by Abigail Agar
The writing was more difficult than she thought it would be, however. She found herself staring at the paper wondering what to say next. At one point in her life, she could have written Jack Shelton pages of words talking about next to nothing. Now with her urgent message, she found herself mute and illiterate.
“How can it be so hard?” Gwyn asked the mirror on her vanity. Her reflection simply stared back at her and sighed with Gwyn’s own breath.
A knock on her door made Gwyn jump so that she laughed as soon as she recovered from her fright. “Just a moment,” Gwyn called as she got up and smoothed her dress.
Outside the door was Adrienne. “Pardon me, Miss, but you have a visitor downstairs,” Adrienne said with a smile.
“I will be right down,” Gwyn said as she turned to straighten her desk. She had spilled a bit of ink that needed tidying up.
“I can clean that up if you wish?” Adrienne offered as she followed Gwyn into the room.
Gwyn blushed. “As long as you can overlook my letter. I am trying to strive for peace between the Shelton brothers but feel myself losing on both accounts.”
“Oh, Miss,” Adrienne said with a sad shake of her head. “Why do you punish yourself like this?”
Gwyn said, “I just want everything to be like it was.”
“Things change sometimes. Sometimes when they do so, things don’t go back the way they were,” Adrienne said thoughtfully.
Gwyn laughed. “Henry said something like that as well.”
“Then I agree with him,” Adrienne said. “Now go on downstairs. I told the young lady to await you in the blue sitting room.”
Gwyn frowned. “What young lady?”
“A Lady Gregory, I believe,” Adrienne said. “She said you would know her from this past season in London.”
Gwyn still had no idea who it could be, but she went downstairs with much curiosity to the blue sitting room where she went when she wanted to be alone. Sure enough, there was Mary who greeted Gwyn with a big smile. “Mary,” Gwyn said in a pleased voice, a smile spreading across her face.
Mary greeted Gwyn with a hug which Gwyn gladly returned. “It has been too long,” she said with glee. “I am so happy to see you are still single.”
“That of all things, makes you happy?” Gwyn laughed at her friend.
The two of them sat down, and Mary said, “Well, that sergeant fellow was quite the mismatch for you if you ask me.”
“Everyone says that now that I am parted with him,” Gwyn said with a shake of her head. “Although I am betrothed at the moment, I fear it will be some time before I am actually at the altar.”
Mary looked intrigued. “Now that sounds interesting.”
“Not as interesting as that ring I see on your finger, and I noted you were announced as Lady Gregory.” Gwyn grinned at the young woman. “So, you married your plump suitor?”
Mary giggled and nodded. “Guilty,” she said happily. “He wanted to escort me here today, but business called him off. I am determined, so I talked him into letting me come with an extra man on the carriage as a precaution.”
“You look so happy,” Gwyn said with a blissfulness that even Mary seemed to notice.
Mary inquired, “Are you not happy? You are on your way to the altar.”
“Not there yet, though,” Gwyn said with a frown. “I wonder some days if I will actually make it there.”
Mary clasped her hands together and asked, “I heard that you were marrying one of the Shelton sons.”
“Yes,” Gwyn said with a nod of her head. “I am marrying Henry.”
Mary looked down at her hands. “Please, forgive me. I had heard that, but I did not know if it were true. I have been away for some time with my husband. As soon as I returned I heard a rumour that you were marrying Henry. I wanted to come to see you as soon as I could.”
“I am not quite sure what you need to be forgiven for,” Gwyn said in confusion.
Mary leaned over. “I thought it frivolous nonsense and drama.”
“You are beginning to worry me,” Gwyn said frankly.
Mary frowned. “I am sorry. I just do not know how to say it.”
“Just saying it would be the best way,” Gwyn urged.
Mary took a deep breath. “The night before I heard about Captain Shelton and Miss Rayburne, I saw Miss Rayburne arguing, rather heatedly, with Lord Shelton.”
“Henry?” Gwyn clarified.
Mary nodded. “I did not think much of it. After I heard about the scandal, I wrote it off that Henry was trying to talk the girl out of making a public spectacle of it all.”
“It very well could have been,” Gwyn said thoughtfully.
