“Of course,” the younger man nodded.
“See?” the Duke smiled. “We might get our girl back, Anne.”
The Duchess just shook her head. It took her long to accept her daughter’s death and she was not going on a goose chase with her husband.
“Kathleen is dead, Edward. Do not get your hopes up.” She took a step away from him and turned to Miss Clifford. “Very nice talking to you, Miss Clifford. Please, return at any time.” She looked at the younger man and just said, “Mr. McAlister.”
“Your Grace.” Mr. McAlister just bowed.
Kathleen was dead. Kathleen was dead. Kathleen was dead.
Her daughter was dead.
Chapter 32
Edward Egremont, Duke of Bellford
His leg just wouldn’t stop moving up and down.
He was nervous. He always knew in his heart Kathleen was alive. They never found her body and the information he had was the location where she fell. The bodies were usually washed up on shore after a few days.
Hers didn’t.
At first Anne had as much hope as he did. She even went out during a storm to add to the manpower to see if they could find Kathleen. After a week, though, hope was almost gone. When the rescuers were pulled, when they just gave up on his little girl, Edward Egremont wanted to kill every single one of them.
Kathleen had been afraid of deep water ever since she was a little girl, and to just leave her there…
It outraged him.
Now, all would be well. Kathleen was alive. His son had seen her and she was alive.
It was the day after the dinner and his wife had called him a fool earlier that morning. She was so angry. He understood why, though. She had been so grief stroked for years. It was understandable she did not want to have her hopes up again.
The Duke would not give up, though.
“It might not be her, you see?” his son said, bringing the Duke back from his thoughts as he looked outside the window of their chariot. “As your wife said, my mind might be playing tricks with me or it could just be someone with her likeness.”
The Duke shook his head. “No. I refuse to believe this is a coincidence or that it is not real. You found me and together we are going to find Kathleen.”
“Your Grace-” Edward tried but the older man raised his hand to stop him.
“I know you think I am insane, son. It has been five years. I accepted my daughter was gone at some level, you see. Even when I did, in the back of my thoughts, there was this voice whispering: ‘she is not gone’. You are not a father yet, Edward, and I expect you will be soon. I could not with you, so my first experience was with Kathleen.” The Duke paused for a second. “The moment they put her in my arms, everything in the world changed for me. Every single thing I thought I knew, I did not know anymore because that little baby in my arms meant everything. I watched her thrive as a baby. Her first smile, steps, I watched her being a brilliant child, filling the world with questions.” He swallowed, trying not to cry. “I watched her turn into a lovely young lady with so much ahead of her. She really was a gifted person.”
“And then one day she goes for a stroll and never returned. We saw struggle marks and footprints of her going straight to the cliff’s edge. Everyone thinks she was robbed. We can’t be sure, we never found her body to confirm if anything was taken.” He took a breath. “That day, we could not find her until a maid who was in town buying supplies told us she had gone with Kathleen, but she had insisted on returning on her own to appreciate the view. We found the marks close to her favorite spot, and I could see the expression on the constable’s face.
“They started to ask if Kathleen was of sound mind. If she would have any reason to jump. My Kathleen! Jump? No, never. She loved life too much. She was going to marry the Lord Kilcanny. You have met him.” Edward nodded. “It just did not make any sense except someone seeing her alone on the road and trying to do her harm.
“When they stopped looking for her… when they told us she could not possibly be alive after all that time in the water, I died with her. My wife died with her. My household died with her. She was the sweetest girl you could have ever hoped to meet. Kind to strangers, even. The world didn’t deserve her so it took her away from us. And now, we might get her back, after all.”
Edward seemed to hesitate for a second. “I didn’t want to give you false hope if the woman I saw and your daughter are not the same.”
The Duke smiled sadly. “I know, my boy. I know. I just need to know if my little girl is still out there and just this little bit of hope has given me a new perspective.”
“I…” Edward cleared his throat. “I just do not wish to bring you or the Duchess any pain if I were careless with my words and assumptions.”
Looking at the young man in front of him, the Duke marveled at how far they had come. When they first met, Edward was downright hostile. Now, he was concerned about his and even the Duchess’ feelings.
‘Oh, Daisy. You raised our boy well’, the Duke thought.
“I know you didn’t, son. I just cannot let this lead go. It has been a year already. This is more for my peace of mind and the hope that will never go away that Kathleen is still alive and well, somewhere.”
Edward nodded and looked outside the window.
They weren’t too far away.
* * *
Mr. Edward McAlister
The little village had been a quick stop when he was returning from Scotland to see a client. It wasn’t even close to the ocean and it made no sense for Kathleen to be there, yet, that is where Edward had seen her.
