“There you are, child, I’ve been looking for you.”
Silver turned and found her aunt moving stiffly toward her.
“Your knees bothering you again?” She rushed forward to assist her aunt onto the bench.
“Slightly.” Prudence eased onto the marble slab and nodded to the empty space beside her. “Sit with me, Silver, or you’ll give my neck an awful crick.”
She hid her smile, knowing how much her aunt hated to watch her pace, and sat.
“Now,” Prudence said, her eyes growing sharp with assessment, “tell me what is troubling you.”
Turning to the placid lake, she watched a group of ducks glide in the water some distance away. She shrugged, hoping her voice wouldn’t reveal her torment over Daniel’s absence. “It is merely a bit of boredom.”
“Oh, bosh. You’ve an entire library at your disposal. And the fact that you aren’t in it tells me something is wrong. Now, out with it.”
She hesitated, not wanting her aunt to be aware of her worries. The old dear had come close to learning everything last week in the library. Fortunately the conversation had turned to Prudence’s involvement in what happened in Scotland and Silver had been able to keep her worries to herself. She hoped she could continue to divert her aunt’s questions.
“It’s because your husband has been away, isn’t it?”
“Yes.” That was true. Every day Daniel stayed away, her fears of being abandoned increased ten-fold. She turned to the water and watched the ducks make ripples across the glassy surface.
Her aunt patted the top of her hand. “The duke has many responsibilities, child,” she said in a soothing voice. “He was in Scotland a lot longer than planned and must catch up on his work. I’m sure he will return soon.”
Hearing Prudence’s reassurance helped to ease some of her fear. Her aunt was a keen, intelligent woman. Perhaps Daniel really did have business in London and his leaving wasn’t entirely because of her. Silver gave a small smile. Perhaps he would be back soon and things would get sorted out between them. “You are right, of course. And I am being silly.”
“Come, child.” Prudence grimaced as she rose to her feet. “You have no doubt been outside too long.”
“Just a little longer, Aunt,” she said, glancing back at the ducks. She didn’t want to leave until the tiny spark of hope remained, until she could be sure it would not evaporate with Prudence’s departure like some mirage.
“All right, but don’t stay too long.”
Silver gave a nod, then watched her aunt amble back up the path. Lifting her head, she was surprised how high the sun had risen in the sky, then glanced back to the lake just in time to see a fish jump up and dive back into the water.
Deciding she had stayed outside long enough, she stretched her arms above her head to work the kinks out of her back, then started to rise from the bench.
“Hello, Silver.”
She sat back against the hard marble, stunned. Dear God, had she really heard his voice? Slowly, she turned and a jolt of alarm shot through her when Victor appeared out of the nearby trees like an apparition. She blinked several times. Was she dreaming? Then he slithered toward her, making no sound as he neared. Her heart surged up her throat.
Silver sat frozen, unable to speak, unable to move, as he took the seat beside her. “Victor,” she finally choked out, “what are you doing here?”
His pale eyes appraised her ivory muslin dress embroidered with dark pink rosebuds and smiled approvingly. “You look rather lovely, my dear.”
“What are you doing here?” Her breath quickened to tiny, choppy pants. She still had trouble believing Victor Merrick sat beside her. On a bench. At Huntington.
As his eyes lifted to hers, the corners of his mouth curved. “I missed you,” he said, raising three dark red roses to his nose. He inhaled deeply and held the roses out to her. But before she had the chance to bat the flowers away, he pulled her into his arms and dropped his lips down onto hers.
Daniel jerked to a halt, the note he’d found on the path clutched tight in his fist. Seeing the two of them locked in a passionate embrace made him sick. It brought back painful memories of his mother’s betrayal and his father’s suicide. Now he knew the truth. Silver was exactly like his mother. Shoving the note into his pocket, he spun around and marched back to the stables to retrieve his horse. He had returned for nothing.
No, not nothing, he amended, his heart twisting in disgust. An unfaithful wife who liked to spout lies about love. Just like his mother.
