broad shoulders and large chest were all muscle. He had a strong physical frame.
Second, he had sustained many injuries in the fire at the Argyle estate and the accident from earlier that day.
Her heart went out to him. She wanted to run to him and offer to bandage up all his wounds. But propriety held her back. She had never been shy a day in her life.
Now, when it came to the Duke of Thornwall, she was fearful of rejection. He had come to mean more to her than she expected.
She mumbled, “I apologize, I am so sorry, Your Grace.”
Lady Elizabeth spun around on one heel and exited the room, grabbing Phoebe’s arm on the way out. She could hear the Duke of Thornwall scolding the butler for having let her through.
Smithson moved directly to where Lady Elizabeth and Phoebe were standing. Lady Elizabeth was looking at him with fear in her eyes.
“He was severely injured earlier today!” she exclaimed. “Why has he said nothing!”
“I do not believe he wanted to frighten you or Lady Agatha, my lady. He asks that you wait until I retrieve a new shirt and some bandages to cover some of the seeping wounds.”
“You must call a doctor! He could become infected!”
“Yes, I will do that, my lady.”
Smithson left her in a hurry, rushing to the staircase that would take him up to the Duke of Thornwall’s chambers.
She turned wide eyes to Phoebe. “Were you able to see him at all, Phoebe?”
“No, my lady.” The companion shook her head. “I did not catch a glimpse of him. He was behind the door.”
“There were cuts along the right side of his body and some of them were bleeding.”
“The accident happened a few hours ago. How is it that he had not treated himself by now?”
“Oh, I do not know. Perhaps because he is a man and men are stubborn. It is most likely he thought he did not need assistance.” She also shook her head.
“It was so brave, my lady. I do wish I had been there to see the Duke of Thornwall’s heroism.”
“He saved the servant’s life, Phoebe. He truly did. But I do not believe he will boast even for a moment.”
“You have changed your mind about him, have you, my lady?”
Lady Elizabeth thought about it. Since her arrival, her feelings for the duke were mixed, sweeping along through a whirlwind of emotions like a swiftly running current.
But his act of bravery that morning told her what kind of man he was. He risked his life for a servant. She did not know many men of noble birth who would perform an act as honorable as that.
She kneaded her hands together, glancing at the closed door of the study. She wanted to go in and help him clean up the bloody wounds. She would take a needle and thread and sew his skin back together if she had to.
She would do anything to make him feel better and stay in good health. An infection could mean death if it was not caught soon enough.
Before she knew it, Smithson was coming back down the stairs. She saw he was carrying long thick lengths of bandage along with a new shirt for his master.
“Does he need help applying the bandages, Smithson?” she asked.
Smithson stopped for only a moment, blinking at her. “My lady, I do not believe he feels it is proper for you to see him when he is without clothes. But I will mention it to him. In case he agrees.”
Lady Elizabeth smiled at him. “Thank you, Smithson.”
Smithson nodded.
“Smithson!”
They both heard the Duke of Thornwall bellow from inside the study.
Smithson hurried away from her, turning back just before he went through the door and saying pleasantly, “I will come to fetch you when he is ready for you, my lady.”
“Thank you, Smithson. I will be right here.”
***
Lady Elizabeth waited anxiously for Smithson to come out and get her. When he finally pulled the door open and put his head through, he did not need to say anything. She was already headed toward him.
He stepped back and let her pass by him. He did not bother to introduce her, as the Duke of Thornwall knew she was coming. He was standing with his hands clasped behind his back. He had a few spots of water on his shirt where the bandages underneath were moist.
Phoebe came up behind Lady Elizabeth and took a seat in the corner by the desk. She curtsied to the Duke of Thornwall before she lowered herself into the chair.
“Good afternoon, Miss Phoebe,” he said, without looking at her. His eyes remained on Lady Elizabeth.
She could feel his warm gaze as she approached the desk as much as she could see it. She stepped forward and then to the side to sit in the chair Ursula had occupied earlier. She lowered herself to it slowly.
“Lady Elizabeth. I did not expect a visit from you. Are you feeling well?”
“I am, thank you, yes. But I did see the wounds you sustained today. I should be asking you how you are feeling.”
“I did not realize my wounds had reopened. You caught me in an unexpected moment.”
Lady Elizabeth thought about the incident with the servant, Anna. She suspected the Duke of Thornwall was closer to his servants than he wished to express openly. “I was not bothered. I could see you must have been in a great deal of pain. Also, I barged in without allowing Smithson to finish introducing me.”
Lady Elizabeth lowered her head and her eyes ran along the rug on the floor, which had an odd design running through it. She had so much she wanted to say to the Duke of Thornwall. Her heart slammed in her chest. She was nervous.
“I must tell you something,” they both spoke at the same time, saying the same words.
They fell to silence, staring at each other with slowly growing smiles.
Chapter 31
“My lady, you must go on with what you were saying.”
“Thank you, my lord. Please remember what you were going to tell me.”
“I will not forget, I promise.”
Lady Elizabeth pulled on the tips of her light gloves and folded her hands in her lap. She breathed in deep and looked into his eyes. “Your Grace, what you did today was inspiring. It has given me the courage to tell you that I am blessed I came here and met you. I apologize for not seeing who you are at the beginning.”
Lady Elizabeth wanted to stop talking. She felt like she was just rambling on and was embarrassed by it.
The Duke of Thornwall smiled at her, prompting her to continue despite herself.
“I was so impressed with the way you saved Andrew’s life without hesitation. You did not think about it. You simply ran to him and put yourself in harm’s way. I feel compelled to apologize to you for the way I have behaved. I know I have confused you with my behavior.”
The Duke of Thornwall shook his head. “I must also apologize t
o you. We have experienced a great deal of miscommunication since the day we met. Do you agree?”
Lady Elizabeth lifted her eyes, settling them on his comfortable gaze. “I do agree.”
“Shall we begin again and forgive each other for past transgressions?”
“I would like that. May I tell you something about Lady Agatha?”
He nodded. She continued in a soft voice.