She had been holding books, her hair was in a bun and she was smiling at some children.
As his carriage passed by, she looked up and he saw the same shade of green in her eyes as he had. He could count the people he had seen with the same shade as his. The large scar on her forehead she tried to cover with her hair did not go unnoticed as well.
There was something about her that intrigued him, yet, he pushed the thought away.
Until he saw the painting of the woman he had seen a year before.
His father was clearly anxious while the townsfolk looked at them with curiosity thinking they were probably two well-dressed men who clearly had money who were not staying long. Maybe, just like Edward’s first time there, just passing through.
“Where do we begin to look?” the Duke looked around, nervous, as if his daughter would turn up any second.
“I think we could ask where we know all the people go.” Edward pointed to a shop – most likely the only one that sold food and supplies.
The Duke nodded and both started to make their way, nodding at some of the people they passed, who still looked at them strangely.
They got inside the shop and the few costumers looked at them and started to whisper. Edward put a smile on his face – he had learned early on how a smile could disarm someone quicker – and went to talk to the shopkeeper.
“Good afternoon, sirs. What can I get you?” The man’s thick country accent was palpable but he was pleasant enough.
“Good afternoon. My name is Edward McAlister and” not wanting to give up the Duke’s name, he said, without a second thought “this is my father. I was wondering if you could help us find someone. You will be handsomely compensated for your troubles.”
“Of course.” The man smiled, his slightly yellowed teeth showing. “I know almost everyone in town.”
“Brilliant.” Edward nodded. “We are looking for a woman with dark hair and green eyes. Not just ordinary green eyes, eyes like ours. She would have appeared here around five years ago, maybe? Her name is Kathleen.”
Edward could feel his father’s anxiousness beside him as the man thought it over. “Sorry, no one who goes all that way back comes to mind. And I only know three Kathleens and all of them either have blue or brown eyes.”
“This woman, she would be very well educated,” the Duke said.
“When I saw her last year, she w
as with a few children. I assume she was taking care of them.”
Recognition finally washed over the man’s face and Edward’s heart started to beat fast. Would it be her?
“I think I know who you are talking about!” he said, proud. “Does she have a scar on her forehead?”
“Yes!” Edward wanted to smack himself – he should have added the scar with his description. “Do you know her, then?”
“Well, of course, but her name isn’t Kathleen, though. Her name is Marie and she came with the Osbournes when they moved in. They have four little ones and Miss Marie cares for them as a governess.”
“Do you have their address?” the Duke asked and Edward could see the hope in his expression.
“I will do you one better.” The man shrugged and then yelled at the back of the store. “Oi, Johnny. Come in here.” A boy, no older than eight, came from the backdoor and he looked very similar to the man. “This is my boy Johnny and he knows this village like no one else. He can take you there and be back before it gets dark. It is not far, but if I give you directions you might get lost.”
“Thank you, sir.” Edward took twenty pounds off his coat and handed to the man, whose eyes widened.
He turned to his son. “You better behave, Johnny.”
“I will, father.”
* * *
True to the shopkeeper’s word, the way to the Osbournes house wasn’t very far, but with quite a few turns.
Little Johnny was outside with the groom, having the time of his life riding a ‘proper carriage’ as he said and giving directions while both the Duke and Edward were in tense silence inside.
When they stopped in front of the modest house – but somewhat a manor if compared with the other houses in town – Edward prevented his father from leaving the carriage.
“Let me go first.” The Duke opened his mouth to complain but Edward was faster. “I saw the painting, I will know if it is her. I don’t think Miss Marie or Mr. and Mrs. Osbourne will like to see you fall apart because she is not your daughter, if that is the case. You waited five years, you can wait five minutes.”
The Duke wanted to say something, but gave up after a moment and nodded. “I will wait. You can send the boy over if it is not her.”
“Thank you.”
Edward left the carriage, where little Johnny was already outside waiting. “This way, mister.” His grin showed he was missing a front tooth. “Lucy is my friend, she is nice.”
Assuming Lucy was one of the Osbourne children, Edward smiled and followed the little boy. “I see, but we need to use the front door for this, little man.”
“Oh, right.” Johnny changed the path slightly and they stood in front of the house’s door.
Edward knocked three times and waited. There was sound coming from inside so he did it loudly enough and in just a few seconds, a maid opened the door.
She was a robust woman, cheeks red, dark eyes and brown hair. She looked rough but at the same time, she looked kind.
Looking at him up and down, she asked, “Yes?”
“Hello. My name is Edward McAlister,” Edward smiled. “Is this the Osbourne residence?” he asked and she nodded, blushing a little with Edward’s charms. “Marvelous. I was wondering if Miss Marie was home. This young lad,” Edward put a hand over Johnny’s head, “told me she lives here.”