Several horses nickered a greeting as Daniel stepped into the cool interior of the stables. He snapped his fingers at Tilby, a groom, throwing hay into a stall. “I just arrived on Zeus. Where is he?”
Tilby pointed at the end of the building. “Mr. Somersby has him, Your Grace.”
With a nod to the man, Daniel went to retrieve his horse and found Garrett about to unbuckle the saddle. “Wait.”
Startled, Garrett looked up and straightened. “Daniel?” He glanced around. “I thought you were going to straighten things out with Silver. Where is she?”
The last thing he wanted to hear was her name. Reaching for the reins, Daniel pulled himself up into the saddle. “She has made her wishes clear. I will not be a part of her life.” Then he snapped the reins and the horse flew past Garrett’s stunned face.
Several miles from the estate, he slowed Zeus to a halt to allow the horse to catch his breath. They had already traveled from London and the poor animal needed some rest. But Daniel hadn’t wanted to take the time to have another horse saddled. He had to get the hell out of there.
Seeing Silver wrapped in her ex-fiancé’s arms not only sickened him, it made him realize his feelings for his wife went even deeper than he realized. He pressed a gloved hand to his chest as a sharp pain tore into to his heart, and he heard the crunch of paper.
With a deep breath, he removed the note, disgusted to see his hand tremble as he unfolded the thing and read it once more.
My Dearest Silver,
I shall be waiting at the usual place and time. Wear something pretty for me, my dear, but something that can easily be removed this time. I’m anxious to spend another day in your arms.
Your loving Victor
Clenching his jaw, Daniel refolded the parchment and slid it back into his coat pocket. It seemed to burn a hole through the material, right into his skin. But he wouldn’t destroy the thing. No, he’d keep it. The note would serve as a constant reminder of his wife’s treachery and of his own stupidity.
Wishing to get as far away from Silver as possible, along with all thoughts of her betrayal, he signaled Zeus to move. What if Claremont, Fielding, and the others continued to plague him over his wife’s absence? A slow smile spread across his lips. He knew exactly how to silence them.
With all the strength she could summon, Silver pushed at Victor’s chest. When that failed to work, she bit down hard on his lip until she tasted the metallic saltiness of blood.
He roared in pain, loosening his hold.
As she attempted to scramble away, Victor’s hand shot out, his long fingers wrapping around her wrist. He pulled her back down on the seat beside him.
“Release me,” she said, trying to wrench her arm free. Raw fear gnawed her insides. She had to get away.
With the back of his free hand, Victor swiped the blood that trickled down his chin. The expression on his face altered so drastically, she hardly recognized him. His near colorless eyes glinted with rage, his bloody lips twisted menacingly, and a hiss sounded through his gritted teeth.
Her fear hitched up to terror, and she could hardly breathe. “I said to release me,” she whispered.
His fingers sank deeper into the skin at her wrist, making her wince from the pain. “Absolutely not.” He rose, pulling her up with him. “You are coming with me.”
When he turned and took a step toward the forest, Silver could only panic. Where would he take her? She dug her heels into the ground, pulling
at her arm. “You are insane if you think I am going anywhere with you.”
Victor stiffened. He turned slowly, and Silver stood paralyzed as she watched him remove a knife from his coat. The long blade glinted sharply in the sunlight as he pulled it free.
“Never call me insane.” He brought the tip up to her face, nearly touching her cheek. “Now come quietly.”
She gave a slight nod, her gaze fixed on the deadly object so close to her. He turned and began in the direction of the forest, one hand still curled around her wrist, the other still held the deadly weapon.
Silver had just taken a step when something whirled past her. Victor grunted and released her. Seeing the hilt of a dirk protruding out of Victor’s right shoulder, she gasped.
Taken by surprise, he spun around, his face twisted in both fury and pain.
Her mind screamed out in danger. She lifted her skirts and ran on trembling legs.
“No!” Victor lunged for her.
But she managed to elude him and didn’t stop until she saw Connor rushing toward her. His face just as forbidding as Victor’s had been. She halted, her breathing choppy, and glanced over her shoulder. Thankfully, she saw no signs of that horrible man.
