The Mysteries of A Lady's Heart: A Clean & Sweet Regency Historical Romance Collection

by Abby Ayles

  The Duke of Cardinal had to agree with that assessment. He was glad that Lady Julia did not share in the pain her sister was feeling. “As twins, you must be very different. You are much stronger than she appears to be.”

  “She is,” Lady Annabelle replied in a firm voice. “Lady Julia is a respectful, intelligent lady with a great deal of potential to be one of the world’s most prominent women in history.”

  Lady Julia blinked rapidly and raised her eyebrows, staring at Lady Annabelle with amusement on her face. “Might I ask how you came to such an idea, my dear friend? What have I done that is so accomplished?”

  “Nothing yet,” Lady Annabelle answered with a smile. “But you will. I know you will. Your destiny is to be a great woman, remembered by all for generations to come.”

  The Duke of Cardinal could tell Lady Julia was flattered by her friend’s appraisal. Her small green eyes brimmed with tears. “That is such a lovely thing for you to say, Lady Annabelle. Thank you.”

  “I only speak the truth.”

  There was a moment of quiet while the three considered their conversation.

  They heard the sound of a female voice caterwauling on the veranda they had been standing on. They looked up to see where it was coming from.

  “What in heaven’s name is that sound?” the Duke of Cardinal asked.

  “It sounds like Lady Joanna. But I did not think she was coming. I did not know if Mother would bring her or not.” Lady Annabelle slipped her shoes back on and stood up.

  The pain that split through both her feet when she put her weight on them made her want to scream.

  “Oh!” she said, sitting back down again. She looked at her friends through pained eyes. “Oh dear. I do not think I can walk in these shoes. I will have to go home. I cannot make it through the entire dance. I can barely stand.”

  The Duke of Cardinal felt like he was caught between a rock and a hard place. He did not want to leave the lovely lady but there were rules to be considered.

  “I will go in and find your father. He will know what to do.”

  Lady Annabelle nodded and watched with regret as Duke Colbourn hurried back to the veranda, going up the stairs two at a time.

  “He is a lovely man,” Lady Julia sighed. She sat on the bench next to Lady Annabelle. “But why do you flatter me in front of him, Lady Annabelle? I know you must be interested in him.”

  Lady Annabelle looked at Lady Julia, wanting to tell her that her father seemed more inclined to keep his daughter for someone else but she could not say it. “You are perfect for him, Lady Julia. I can tell.”

  Lady Julia said nothing. She scanned Lady Annabelle’s face for a moment before looking back at the big glass doors of the mansion.

  Chapter 5

  The Duke of Cardinal looked around, wondering where Duke Cartwright might be.

  The noise from the woman on the veranda had taken the attention from anything else. The music inside had not stopped. He did not see the Duke of Norrend but he did spot Lady Annabelle’s younger sister, Lady Cecilia.

  He crossed the room and leaned to speak to the girl.

  “Lady Cecilia, you must find your father and send him out to the back veranda. There is a bench where your sister is sitting. She needs to go home but cannot walk.”

  Lady Cecilia looked shocked so the Duke of Cardinal continued quickly. “Her shoes are too small. She has hurt her feet by wearing them.”

  Lady Cecilia’s face immediately changed to one of knowing. “Did she wear those shoes again? What is wrong with that girl?”

  She giggled, covering her mouth. “I am sorry. I should not laugh when she is in pain. She has been told not to wear those shoes. Why, they are even too small for me!”

  “Go fetch your father, please.” The Duke of Cardinal nodded, repeating the order gently. Lady Cecilia nodded.

  He turned and went back to the double doors, going down the stairs and crossing the lawn quickly. Lady Julia was now sitting next to her friend. They weren’t talking, which he thought was a little strange.

  Less than five minutes later, Lady Annabelle looked up into the amused eyes of her father.

  “Someone did not get rid of her small shoes.”

  Lady Annabelle giggled and blushed. “No, I did not. I am sorry, Father.”

  He just shook his head, leaning down to scoop her up in his arms. He glanced at the Duke of Cardinal, who met his eyes briefly before looking away. “Thank you for having Lady Cecilia come for me, Colbourn. That was a good thing to do.”

  “I knew of nothing else to do, my lord,” the Duke of Cardinal replied.

  “Take her shoes off, Lady Julia,” the Duke of Norrend instructed. Lady Julia quickly slipped the shoes from Lady Annabelle’s feet, providing instant relief.

  “You do not need to carry me, Father,” Lady Annabelle said. “I can walk without my shoes on.”

  He gave her a look of doubt. “I will not allow you to cut the bottom of your feet on the ground, my dear,” he said. “I do hope that when we go home, you will dispose of those shoes.”

  “I will give them to Lady Julia. You want them, Lady Julia?”

  Lady Julia grinned. “Yes, I think they are my size.”

  Lady Annabelle grinned at her father. “There, you see? The problem is solved.”

  The Duke of Norrend laughed as the five of them walked over the lawn to where the carriages were waiting for their owners.