“She does.” She looked at him in suspicion, then to the carriage parked not too far away with the Duke no doubt peering through the window. “Wait a second here. I will let Miss Marie and Mr. Osbourne know you are here.”
Without saying another word, she slammed the door closed and he turned towards the carriage and made a signal for his father to wait. They would know the truth in a few seconds.
When the door opened again, an older man was there, he reminded Edward of Mr. Scott, Edward’s butler from London.
“Can I help you?”
“Mr. Osbourne, I presume?” Edward offered his hand. “Edward McAlister.” The man shook his hand. “I assume your maid informed you about me looking for Miss Marie?”
“She did,” he nodded. “She is handling the children and leaving them with my wife so she will be here in a moment.” Mr. Osbourne said and just as the words came out of his mouth, Edward heard a sweet voice approaching.
“Mr. Osbourne? Who is it at the door?”
The moment Miss Marie came into view, Edward’s heart started to beat faster.
She was just a few years older, she had a scar on the left side of her forehead but the jaw, the nose, mouth and especially the eyes… There was no mistake.
Miss Marie was Lady Kathleen Egremont.
Chapter 33
Miss Selina Clifford
Early that morning Selina went to the Egremont’s manor, even if she knew Edward wouldn’t be there as he and his father went away in a quest to find Kathleen. Selina did not know if the woman her beloved had seen was his sister, but one could always hope.
She prayed the night before, that God would return Kathleen to her family, and she also knew the Duchess needed her that day.
As much as she denied having hope, it was obvious she did. It was the daughter she lost. Her ray of sunshine, the person she loved the most. She didn’t want to believe and have her heart broken again, but Selina knew if someone had spotted her mother, she would doubt it but at the same time hope it was true.
“I apologize for my behavior last night, my dear,” the Duchess said, offering Selina a cup of tea. “The subject of my daughter’s death might have been five years, but it is also a fresh wound.”
“And having Mr. McAlister bringing it up didn’t help, I imagine,” Selina said, kindly.
“No, it did not,” the Duchess agreed. “For a long time I knew the Duke started to care for me because we had Kathleen to unite us. She brought love into this house, the right kind of love. Not the Duke’s affection towards Mr. McAlister’s mother, or my own illusions of it; but true, pure love. An innocent child who was born to just love and receive it back. I cannot let myself believe she is alive.”
Selina put a hand over the Duchess’ when the older woman sobbed. “You cannot because if you do so, it means you gave up on your child for five years.”
The Duchess nodded, thick tears rolling down her cheeks. “This is my punishment, for what I did to Daisy. I know it is, but why did my Kathleen have to pay the price?”
“I am not confident that’s how it works, Your Grace,” Selina said calmly. “My granny always told me to expect for the best but prepare for the worse. I do not think you are wrong for refusing to believe the woman Mr. McAlister saw was Kathleen and I also do not think it is wrong for the Duke to go see if it is true. We will know, by the end of the day and then, either everything will return to normal or change.” Selina offered her a small smile. “I came here to keep you company until they return. We could go out and take a stroll since they will most likely return by nightfall.”
The Duchess hesitated. It had been a while since she had left the house for just a stroll to enjoy the rare sunny day in London.
“A stroll it is, Miss Clifford. We could have brunch while we are out.”
“I would love that, Your Grace.”
* * *
Mr. Edward McAlister
“May I help you?” Kathleen, no, Marie, asked him.
If he looked like his father, Kathleen looked exactly like her mother – even with the scar. She was strikingly beautiful. There was no mistaking it and he was right; they did have the same eye color. What a wonderfully small world they lived in, that he passed by her village and saw her when he did.
“Sir?” she asked and Mr. Osbourne scowled beside her. Apparently, he was staring at her.
“I apologize,” he said as he cleared his throat. “My name is Edward McAlister. I am here representing the Duke and Duchess of Bellford.” He saw no recognition when he said those words. Either she was an excellent actress or she didn’t know of whom he spoke of. “His Grace, Edward and Anne Egremont.”
“I don’t understand.” She frowned.
“Did they hear about how good of a governess she is and want her to teach their children?” Mr. Osbourne’s face turned red. “I knew this would happen, Miss Marie.”
“Do not fret, sir.” Edward tried to calm him down. “This has nothing to do with her being a governess.” He looked at the lady, who still looked confused. “My lady, I know this will sound very mad to you, but… may I ask how you got that scar?” Edward asked and she put a hand over it by instinct, trying to cover it with her hair.
A Hidden Duke For The Passionate Lady (Regency Historical Romance) Page 22