“Silver, are ye all right, lass?”
She nodded, trying to catch her breath.
“Goud. Now get inside.” He started to move past her. “I’m going tae find tha’ man and…” He stopped, his eyes going wide. “Silver! He rushed back to her side. “You’re bleedin’, lassie.”
She blinked, not understanding his meaning at first, then looked down at her right arm. Blood drenched the ivory material, seeping from a diagonal slice at the top of her arm. As she watched the bright red liquid drip onto the ground from the tips of her two middle fingers, an intense pain exploded in her arm, making her head spin. Her legs weakened. A crash sounded in her ears. Then the world melted into darkness around her.
****
Daniel ran a hand down his face as he staggered into the house. Why did his right cheek feel so numb? With a shrug, he headed for the stairs, but the sound of heavy footsteps caught his attention. He turned, wobbled, caught himself from falling, and tried to focus on the man rushing up to him.
“I have been waiting all night for you. Where in God’s name have you been?”
“Garrett,” Daniel said, his liquor-numbed brain slowly absorbing the fact his friend stood before him, looking ready to throttle him. Then he recalled what Garrett had asked and smiled. “Why, I’ve been having a grand time with…” He stopped and frowned, having forgotten her name.
“Are you drunk?”
Daniel nodded, but the movement made him unsteady and he reeled to the side. Garrett reached out and kept him from falling. “Thank you,” he said, trying not to slur his words so badly. “You should have been there tonight. Susanna and I…” He halted and blinked, realizing he now remembered her name. “Yes, Susanna is her name. How silly of me to have forgot—”
“You have been seeing another woman?”
He winced. “God’s teeth, Garrett, you don’t have to shout.” He turned around and began up the stairs, holding on tight to the railing. Had the stairs always been so crooked? He would definitely have to speak to Jenkins about that. In the morning, though. Sleep first, he thought with a yawn and nearly missed the next step.
“Daniel, I must have a word with you.”
What the devil? Oh, it was Garrett behind him. With a sigh, he hastened up the last few steps, tripping just once. Good thing he had such a tight grip on the stair rail. “Go away.”
“This is important.”
“I need some rest first.” He turned down the long corridor where his nice, soft bed awaited. His head began to pound—no thanks to his loud friend—and he needed to sleep.
“Something serious has happened.”
Daniel halted and turned, swaying just a bit. “Is it Grandmother or Victoria?” He tried to focus on his friend without getting dizzy.
Garrett shook his head. “No, it’s—”
“Andrew?”
“No. It’s your—”
“Then I don’t want to hear about it,” Daniel snapped and hurried the remaining few feet.
“Wait. Daniel, stop.”
Ignoring his friend, he stumbled into the anteroom of his private chambers, nearly falling to the floor in his haste. Catching himself just in time, he turned and closed the door on his stunned friend’s face. With a relieved breath, he rotated the brass filigree key in the lock until he heard the snap, then hobbled away.
The knob jiggled a second later, followed by an insistent banging. “Damn it, Daniel!” Garrett’s voice sounded muffled through the thick oak. “Open this door. Why are you acting this way? There is something important I have to tell you.”
“Go away,” Daniel shouted over his shoulder.
“No, listen. It’s Silver…”
Grimacing at the mention of her name, Daniel quickened his pace. He didn’t want to hear another word. Spilling into his bedchamber, he closed and locked that door as well, barring the sound of Garrett’s voice completely. Shuffling to his bed, he tore away the suffocating cravat from his neck and fell onto the soft blankets. Through the gin-soaked fog clouding his mind, one thought arose. He had to get away for a while. Some place no one would likely find him. If he remembered the idea when he woke in a few hours, he would consider where to go.
With a contented sigh for his new plan, he embraced his drunken fatigue.