With another nod, Mary agreed, “It could have, which is why I did not mention it. But I felt the urge to when I knew that you were going to marry Henry or any of the Shelton sons really.”
Gwyn laughed. “I see. I am grateful that you thought enough of me that you wanted to tell me. I do not think it was anything untoward, but I will ask Henry about it.”
“As much as I do not want a Duke mad with me, you feel free to tell him where you got the information,” Mary said with a grin.
Gwyn laughed again. “I fear I do tend to babble when I get nervous, so there is a good chance that I would ramble all that out anyway.”
“I am glad that you do not think I am just stirring the pot,” Mary said with relief. “Like I said, I thought it perfectly harmless. I just felt guilty.”
Gwyn nodded her understanding. “If anyone understands the need to purge a little guilt from time to time, then I do.”
“You seem the type to hoard up guilt,” Mary said with a smile. “Only you do not seem the type that creates drama much. I always liked that about you.”
Gwyn smiled. “Thank you. I always liked that you seemed to just do what you want regardless of what was expected of you. I never have had that sort of guts.”
“Really? You struck me as a woman who has plenty of her own guts,” Mary said honestly. “Besides after all the things I have heard ever so discreetly since my return to London about some sort of feud and other things, I think you deserve to do what you want more than most women.”
Gwyn shook her head. “And here I thought it was being kept quiet.”
“Oh, it is,” Mary assured Gwyn. “I just know the right people. Do not worry, though, the rumours end with me. I will stomp them out, but I will let you know if I hear anything that you need to hear about.”
Gwyn said, “So, that is what my mother meant by having society connections.”
Mary laughed and slapped her legs, reminding Gwyn that that wild girl she had met at events was still underneath that disguise of a married, cultured lady. “I better head back so I can meet up with my husband later. He gets so worried. It is very endearing.”
“I am so glad you are happy,” Gwyn said again with feeling as she hugged her friend goodbye.
Mary whispered as she hugged Gwyn back, “I hope you are as happy as I am one day.”
***
Inviting Henry for tea was something that Gwyn did from time to time, but today, she had invited him with an ulterior motive. She had barely seen the man over the last few days, and she wanted to address what she had been told by Mary. Gwyn sighed at the perky blue wallpaper. The painted grasses that were perpetually swaying in an unfelt breeze made Gwyn feel calm.
Fulton’s deep voice heralded Henry’s arrival. “Lord Shelton, Ma’am,” Fulton called from behind the closed door.
“Let him in, Fulton,” Gwyn called back.
A moment later, the door opened, and Henry came in. He gave an appreciative glance at the tray fitted with teacups, teapot, sandwiches, and sugar biscuits. “Such a lovely sight,” Henry said cheerfully.
“The tea tray or me?” Gwyn asked with a smile.
Henry pondered the question then said, “Both.” He dropped down on the cushioned seat gracefully as Fulton took his position in a chair across the room from them so that he could chapero
ne.
“See, that took you too long to decide,” Gwyn said with a laugh.
Henry said, “But you make a lovely tea. Can I have some?”
“Yes, you may,” Gwyn said primly as she poured the man some tea into his cup. “Sugar?”
Henry shook his head and just took a bit of cream. “So, your invitation said you wished to discuss something with me,” Henry asked as he bit into a sandwich. “Cucumber, my favourite.”
Gwyn smiled at the man. She cleared her throat. “Yes. I received a visit from Lady Gregory; she is married to Ruben Gregory. Mister Gregory is a merchant.”
“Yes, the name sounds familiar,” Henry said with a puzzled expression. “I am just a bit confused as to what that has to do with me.”
Gwyn said, “That has nothing really to do with you. I was just explaining who Mary was. I met her during this past London Season. She has become a dear friend.” Gwyn saw that Henry was looking at her doubtfully, so she continued, “Mary told me that she saw you and Miss Rayburne arguing the night before the scandal became public with your brother and the young lady.”
“I do not even remember much about that night,” Henry said. “The scandal kind of put everything else to the bottom of the pail. If she says she saw me, then she probably did.” Henry frowned then he said, “Oh yes, wait; I did speak with her. She wanted me to convince Jack to marry her or some such. I refused. She screamed a bit then the next day … well, that was that.”
