by Fanny Finch
He did not want to get carried away with Lady Elizabeth. As soon as he told her about Lady Sophia, it was like a veil lifted from his heart and he felt more free than he ever had.
Still, he felt a tingle of fear about it. It was time to let go. He’d heard their little banter but chose to say nothing, smiling inwardly. It had become his traditional behavior to live one day at a time and let plans make themselves. If something did not go as he wanted, it was time to adjust to something new.
“I do love to make plans for the future,” Lady Elizabeth was saying, voicing the exact opposite of his thoughts. “It gives me something to look forward to.”
The Duke of Thornwall could not help expressing his opinion on the matter, his tone taking on a more serious note. “I used to make a great deal many plans. And I did the best I could to finish those plans, reach those goals. But the most important goal I had was never reached and would never be reached.” His eyes slid to Lady Elizabeth. “At least not that time..”
Lady Elizabeth blushed, lowering her head. Lady Agatha turned her head away from them.
He looked back and forth between the two women.
It was Lady Agatha who spoke up next, her sorrow subsiding. “I believe it is time to start making plans again, my brother.”
“I suppose it is.”
Lady Elizabeth’s blushing face was a pretty sight for the Duke of Thornwall. It pleased him that he was making her smile. It had been four years since the smile of a woman other than his sister made him feel warm inside.
Granted, he had not let himself wander far from Thornwall Castle for a long time. It was impossible to let someone into your heart and life if you never went out and met anyone.
There was a knock at the door. The three of them looked up as it was pushed open and Smithson looked in. He came into the room and left the door ajar behind him.
“Your Grace. You have a guest who is wishing to speak with you.”
The Duke of Thornwall stood up, glancing at Lady Elizabeth and Lady Agatha with curiosity.
“I was not expecting anyone. Were you?”
The ladies shook their heads at him.
He looked back at Smithson. “Who is the visitor, Smithson?”
He thought Smithson’s behavior was very odd. The butler looked like he did not want to say who the visitor was. The old man turned his eyes quickly to Lady Elizabeth and then back at him.
He frowned. “Smithson, please tell me who has come to visit?”
“It is the Duke of Argyle, my lord.” Albert said under his breath.
The Duke of Thornwall felt a streak of apprehension run through him. He had not thought of the Duke of Argyle in some time. When the Duke of Thornwall mentioned that he hesitated to make plans because of what happened to him, it was the first time he had mentioned the fire in two weeks.
Since he had let go of his burden by telling everything to Lady Elizabeth, the Duke of Thornwall felt a sense of relief he did not expect. He felt as though he had only been waiting for her to come to Thornwall Castle so that he could tell her and let it go.
It was a burden he had struggled with for so long.
The Duke of Thornwall turned to Lady Elizabeth and Lady Agatha. “It is the Duke of Argyle. I must go and speak with him. I do beg your pardon. Please excuse me.”
“Of course, Your Grace.” Lady Elizabeth stood up, folding her hands in front of her. Lady Agatha did the same, looking at her brother with intense eyes.
Smithson turned around to go back through the door. The Duke of Thornwall took a few steps to follow and was stopped when Lady Agatha said his name.
He twisted his upper body to look back at her.
“Tell him… I hope he is doing well.”
The Duke of Thornwall nodded. “I will tell him, Agatha.”
When he turned back, he caught the look of sorrow on Lady Elizabeth’s face. He felt sorrow in his heart, as well. The arrival of the Duke of Argyle had caused a resurgence of memories. Just when he thought he was releasing himself from the burden, it came crashing down on top of him.
He walked behind Smithson from the reading room to the parlor. He stopped Smithson from pushing open the door, which was not closed all the way. The Duke of Thornwall could see the older man sitting in a chair. The Duke of Argyle was leaning forward, his elbows on his knees.
He was holding something between his legs but the Duke of Thornwall could not see what it was. The older man’s head was hanging low and his shoulders were slumped.
The Duke of Thornwall silently dismissed Smithson and stayed where he was for a moment to gather himself. He had not seen the older man for nearly a year. The last time they had gotten together was for…
The Duke of Thornwall felt his heart plummet into this stomach. The last time he had spent time with the Duke of Argyle was exactly one year ago.
It was Lady Sophia’s birthday.
***
The Duke of Thornwall pushed the door open and entered, closing it softly behind him. He let it make a clicking sound so that the Duke of Argyle would hear him coming in.
The older man looked up and got to his feet, his face red as he smiled at the younger man.
“Thornwall. It is good to see you.”
“Sir. How have you been faring?”
The Duke of Thornwall walked to where his old friend was standing and bowed before reaching out to shake the man’s hand. “It has been a whole year, has it not?”
“I believe it has, Thornwall. I suppose you know why I am here.”
“I do. Please. Sit. I will join you.”
