“You did not see where she went?”
“No, Your Grace,” Jack answered.
The duke growled under his breath and raked his fingers through his hair. “There must be someone who has seen her!”
“I saw her, Your Grace,” a voice from the back of the stable sounded.
“Come forward, please,” the duke ordered.
A young footman, barely twenty years of age, stepped forward and stood in front of the duke. “I saw her, Your Grace.”
“Where, boy? Tell me,” the duke said in an almost pleading tone.
“As I came back from the village, I saw her climbing the hill beyond the Keep. She seemed to be struggling,” the boy said.
“And you did not think to ask whether she needed assistance?” the duke asked.
“I did, Your Grace,” he answered, “but she gave me a dismissive wave and told me to carry on my way.”
The duke pursed his lips briefly, as that sounded precisely like something Lady Anna would do and say. He cleared his throat and announced, “Lady Anna is missing, and it is of grave importance that we find her. You,” he pointed to the boy, “take me exactly to where you saw her.”
“Yes, Your Grace.”
And so began a torturous and excruciating search for Lady Anna. All capable men were searching for her, and the duke led a search party along the grounds beyond the Keep. Footmen and manservants even scoured the lake for Lady Anna’s body, but luckily they did not find her.
The duke and the young footman, whose name was Jacob, followed along the grassy knoll where Jacob had seen Lady Anna as their paths crossed. The duke was in a bit of a mood, as worry and concern filled every cell in his body. The light drizzle of rain had come and gone, but another rainstorm loomed in the distance as more dark clouds approached.
The duke feared for Lady Anna’s safety and was not even upset that she had decided to face the rolling hills on her own. There had been much talk of the rumors which spread through the Keep walls regarding himself and Lady Anna. A few of the gentlemen mentioned it while on the hunting expedition, and the duke had been very nonchalant and ambiguous regarding his answers and responses. He was not fond of listening to gossips, and anyone who knew him well was aware of this.
The duke could only imagine the snide comments Lady Anna would receive from the young women guests as they spoke about their relationship so openly without even being aware of the truth. In fact, the truth had no place in the company of women who gossip as frequently as those women did.
He had been rather shocked at first when Lord Courtney had asked him if marrying Lady Anna would result in a hefty inheritance after she passed away. Never in his life had he heard such utter nonsense, but he had to be careful and remain calm. Lord Courtney was known for seeking a negative reaction and passing it on to his wife, Lady Courtney, who was much less subtle and tactless than her husband, if that were even possible.
The other gentlemen seemed to join in, inquiring whether the duke had only taken pity upon an ill woman, and much to his surprise, he ended up defending Lady Anna, and himself. He now truly knew that he was in love with Lady Anna, and he wished to tell her of this upon arrival back at the Keep.
Now, instead, he searched the hills and grassy knolls for the woman he loved after retreating from the rumors spread by a jealous woman who had nothing better to do with her time. The duke hoped and prayed that the careless and insensitive nature had not had an adverse effect on Lady Anna.
The duke sighed miserably as the rain started to fall from the heavens, and a chill ran down his spine. He glanced around himself, and suddenly his heart stopped for a moment. In the distance, he saw her in an exquisite heap of pink and yellow flowered material on the green grass, not moving. She lay unconscious like a beautiful wet doll that had been abandoned by a child escaping the impending storm.
“Over there!” he called out loud enough for many of the footmen around him to hear him, and he immediately ran towards Lady Anna. His heart pounded in his chest as he ran across the knolls, hoping that he was not too late. He would never be able to forgive himself if something terrible had happened to her.
The duke slid across the grass as soon as he reached her and touched her skin. It was cold to the touch, but he recalled that her skin was never really warm to start with. He remembered caressing her hand on the terrace and it had been cold as well. Of course, not as cold as it was right at that moment, but it made him feel a bit more hopeful.
“Anna? Anna?” he called to her, hoping she would respond, but she did not. He could however see her chest rising slowly and was relieved that she was still breathing. “Do not fret, my lady. I will return you to the warmth of your chambers,” he whispered to her and scooped her up in his arms.