  “I should go in and apologize for our sudden disappearance,” Lady Julia said. She thrust the shoes in Lady Annabelle’s direction. “I will be at the carriage shortly.”

  “What will you tell them, Lady Julia?” Lady Annabelle asked.

  “I will think of something.”

  “You do not want to lie. Tell them my feet hurt. It is the truth without embarrassment. I do not mind being thought of as sensitive.”

  Lady Julia laughed. “You are not thought of as sensitive, Lady Annabelle. You know that. This will not be a blight on your reputation. I will also fetch the driver.”

  “I am glad to have you, Lady Julia.” Lady Annabelle turned to face the carriage as her father gently lowered her to her feet. The Duke of Cardinal was by her side at an instant, holding out his hand to help her into the carriage.

  “May I help you, my lady?”

  Lady Annabelle noticed when her father took a step back, his eyes on the Duke of Cardinal. She wondered what her father was thinking at that moment. Was he angry? He did not look angry.

  She smiled at Duke Colbourn. “Thank you, my lord.” She grasped his hand and used it to launch herself into the carriage with only two steps on her aching feet. She turned as she sat and watched as Lady Julia held her skirts with her hands and hurried back to the foyer.

  “There you go, Lady Annabelle.” He got up into the carriage behind Lady Cecilia and their father followed behind them. He sat next to her on the opposite side of the carriage.

  Lady Julia would sit between them or Lady Cecilia, depending on where Duke Cartwright wanted them to sit. He did not seem to mind that the Duke of Cardinal had taken the same side as his daughter.

  “Thank you, my lord. I do appreciate your help.” Her feet were pounding, burning and now she was beginning to get a headache. She lifted one hand and pressed it against her forehead.

  “You are looking pained. Your head is hurting?”

  “It is, yes. I hope to go home and put a cold compress on my eyes. I will feel better in the morning, I am sure.”

  “You must remember to get a new pair of shoes.” He dropped his eyes to the slippers in her hand. “You do not need to be wearing shoes that are constricting your feet. It can cause you problems in the future.”

  “I believe you are right.” Lady Annabelle smiled at him. “I will not wear these shoes again. I have given them to Lady Julia and she is now the rightful owner.”

  “I hope they were not a favorite pair of yours.”

  She laughed. “Not at all. They were sitting in a convenient spot, so I picked
them up.”

  Lady Julia was soon at the carriage. She had stopped by the servants’ quarters and brought their driver along. Lady Julia sat in between the Duke of Cardinal and Lady Annabelle, which was expected.

  The ride back to the mansion was quiet. Lady Annabelle had a hard time not thinking about her aching feet and the pain that was pulsing through her head. The others in the carriage spoke infrequently and in low tones, respectful of her pain.

  The Duke of Cardinal looked through the window at the starry night, admiring their charm and beauty without looking at them. They both needed to be painted into a portrait of beauty.

  He thought that would be a good name for the painting. Portrait of Beauty. It had a nice ring to it. He would have to suggest it to Duke Cartwright.

  Half an hour later, the Duke of Cardinal was helping Lady Julia down from the carriage. When Lady Annabelle stepped out onto the small ledge below the door, he stepped back and her father held out his arms for her.

  “Oh Father, please let me walk.” The first time was humiliating enough. Now he wanted to carry her inside the house.

  He shook his head. “At least to the front door, daughter. You cannot walk around without shoes. Your stockings will tear along with your feet. You care about your stockings, do you not?”

  Lady Annabelle had to laugh. “Oh, all right.” She put out her arms and let him pick her up the way he had before.

  The Duke of Cardinal hung back, watching, wishing he had the opportunity to pick the lovely woman up. He was afraid if the Duke of Norrend knew what he was thinking, he would not sell him the Vecelli painting.

  It also might negate any chance that he could capture Lady Annabelle’s heart in the future. So he kept his mouth shut and walked with them into the house.

  The duke carried his daughter inside and lowered her to the floor.

  “Will you be all right going up the stairs to your room?” he asked, seeing the look of pain cover her face again when she stood up on her feet.

  She regretted it, but she did not think she really could make it up the stairs. She wished the Duke of Cardinal could carry her but her father would never allow such a thing. She held out her arms again as if she was two years old, and her father smiled.

  “All right. Come along.” He put his arms under her and picked her up, taking her up to her room.

  The Duke of Cardinal stood outside the door watching as Duke Norrend put his daughter on the bed, sitting up. “I will need to change if I am to be bedridden,” Lady Annabelle said, looking up at her father.

  “We will leave you to it, then.” Her father turned and went back to the door, stepping out into the hallway with Duke Colbourn and closing the door behind him. The Duke of Cardinal’s eyes met Lady Annabelle’s before the door closed and she looked away quickly.

  “I apologize for interrupting your evening, Duke Colbourn,” she called out quickly. Her father pushed the door back open and the Duke of Cardinal looked in at her.