“It is the fourth year Sophia has had a birthday in Heaven,” the Duke of Argyle said in a low voice, lowering himself to sit once more. “I brought a bottle of my best wine so that we might drink in her honor. Perhaps you would like to reminisce with me. Share a story to remind us of our beautiful girl.”
The Duke of Thornwall felt a strange pulling in his chest. He had been doing this with the Duke of Argyle every year since the death of Lady Sophia. His mind was mixed with thoughts of Lady Sophia and Lady Elizabeth. He looked away from the Duke of Argyle, hoping his face did not reveal his thoughts.
For the first time in four years, the Duke of Thornwall felt like he was doing the wrong thing. Dwelling on the death of his darling first love had developed into a terrible burden. Yet he had not been willing to admit it until Lady Elizabeth came and brought change with her.
Now that Lady Elizabeth was in his life, he saw the sunshine again. He smelled the gorgeous scent of the roses surrounding the courtyard of the castle. He saw the rippling water of the moat and did not think about how its depths could cause death.
The sunshine, the flowers, the water, it was all a sign of life. And that had not happened until Lady Elizabeth’s arrival.
Going back to the old habit of stewing in sadness over the loss of Sophia made him feel like fleeing the room.
He stood up and went to the bar to retrieve two glasses to share the wine with the older duke.
When he turned back, he could tell the Duke of Argyle had noticed a difference in him. The man was looking at him strangely.
He brought the glasses back to the man and set them down on the table in between the couch and the chairs opposing it. He sat in one of the chairs and leaned forward, anticipating the pouring of wine.
He braced himself, hoping that the liquid would take the edge from his nerves. He was looking at the glasses. When the Duke of Argyle did not pick one up, he moved his eyes to the older man.
The Duke of Argyle was staring at him.
“What is it, my lord?” The Duke of Thornwall sat back, holding on to the arm rests with his hands. He gave the Duke of Argyle an innocent look.
“Something about you has changed, Thornwall.” The older man’s eyes narrowed.
The Duke of Thornwall’s heart beat fast as though he was a child about to be scolded for lying. He had not remembered the Duke of Argyle having such an influence on him. He lowered his head and looked at
the dark yellow rug below his feet.
“Thornwall, please tell me what is happening?”
“Sir, you are aware that my sister, Agatha, had a horse-riding accident a few months ago?”
“I do recall. I was very sorry to hear about that. I know that you have been quite distracted.”
The Duke of Thornwall nodded. “She has recovered and is doing well now. She had some serious injuries and was bedridden for some time.”
“How awful. Do tell her I was thinking about her. We heard of the accident in London and we added her to our prayers.”
“We are grateful for that,” the Duke of Thornwall said, nodding. “She has a friend, Lady Elizabeth Owens, who has come to stay with us. She has been a great help in Agatha’s recovery. She is a strong woman and encouraged Agatha to get out of bed much sooner than I would have allowed.”
“That is good to hear. It is always easier to recover from illness or injury when you have the constant attention of a friend or loved one.”
“I agree. I was concerned with her presence at first. She is an excitable woman and I was afraid she would encourage Agatha to push herself beyond her capabilities. I am glad the opposite is what occurred. Lady Elizabeth was able to get Agatha back on her feet again and out in the sunshine. She said that Agatha is like a flower that will wilt without fresh air and sunshine.”
“That is a lovely thing to say. Is she still acting as your sister’s companion? Has Agatha recovered completely?”
The Duke of Thornwall thought the Duke of Argyle was taking the news of Lady Elizabeth being at the castle with surprising ease. He did not look concerned. He wondered if he could take that as a sign that his old friend would not be upset if he found out Lady Elizabeth was slowly taking his heart.
“Agatha is feeling so much better, I do believe she is ready for snow so that she can go sledding and ice skating down the mountainside.”
“If there is ever a way to end your life,” the Duke of Argyle said with a soft chuckle. “It is to go ice skating down the mountainside.”
He leaned forward and began to open the wine bottle.
“How long will Lady Elizabeth be staying with you?”
“I am unsure at the moment. She hopes to stay through the holidays but it is unlikely her parents will allow her to do so. She has their permission to stay as long as she wishes as far as I’m aware of. I know Lady Agatha does not want her to leave.”
“Oh?” The Duke of Argyle’s brows came together. Something the Duke of Thornwall had said had made him suspicious. There was a reason the Duke of Thornwall had described Lady Elizabeth’s reason for being at the castle so plainly. Both men knew it.
“Lady Elizabeth has proven herself to be quite helpful in Agatha’s recovery. I am very grateful to have her here.”
The Duke of Argyle did not say anything. He looked at the Duke of Thornwall with a hard stare until the Duke of Thornwall finally tilted his head to the side and asked, “May I ask why you look at me that way, Sir?”