The footmen, who had reached him by that time, assisted the duke into a standing position and they made their way back to the Keep. The weight of Lady Anna’s body had absolutely no effect on the duke, as his determination to have her back safely and warmly in her bed was all the motivation he required.
When the duke returned to the warm confines of the Keep, he immediately rushed up the stairwell, followed by a very concerned and distressed Lady and Lord Sheffield.
Lady Anna’s maidservant was already in Lady Anna’s bedchambers, along with Mr. Hurst, who ensured the fire was properly lit to add much needed warmth to the room.
“Thank goodness you found her, Your Grace,” Lady Sheffield said as the duke entered into the hallway where Lady Anna’s bedchamber was located.
Lord Munthorpe ran ahead and opened the door for the duke, while ordering the maidservant and Mrs. Hurst to prepare her bed for her immediate arrival.
The duke entered into the bedchamber and was immediately met by the warmth of the fire. He gently lay Lady Anna on her bed and stepped away while Mrs. Hurst and Lady Anna’s maidservant stepped in and carried out their duties.
“Your Grace?” the maidservant asked, and he turned towards her.
“Yes,” he asked, his voice tired.
“Would Your Grace be so kind as to step outside for a moment? Mrs. Hurst and I wish to change Lady Anna into dry clothing,” the maidservant asked.
“Of course,” the duke answered, and he stepped out into the hallway, along with Lord Sheffield and Lord Munthorpe.
“Your Grace, I cannot tell you what it means to me that you had gone to such lengths to locate my daughter,” Lord Sheffield said to him.
“There is no need to thank me, my lord. I would do anything for Lady Anna,” the duke answered and turned to him. “I am in love with your daughter, my lord. She has taught me more of life in the past few days than I had known my entire life.”
Lord Sheffield nodded tightly, as it was the way he had always been, and said, “You are in love with my daughter, you say.”
“Indeed, my lord. I had planned to tell her of my feelings this afternoon as I arrived back from the hunt, but circumstances did not work out as I had planned,” the duke said.
“Indeed, but clearly it has little effect on the way you feel about her,” Lord Sheffield said.
“My lord, I am certain you must be aware of the rumors which have circulated regarding myself and Lady Anna, but I assure you, they are untrue. Lady Anna is not aware of my feelings, and absolutely no arrangements had been made for a possible betrothal.”
Lord Sheffield pursed his lips and answered, “That is a shame.”
“Why would you say such a thing, my lord?” the duke asked.
“Your Grace is exactly the kind of man who would make an excellent husband, especially to Anna,” Lord Sheffield answered. “You have done so much for her already.”
“Thank you, my lord, and I will keep doing things for her as long as she allows me to,” the duke said with a grateful nod, but before he was able to utter another word, the door of Lady Anna’s bedchambers opened and Lady Sheffield stepped out into the hallway.
“How is Anna?” Lord Munthorpe asked.
Lady Sheffield closed the d
oor behind her and said, “Your Grace, may I first say how thankful I am that you had taken such measures to ensure the safe return of our daughter. There are no words which would ever suffice to describe how grateful we are for what you had done for her.”
“You are most welcome, my lady,” the duke said with a nod.
“How is Anna, Mother?” Lord Munthorpe asked impatiently, and Lady Sheffield glanced at him.
“She is as ill as can be expected. Her heartbeat is strong, but she is weak and cold,” Lady Sheffield answered.
“Is she awake?” the duke asked.
“She slips in and out of consciousness, her speech is incoherent, and her breathing is very much labored. She is rather lucky to be alive, but I fear for her health. It has much deteriorated since we arrived here,” Lady Sheffield answered and glanced at Lord Sheffield, “which is why I personally think that it would be better if we returned home.”
“What?” the duke gasped.
“Do you think that is a wise choice, Mother?” Lord Munthorpe asked.
