The women moved toward the hall and in minutes, Elizabeth found herself at the heavy door to her father’s chambers.
“You may return to my quarters. I will be along shortly and I will dress for supper forthwith.”
“Yes, Miss Elizabeth.”
Cora retreated into the shadows and Elizabeth turned back to the closed door. She inhaled sharply before raising a hand to knock heavily against the wood.
“Who is there?” Percival called out. “It is time for supper?”
“It is me, Father, Liza.”
In seconds, the door opened and she stood staring at her father who had already dressed for supper. He looked quite dapper in his blue waistcoat, a white shirt crisp beneath his vest, starched and proper. The Viscount stared at his daughter with worry.
“Liza, you cannot wear that to supper. You will offend the Duchess.”
“Is it the Duchess you are concerned with me offending?” Elizabeth replied. “Or the Duke?”
Percival glanced over her shoulder, possibly seeking witnesses to their conversation before gesturing her inside the front room.
“What is the meaning of this, Liza?” he asked, sighing. Elizabeth got the distinct impression her father knew precisely what she spoke of.
“Father, what am I doing here?” she asked in exasperation. “Is this your attempt to matchmake?”
The Viscount whirled to look at her in surprise.
“Certainly not, Liza. I know you are very much your own woman. You do not need me or anyone else acting as a matchmaker for you.”
“And yet here I am,” she sighed, disbelieving his protests. “What is the meaning of this, Father? To come here for a month?”
Percival’s eyes narrowed slightly and he stared at Elizabeth with some disdain.
“Liza, you are a good girl,” he told her. “But I daresay, you are oft self-serving.”
Her eyes widened in shock and hurt.
“Self-serving?” she echoed. “How is that?”
“Did it occur to you that this venture might benefit your siblings in some way?”
It had not occurred to her, not in the least.
“David is becoming a man, one who requires the guidance of strong leaders. I fear my tasks oft take me away, leaving him in the care of you and the servants. That is no way for a young man to learn leadership, is it? He is apt to find trouble when left alone, would you not agree?”
Elizabeth thought of Lady Chamberlain, the widow with whom David had professed to having an affair and she begrudgingly nodded her head. It was true, without the company of men, David could be easily led astray by the wiles of women who did not have his best interest in their hearts. Elizabeth had done her best in raising the boy without the benefit of a sound older sister, and with an absentee father but she was not his mother and she knew that he needed better guidance than a sister barely five years his senior.
“There have been some rather disturbing rumors following my children which trouble me. I daresay, a month from the manor will do you all good, particularly young David who seems to have caught the eye of a woman too old for him.”
Elizabeth tensed, realizing that her father knew about her brother’s taboo romance. She wondered how he had learned about it but she was grateful that she was not carrying the burden of the secret alone anymore.
Father is right—David should not be near Lady Chamberlain. Some time away will give him some perspective. Perhaps he will find someone more suited to his age here in Pembroke.
“You agreed to come for David?” Elizabeth asked but there was dubiousness in her tone. She did not fully accept that as her father’s reasoning.
“Not only for him,” Percival insisted. “For Frances also. Can you not see how smitten she is with Mr. Barlough?”
Elizabeth was unsure about how she felt on the subject and she was surprised her father would be so free to accept the barrister into her sister’s life.
“But Father you must know nothing can materialize from their infatuation.”
“I also know I have never seen Frances so obedient nor content. She has been on her best behavior since Mr. Barlough came into her life. I would hardly deny her this small pleasure if it puts a smile upon her face—and keeps her from running amok.”
Guilt slid through Elizabeth and she lowered her gaze. Suddenly she felt terribly embarrassed.
“So you see, my dear Liza, my decisions in life are not always about you. I think of your brother and sister even if you forget them.”
He was meant to be teasing but there was a note of disapproval in the Viscount’s voice.
“I could not very well leave you alone in the manor while we were gone for such a period,” Percival continued. “I will not deny that I am aware of the Duke’s affections for you, Liza but I take offense that you would look at me as a conspirator in your future. I daresay, I know you much too well to force any sort of romance upon you.”
“I am sorry, Father,” Elizabeth murmured, her eyes fixed on the floor as contrition filled her body. “You are correct—I have been selfish.”
“You are not selfish, child but you oft do not see the full situation before you leap to conclusions. There is always a much bigger picture to examine.”
“Yes, Father.”
“If there is nothing else,” Percival finalized. “Dinner will be served in minutes and you must dress. It is your first introduction to the Duchess and Lady Catherine, is it not?”
“It is.”
“Then you should deign to make a good impression, Liza. Off you go now.”
“Yes, Father.”
She turned away, the feeling of foolishness still lingering as she made her way back to her apartment.