  “Enough with the apologies, my lady. You had a very good reason to leave the ball. I was happy to help you out. I am sorry that your feet are hurting you so. It is not a pleasant thing, considering you have to walk on those feet.”

  The Duke of Cardinal looked at the Duke of Norrend, nodding. The older man closed the door.

  Lady Annabelle wanted Duke Colbourn to come back. She wanted it desperately. But she had not yet talked to her father about him and did not know his feelings about the duke.

  She had to know that before she made any decisions or let her heart dictate her actions. She did not want to fall for this handsome man and then have her heart broken when he rejected her or her father told her to give up any idea of courting him.

  “I will probably be asleep soon,” she whispered to herself. She did not tell Duke Colbourn that the moment he left the room, she was going to pull both her legs up and rub her feet for at least a half-hour.

  She felt like a fool, having worn those small shoes. Her mother had warned her, Lady Cecilia had warned her, even her father told her to buy a new pair of slippers. The last time she made the mistake of wearing them, she was left with bruises on her heels and blisters on her toes.

  The Duke of Cardinal was disappointed. He would have liked to spend a little more time with the lovely lady. Both young ladies were good company. But it was not to be, at least not tonight.

  “I will take my leave then.” He bowed to Duke Cartwright. “If you need me for anything… anything at all, please do not hesitate to send Mary to fetch me.”

  “Thank you for your assistance tonight, Duke Colbourn. You are a true gentleman. You did not need to leave the ball. In fact, it will not be over for another two hours. Would you like to return? You can take our carriage or one of the horses if you like.”

  The Duke of Cardinal shook his head. He did not want to be at the ball if Lady Annabelle was not there. “I am feeling a bit tired. I believe I will retire to my room. Thank you for the accommodations and for a lovely evening, my lord.”

  He turned on his heels and left the older man with a curious look on his face.

  Lady Julia went to Lady Annabelle’s bed and sat on the edge. Lady Annabelle turned her back to her friend so Lady Julia could untie the straps on the back of her dress.

  “He is a handsome man, is he not?” Lady Annabelle asked, holding her double braid up. Lady Julia untied the straps quickly and loosened Lady Annabelle’s corset.

  Lady Annabelle felt a sudden rush of relief in her midsection. Her corset was always so tight, it was difficult to breathe. Sometimes it caused shortness of breath. She never actually fainted but it made her light-headed at times.

  “He is,” Lady Julia answered, breathlessly. “I would not mind if he turned his eyes to me. But that will not happen. He has his eyes set on you, Lady Annabelle.”

  “Is that what you believe?” Lady Annabelle turned back and Lady Julia helped her pull the dress down.

  Lady Annabelle picked herself up from the bed with both hands and Lady Julia slid the gown below her waist so she could kick it off. Lady Julia caught it and took it to hang on the rack where it belonged. She looked back at her friend.

  “I do. How can I not? Do you not see how he looks at you?”

  Lady Annabelle thought about it for a moment, reviewing the day in her mind. She’d noticed the way he looked at her. And she had instinctual feelings for him, as well.

  It would all come down to what her father thought. If she had his approval, she would allow her feelings for the handsome duke to grow. If not, she would squash them and push the duke in Lady Julia’s direction, if she could.

  She did not want to. But she would, if her father asked her to.

  Chapter 6

  The weekend passed quickly and Lady Annabelle was feeling much better by the time Monday came around.

  On a typical Monday, Lady Annabelle, as her father affectionately called her, spent her mornings in the library, where her mother always hosted a children’s paint day.

  The local women brought their children and Miss Berry, the only woman in town who could paint masterpieces in her sleep, would show them how to simply paint something beautiful.

  This had been an ongoing event since Lady Annabelle was just eight years old. She never missed it and did not plan to now that she was older.

  Lady Julia visited infrequently, not enjoying the recreation as much as Lady Annabelle. She was there that morning, though, and happy to see her friend.

  She sat next to her on a child-sized stool, pulling it up under her skirt and lowering herself gently to it. A small easel was in front of her, not as small as some of the children were using but smaller than an adult-sized one.

  The pictures Miss Berry had the children paint were generally not complicated or big. She glanced at Lady Annabelle with a smile on her pretty lips.

  “What are we painting today, Lady Annabelle? An elephant with a hat on?”

  Lady Annabelle laughed. “It could be, Lady Julia. We shall see. How has your m
orning been so far?”

  Lady Julia lifted her eyebrows slightly. “Oh, it has been a satisfying day. Breakfast was delicious. I do believe our new cook is going to work out very well.”

  “I am glad to hear that.”

  They chatted during the hour-long session. Lady Annabelle would have stayed for the other classes but she knew Lady Julia was uncomfortable on the little chair and did not enjoy painting elephants with hats on.

  She beckoned to Lady Julia when the first painting was done, which, much to Lady Julia’s happiness, was of a beach with umbrellas and no people or animals were involved. “We should go get some tea. I feel like playing a game of backgammon. Would you join me?”