Lady Sheffield and Lord Sheffield exchanged silent but weighted glances before she turned to the duke. “It is the best choice for our family, Your Grace. We wish to have her home, especially if the unspeakable were to happen.”
“Lady Anna is in no state to travel. The journey alone would be enough to kill her,” the duke exclaimed. “I will not allow it!”
“With all due respect, Your Grace, but I am her mother and I will not allow you to bully me into changing my mind,” Lady Sheffield said snidely and walked passed the duke.
“My lady, please wait,” the duke said, rushing after Lady Sheffield.
He caught up to her and followed her down the hallway. “Please do reconsider your decision. Lady Anna is very weak, you mentioned it yourself. Taking her outside into the cold and rainy weather and stuffing her into a coach for such a long duration of time is inhumane. I am fairly certain the coach has all of the amenities she requires for a comfortable journey when she is well, but it cannot be allowed under these conditions. Think of traveling in this storm. It is unsafe for all of you.”
“Do not tell me how I should treat my daughter. You make me sound barbaric.”
“What you are wishing to do is cruel, my lady, and I mean no disrespect when I say this,” the duke said, desperate to change the mind of Lady Sheffield, but he feared deep inside that she would not. She was a steadfast and stubborn woman, as he had noticed ever since she and her family had arrived here.
Perhaps it had been Lady Sheffield who had started the rumors, as she, as much as any of the noble women who stayed at the Keep, wished to be noticed and spoken of, regardless if it were true or not. There was no such thing as bad press for Lady Sheffield, even if it was at the expense of her daughter’s health. A dramatic exit from Cragshead Keep would sure to whet the appetite and wag the tongues of the gossip spreaders, ensuring that attention would be placed directly onto Lady Sheffield.
The duke could not believe that Lady Sheffield was being as selfish as she was to have Lady Anna travel all the way back to Cheshire.
“Although you mean that in the noblest way, Your Grace, I know what is best for my daughter,” Lady Sheffield scoffed.
“My lady, please reconsider. You may all reside here at the Keep for as long as it takes for Lady Anna to recuperate. I will call upon my physician to examine her. He is the best in the county,” the duke suggested pleadingly.
“We have a perfectly capable family physician back in Cheshire who is familiar with Lady Anna’s history. You are most gracious for offering that we stay here longer, but I must politely decline. We do not wish to be a further burden on you, Your Grace,” Lady Sheffield explained.
“You are most certainly not a burden, my lady,” the duke exclaimed.
Lady Sheffield turned towards the duke, and her brow furrowed. “Your Grace, I know that you feel the need to be accommodating, but it certainly feels as though you are going above and beyond for Lady Anna. Why is that?”
The duke took a step towards Lady Sheffield and said in a confident voice, “This evening, at the ball, I wished to tell Lady Anna of my feelings for her.”
Lady Sheffield’s eyes widened and she gasped, “You have feelings for my daughter?”
“Indeed. She is the most wonderful, caring, and kind-hearted person I have ever met, my lady. She is one of the very few people in whose company I feel comfortable and where I am allowed to be myself. She has changed my outlook and perspective on life in such a manner that I would not be able to live a single day without her by my side,” the duke declared.
“And this is why you wish her to stay?” Lady Sheffield asked.
“Indeed, my lady. I have fallen in love with your daughter,” the duke said.
“My daughter is frail and knows not what the future holds for her, no one does, and as much as I would like her to live a happy and normal life, I also wish for her to get better. It would be best if she were not to be made aware of your feelings for her, as leaving here would devastate her, and I do not wish for it to have an impact on her recuperation. I vowed to protect my daughter at all costs, Your Grace, and this is the only manner in which I know how to do that,” Lady Sheffield said. “I am truly sorry, Your Grace, but we will be leaving as soon as our maidservants have packed our belongings.”
“Is there anything I can do or say to make you reconsider, my lady?” the duke begged.
“I am afraid there is not. Thank you for your hospitality, Your Grace,” Lady Sheffield said.