“Is all well, Miss Elizabeth?” Cora asked nervously and Elizabeth nodded.
“It is,” she replied. “But I must hurry to ready myself for supper. I took longer than I intended.”
“I am the fastest abigail in the house,” Cora boasted, her hand immediately moving toward the back of Elizabeth’s dress to unfasten the dainty buttons. “The Duke insisted that I be matched with you.”
“Did he?” Elizabeth asked in surprise. She had never known a noble to involve himself in the schedule of servants before.
“Yes,” Cora replied. “He has been very eager for your arrival.”
Elizabeth turned, startled by the servant’s words.
My Lord, she thought in shock. There is certainly no resemblance to the servants here and the ones in Fife. How freely she speaks, like she has never seen the end of a willow switch!
Elizabeth was both fascinated and unnerved by the carefree chatter of her abigail. The servants had such freedom, such little fear. Yet there was still respect in Cora’s tone when she spoke of the Duke.
“Oh, forgive me, Miss Elizabeth,” Cora said, catching the expression on her face. “I did not mean to speak out of school but the sense of excitement in the air has been tangible since word of your arrival has reached Pembroke.”
“Is that so?”
“Indeed!” Cora chirped, sliding the day dress from over Elizabeth’s corset and replacing it with an elegant but simple gown of cream and gold. The lace piping caused a glimmer to spark in Elizabeth’s galvanized eyes. As she turned back to study herself in the mirror, she wondered if her eyes were glowing so brightly because of the accents in her dress or because of the idea that the Duke had been so anxiously expecting her.
Whatever the reasons for the invitation, Elizabeth was there now and she had two choices in the matter—she could spend the month avoiding the Duke or she could enjoy her holiday just as her brother and sister intended to do. The decision was not difficult. Suddenly, Elizabeth found herself very eager to join the Duke and his family for dinner.
I will not fight it, she told herself with new resolve. Let us see what happens.
Chapter 11
Even Catherine was on her best behavior when the House of Gordon joined them for supper, a fact which did not escape Leonard’s notice
. A small part of him wondered if she was scheming something beneath the surface.
“He is quite fetching, the young lord,” his sister murmured to him, her eyes trained on the boy admiringly. “He will be a strong man.”
“He is a boy, Catherine,” Leonard reminded her sharply and Catherine turned to him with disgust.
“Mind your thoughts, Leo. I meant nothing lewd in my comment. I was merely making an observation. The entire family is quite charming, I must say.”
Leonard was contrite. He realized his nerves had been fraught with tension for hours and he had not meant to unleash his angst upon Catherine. His sister had already moved the conversation away from him toward the Viscount as though Leonard had annoyed her with his response.
“Lord Gordon, how do matters fare in your duchy? I understand there was some discord recently among the peasants.”
Percival raised his eyes from his plate, apparently surprised by the political nature of the question. The Duke was furious with her subject choice. She was a lady and knew better than to broach topics of that nature.
“Catherine, it is not the place to discuss such matters,” Leonard muttered under his breath but the Viscount cleared his throat in embarrassment and nodded gravely.
“Unfortunately, there was a slight uprising but the matter seems to have been resolved for the time,” he replied quietly. “These things do happen, sadly. The duchy did suffer some financial setbacks as a result but I do hope the issues are behind us now. I daresay Pembroke has been dealt quite good fortune. You have not taken the monetary fall some of us have had to endure.”
Leonard detected no bitterness in his tone but all the same, the Duke was made uncomfortable by the conversation at hand. It was true—Pembroke had been blessed with fruitful lands and compliant peasants. Leonard could not recall a time in his life when an uprising had occurred. Most of that good luck had much to do with the way Aylmer had tended to his people, of course, but, again, it was not the place for such subjects. Unfortunately, Catherine did not seem to understand this and continued to speak against Leonard’s advice.
“Our father was a wit-filled man, Lord Gordon,” Catherine said with a haughtiness which Leonard could have done without. “Perhaps the Viscount of Gordon could learn from his legacy.”
Percival smiled wanly and returned to his meal.
“I daresay many of us could learn a great deal from the late Duke. He was a good man, perhaps even kingly in his own right.”
“We fare well,” Elizabeth interjected quickly, as though she did not appreciate the implication that their duchy was lacking in some fashion. “We certainly want for nothing, is that not so, Father?”
“Indeed,” Percival agreed, skilfully changing the subject. “This chicken is delightful. How was it prepared?”
Leonard found himself exhaling. The discussion had given him a peculiar feeling of unease but he could not say why. Perhaps he was more accustomed to the vapid banter of the nobles than pointed, nearly heated discussions. In any case, he was glad it was done.