Chapter Nineteen
Silver should not have been surprised. Not at all. She watched Molly arrange her hair through the large, oval mirror, and tried to ignore how pale she was. Although she had been practicing her serene look, as she called it, she couldn’t quite keep all the shadows from haunting her eyes. Arriving at the stately Huntington town house with Torie, Anne, and Prudence yesterday afternoon, intentionally procrastinating until the last minute because she didn’t have enough courage to face her husband, she had been terrified as she stepped through the front door. But she should have known what to expect from that rotten man. Even though a note had been forwarded telling him to expect their arrival, he hadn’t been in residence.
And he still hadn’t come home.
A knock sounded at the door and Silver tensed. She had to clear her throat in order to speak. “Come in.”
Torie cascaded into the room, looking gorgeous in ivory silk. “Are you nervous about tonight?”
Silver turned in her chair to look up at her sister-in-law. “Immensely,” she admitted as Molly slid the last hair pin into place.
Smiling a bit too brightly, Torie revealed the worry she was trying pitifully to conceal. “Don’t be. Everyone is going to love you.”
Despite her own apprehension, Silver smiled in return, trying to ease the girl’s disquiet. Daniel no longer cared for her. The day Garrett returned to Huntington alone proved that. But Torie’s reaction had been a surprise. Instead of distancing herself, the sweet dear made an effort to spend more time with Silver, resulting in a closer friendship between them.
“You are very kind to say so, Torie,” she said, rising to her feet, trying not to clutch the sides of her sapphire blue gown. “Now let’s get this debut of mine over and done with.”
With a deep breath for courage, she left her bed chamber and walked with Torie down the stairs where everyone waited for them in the entry hall. She halted, her heart sinking despite her best efforts to keep it from happening. Daniel still hadn’t showed.
Silver turned to her aunt, whose dark eyes sparkled with fury. The woman’s high cheeks had even bloomed red and her lips were twisted in a menacing scowl. Not a good sign, that.
“What has happened?” she asked.
Before Prudence could reply, the front door opened. Silver stiffened, then relaxed when she realized the man wasn’t her husband.
Lord Andrew paused before her and gave a deep bow. “May I have the pleasure of escorting you tonight, Your Grace?”
At that m
oment, she knew the reason for Prudence’s anger. Daniel would not come. Hurt warred with relief within her, but she pushed aside both feelings. Forcing a smile, trying to keep her chin from wobbling, she nodded. “I would be delighted, Lord Andrew.” Then she turned away. She couldn’t stand to see the pity in his eyes. Eyes that too closely resembled her husband’s.
A movement caught Silver’s attention, and she glanced toward the stairs. She could only stand there and gape as the dowager duchess—dressed in an elegant mint green ball gown—approached.
“Grandmamma,” Victoria said, her face lighting up with a genuine smile. “You are coming with us?”
Prudence sniffed and stepped forward. “If you’re planning to ruin—”
“Do be quiet, Prudence. I have no intention of ruining Silver’s debut.” The dowager turned to her. “I thought it would be better if you didn’t have to face the entire ton alone. Are you ready?”
Numbly, Silver nodded. “Thank you, Your Grace,” she said, gripping the sides of her dress.
What just happened, she wondered as she made her way to the coach? Did Anne Claiborne pity her now? Just before she stepped in behind Torie, Silver heard the dowager address Jenkins. “Have this note delivered with the utmost haste to the Davenport house in Promenade Street.”
The ride to the Claremont town house passed in a haze. Silver did not recall much of the short journey nor of entering the palatial mansion, but now she stood before a sea of colorful gowns and black evening suits, her heart clattering about in her chest. She tried not to cringe as the under-butler called out her name and title, hers alone. The din of conversation came to an abrupt halt and everyone glanced up in unison.
The silence stretched out. Silver swallowed, feeling thousands of eyes on her, boring into her. Then the man announced Lord Andrew and loud whispers broke out. Now everyone realized Daniel wasn’t coming. She clasped her trembling hands together and seriously considered the idea of turning around and fleeing this wretched debut. But Andrew was holding out his hand, waiting to escort her down the steps.
Duchess Beware (Secrets & Scandals Book 2) Page 20