“But I am in love with your daughter,” the duke exclaimed, desperately hoping his words would change her mind.
Lady Sheffield glanced regrettably at him and answered, “Then allow her to return home,” and then she continued down the hallway without looking back at the duke.
Within the hour, the duke watched as Lady Anna was placed in the coach, much to his dismay. He helplessly watched as the woman he loved was taken away from him. There was not a single thing he was able to do to make her stay, and it was very difficult for him to grasp the situation. He could not even bear watching as their family coach, along with the luggage coach, drove along the gravel path towards the main road and ultimately disappeared from sight.
Although the most important person was no longer at the duke’s estate, all of the activities merely continued on without her, which was rather sad for the duke. The duke wandered aimlessly through the lower hallway as the manservants and maidservants prepared the ballroom for the lavish party he would be hosting later that evening.
It had been the one night, the only night, he had planned to be utterly magical, but now there was not a spark of magic in sight. The duke had looked forward to seeing Lady Anna look even more beautiful in a magnificent gown, her blue eyes sparkling in excitement. Sadly now, the evening would be dull without her sparkling presence.
The evening progressed even worse than he could have ever imagined. The conversations between his guests were mundane and tedious, and he wondered how on earth had he endured such mundane conversations his entire life. They lacked substance and feeling, as only Lady Anna could provide. The duke attempted his hardest to not think about Lady Anna, but it was a feat much more difficult than he could have ever imagined. His thoughts constantly travelled to Lady Anna. Thoughts of dread and sadness at the loss of his love, the only woman who had the ability to warm and melt his frozen, cold heart.
As the evening progressed, the duke began to tire, although he still remained the gracious host as was expected of him.
Lady Catherine, the unmarried daughter of the Duke and Duchess of Rothe, approached him and said, “Your Grace, this may sound rather unorthodox and inappropriate for a young, unmarried woman such as myself, but would you care to dance?”
The duke’s brow furrowed slightly, but he did not wish to be rude, as Lady Catherine had done nothing to deserve any form of anger he had inside him. It would be most unfair to direct his anger and frustration at her instead of at himself. He held
out his hand and said, “That would be delightful, my lady.”
Lady Catherine giggled happily as she placed her hand on his and the duke led her to the center of the ballroom. They started to sway gently to the slow beat of the music which played in the background, although the duke failed to appreciate the sweet sounds of the orchestra.
“Your Grace, forgive me for being blunt, but you seem rather distracted this evening,” Lady Catherine pointed out and gazed up at him with her warm brown eyes.
“Indeed I am, my lady, and I am the one who must apologize. I have been distracted, but for good reason, I can assure you,” the duke answered.
“And what reason may that be?” Lady Catherine inquired.
“A guest had fallen ill and had to be sent back to her home. I am merely worried about her condition,” the duke answered.
“Lady Anna,” Lady Catherine answered, and the duke noticed a hint of disdain as well as self-satisfaction in her tone.
“Indeed.”
“It is a pity. I heard she purposely took a walk in the rain and wind for the attention,” Lady Catherine pouted, but before the duke was able to defend Lady Anna, Lady Catherine placed her finger against his lips and shook her head. “I am well aware of your intentions with her, Your Grace.”
“My intentions with Lady Anna, or any young woman for that matter, has nothing to do with you, my lady,” the duke said lowly.
“I meant no disrespect, Your Grace,” Lady Catherine said apologetically and glanced at the duke. “Perhaps it is for the best that Lady Anna left. She did seem to be rather out of place while she was here. She much preferred the company of herself, which is rather strange.”
“There is nothing strange about that, my lady. One does not always require the approval of another in order to be happy,” the duke pointed out.
“Perhaps, but what a life she has with her illness. It is rather sad that she is plagued with such a terrible life,” Lady Catherine sighed dramatically.
The duke glanced at her, and his brow furrowed. “Lady Anna was content with herself despite her illness, and it may be difficult to understand, but she did not merely exist.”
Regency Engagements Box Set Page 7