“It is my recipe,” the Duchess announced, speaking for what was only the first time that evening. “One I learned from my grandmother in Scotland.”
“You cooked it, Your Grace?” David asked in shock and Mary laughed heartily.
“I did not,” she replied. “Albeit, I do not shy away from work, no matter what my son has to say on the matter.”
Leonard bit on the insides of his cheeks to keep from reminding his mother of a time when she could barely feed herself, let alone work on matters pertaining to the duchy. The past would hopefully remain where it belonged. Everyone was back in their rightful place.
Leonard saw the shine of respect in Elizabeth’s eye as she stared at his mother. He attempted to catch Elizabeth’s stare with his but failed again. He could not be sure if she purposely avoided his looks or if her attention was simply too divided to focus on him.
“You must share the recipe with me, Your Grace,” Elizabeth said politely. “I plainly see the admiration in my father’s eyes and I must confess my appreciation, also.”
“You must not, Mother,” Leonard quickly interjected. Elizabeth looked at him, stunned. It was the first opportunity he had had to catch her gaze and he smiled broadly.
“Pray tell, why not?” the Duchess asked, voicing the question which was clearly on Elizabeth’s mind. Without breaking his gaze from Elizabeth’s, he explained, “You must insist that Lord Gordon return to Pembroke every time he fancies this meal.”
The table broke into a round of chuckles and to his great relief, Elizabeth also granted him a warm smile. It ignited a flame in his gut and made Leonard feel as giddy as a small boy.
“Will you hunt tomorrow?” Frances asked unexpectedly. Leonard had quite nearly forgotten she was there, near the end of the table, absorbed in her meal, or her thoughts. He was not sure to whom she spoke but he decided to answer.
“I thought the men might,” Leonard replied slowly, hoping the lie did not sound in his words. His intention was to feign sickness the following day while Percival and David went with Herbert.
“There is much area to explore and we only have a month,” the Duke continued jestingly. “Would you care to join us, Miss Follett? I daresay that we have appropriate gear for you.”
Her eyes grew large like saucers and she shook her head vehemently.
“Oh, I dare not although…I would like to never leave Mr. Barlough’s side.”
There was such a plaintive wistfulness in her words that Leonard felt a pang of instant regret he had not invited the barrister for supper. He vowed not to exclude Herbert again as long at the Folletts remained at Brookside.
“Frances, that is not appropriate,” Percival sighed but Leonard could hear little reprimand in his voice. Frances clearly had little sense of what was proper in her limited mind.
“I assure you, Miss Follett, you will have much time to enjoy the company of Mr. Barlough. I have many interesting events planned for your stay.”
Instantly, her eyes brightened.
“Will there be a party?”
Leonard beamed, her youthful manner contagious. He could not help but be amused by her guilelessness, even though he could sense her family’s disapproval from around the table.
“Possibly,” he replied teasingly. “Would you like a party?”
“Oh yes! Yes, please! And dancing—lots of dancing!”
Again, a gentle chorus of laughter echoed across the dining room.
“I am eager to explore the woods,” Percival offered, perhaps a tad uncomfortable with his daughter’s free speaking. “It will be grand to have an excursion among the men, eh, David?”
“Yes, Father,” the young lord replied, a hopeful look in his eyes. Leonard realized that the boy had been looking forward to spending time with his father. The Duke recalled how much he had enjoyed hunting trips with his own father.
I arranged for this visit to grow closer to Miss Elizabeth but perhaps it will work out to everyone’s advantage after all. The men will bond, Herbert and Miss Follett will grow closer to one another—I am practically a saint for the causes of love and family.
Leonard could not help but feel slightly proud of himself. Beatrice approached to clear his plate and he sat back, surveying the table with contented eyes. There was an easy rapport, a sense of comradery, which one did not easily find among strangers. Solidifying his sense of ease, Catherine spoke to the women with uncharacteristic pleasantness.
“Perhaps while the men are off conquering hapless animals in their barbaric manner, we ladies could do something more dignified,” she suggested. “Would you care to join me in town?”
Instantly, his good mood vanished. If Elizabeth agreed to join Catherine, his plan to feign illness would be for naught.
“Perhaps Miss Follett and Miss Elizabeth would rather stay closer to Brookside,” he answered hastily but even as he spoke, Frances was leaning forward eagerly and Leonard knew his objection was unheeded.
> “Indeed! Perhaps I will find that headdress I have sought for so long, Liza!”
Leonard groaned to himself but as he looked at Elizabeth, a sly smile formed on her lips and he wondered if she had not foreseen his ploy.
“Liza?” Frances insisted when her younger sister did not immediately respond. “What say you?”
“Of course,” Elizabeth replied. “I would be honored to join you, Lady Catherine. Your Grace, will you also join us?”
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