“It is clear to me what you have been doing for the past half year.”
“I beg your pardon?”
“You are entertaining another woman. You are moving on from Sophia. This Lady Elizabeth you have staying with you is an unmarried woman.”
“Your Grace, I have not been entertaining women in the sense that you state here. I was not aware that Lady Elizabeth would be coming at all. When she did arrive, I had only just been told and I attempted to send her away. It was at Lady Agatha’s insistence that Lady Elizabeth is still here. I was not fond of her at first.”
The Duke of Thornwall remembered well how convinced he had been that Lady Elizabeth would cause nothing but trouble for him and his sister.
It had turned out to be just the opposite.
His almost father-in-law was glaring at him and he did not like the look. He had a soft spot for the old man, he always had. The Duke of Argyle was a large man, with a round hulking nose that could not be missed. His gray hair was like strings attached to his head and he had a near eccentric look about him.
He always dressed in clothes that were out of fashion but on him, they looked good, classy, stylish. Even if they were out of date.
He was over six feet tall, which made his massive size even more intimidating.
The Duke of Thornwall, however, had never been intimidated by him. From the moment he met the Duke of Argyle, the Duke of Thornwall thought of the older man as a gentle giant. He had a heart almost as big as his body. He would do anything for anyone.
But his eyes had shined with his daughter, the light of his life. He had never and probably would never get over her death.
The Duke of Thornwall did not want him to be angry with him. He knew the Duke of Argyle still experienced great pain at the loss of his daughter but he could not be expected to mourn for the rest of his life.
He pulled in a deep breath, looking down in front of him. He did not look up until the Duke of Argyle spoke again. What he said sent a bolt of stunned remorse through the Duke of Thornwall.
Chapter 39
Lady Elizabeth was happy. She gazed in the mirror, scanning her hair, which she was wearing down tonight. She tried to wear it down as often as possible in the wintertime because it kept her neck and shoulders warm.
She was looking forward to dinner. The Duke of Thornwall had seemed tense when he came back in the reading room and was quiet the rest of the time he was in there. He had excused himself early and the ladies had not seen him since.
Lady Agatha told Lady Elizabeth not to fret about it. Most likely seeing the Duke of Argyle had taken the Duke of Thornwall back to when he lost Lady Sophia. He would pull himself out of it eventually.
She could smell the sweet scent of baked goods as she went down the stairs, mixed in with a heavy scent of steak or roast. Whichever it was, she was excited to eat it. Hetty was worth her weight in gold when it came to cooking good meals.
The spread was as beautiful as ever. She took her seat, smiling at Lady Agatha across from her and the Duke of Thornwall. His returning smile did not seem as cheery as she liked to see but she tried to remember that he had been hit with a terrible memory today.
He was entitled to take his time working through the pain any way he saw fit.
She and Lady Agatha chatted through dinner, though there were prolonged quiet times when the three of them were just partaking of the food. Lady Elizabeth tried not to eat too quickly. It was good and she was hungry.
Eating too fast would make her stomach hurt. She did not want to be ill in front of the Duke of Thornwall.
Lady Agatha did not seem to mind inhaling her food. She was done much faster than either Lady Elizabeth or the Duke of Thornwall. She pushed her chair back, tossing her napkin onto her plate.
“I am done for this meal, you two. I am going to retire for the evening in my room with a book. I am feeling exhausted from this exciting day we have had together.”
The Duke of Thornwall stood up and stepped behind her to pull out her chair. She stood up and he pushed it back in. She laid one hand flat on his chest and lifted herself up to put a kiss on his cheek. “You take care of her, Malcolm,” she murmured so that only he could hear.
She looked back at Lady Elizabeth. “You have a good night, Lizzie. I’ll see you in the morning.”
“Do you need me to help you to your room, Aggie?” Lady Elizabeth asked.
“No, I am well. I am just tired.”
Lady Elizabeth smiled. She knew why her friend was leaving early. She wanted Lady Elizabeth to have time alone with her brother. That was why she had requested Smithson stand in the doorway during their meal.
She looked back down at her half-finished plate. She glanced at the Duke of Thornwall’s. It seemed he had very little appetite that evening. Normally, he would have an extra plate if the food was very good. But tonight, he was barely eating at all.
Lady Elizabeth felt a streak of worry pass through her. She looked up at him when he sat down, noticing
that he was cupping the side of his face with the scar. The tips of his fingers rubbed the temple area.
She wondered if he was conscious that he was covering the scar from being seen. He seemed to be ashamed of the scar. She did not know how to feel about that. He had stopped trying to cover it from her long ago. Why was he doing it now?
“Are you feeling all right, Your Grace?” Lady Elizabeth asked in a soft voice.
He looked at her. “I am feeling fine, Lady Elizabeth. I am… sorry if I am distracted. I have a great deal on my mind.”