“I see,” Gwyn said softly as she picked up her teacup.
Henry frowned. “I do not quite understand why the sudden interest in my brother’s past affairs?”
“I just wanted to clarify it. Mary had been concerned that I know about it, and so now I know.” Gwyn shrugged. “It was nothing.”
Henry said, “Yes, it was nothing. Yet, I still do not know how I feel about you being so interested in it. It concerned Jack and not me. So, are you concerned about my fidelity or were you curious because of Jack?”
Gwyn stared at Henry for a moment. “I thought you trusted me as I do you.”
“Well, that was when I thought you trusted me. Here you are asking me about some woman that I barely knew. Jack is still not the saint, and making me into a devil will not wash him clean,” Henry said as he set his cup and sandwich down.
Gwyn stood up as the man rose from the couch. “Henry, please. I did not mean to upset you.”
“I am not upset. I am just disappointed. I thought that of all people you would not just believe the worst of me,” Henry said with a deep frown.
Gwyn assured the man, “I do not think the worst of you. I thought you were merely trying to help your brother, so did Lady Gregory frankly. No one thinks as horribly of you as you apparently do yourself, Henry.”
Henry shook his head. “I have to get to work. I have to meet a business partner in London.”
Gwyn wanted to call out to the man, but he was gone before she got the chance. Fulton gave Gwyn a sympathetic look before he followed Henry out of the door to see him out of the house. She had known that Henry would more than likely not be thrilled that she had brought up such a subject. However, she was taken aback by his intense irritation with her over it.
Perhaps Henry thought she still harboured some affection for Jack, Gwyn pondered. There was no way she could make the man see that she did not if he was stubbornly holding onto that fixation. Gwyn sighed and took another sip of her tea.
Adrienne knocked on the door, and Gwyn waved for the young woman to come in. “Do you want some tea? There is plenty left.”
“Oh no, Miss,” Adrienne said with a shake of her head. “I just saw the young man leave and thought he looked rather upset. Is everything okay?” Adrienne sat down on the couch near Gwyn.
Gwyn sighed and nodded. “I suppose everything is okay.” She slumped back onto the couch. “I fear that I have offended Henry.”
“What could you have done to make a man so offended?” Adrienne eyed Gwyn curiously.
Gwyn felt remiss for even bringing the conversation up. However, she had come to like Adrienne, and she needed advice from someone a bit outside of the situation. “I told him that a friend had seen him arguing with the lady who accused Captain Shelton of misbehavior and such. It was nothing really, or I did not think it was. I merely wanted to ask him about it.”
“I’d probably be a bit curious myself, but you didn’t actually accuse him of anything. Seems sensible enough, but then men are not really that sensible. As much as they claim we are the stranger of the two sexes, I think that men are by far the less logical ones. Women don’t have a choice but to be sensible. We have to rely on men for most things in this world,” Adrienne said with a frown.
Gwyn felt relieved that Adrienne at least seemed to think that Henry’s reaction was a bit over the top. “I think he might believe that I asked because of some misguided notion that I was asking because of his brother.”
Adrienne sighed. “Take not on this guilt. It lies with Lord Shelton.”
“Thank you, Adrienne. I must admit that it is nice to have a friend at home again,” Gwyn said softly.
Adrienne asked curiously, “What happened to the chambermaid you had before me, Miss?”
“She lives in India. There was a man there that she fancied very much, so I convinced her to stay and see where that all landed. I figured that one of us needed to have some success in the arena of love at least,” Gwyn said. She pursed her lips out then laughed. “I should write her actually and see how that all went after I left. I fear I have not heard much out of India at all and have been too busy to seek out information.”
Adrienne smiled. “I’m glad you talked her into staying. Did she stay on with your aunt then?”
“Yes,” Gwyn nodded. “Yes, she stayed on to help my aunt and her husband. They really did not have much in the way of staff other than a very old housekeeper.”
Adrienne nodded. “I’m glad she got to stay.”
“Me too,” Gwyn said softly. “There are times I wish I had stayed too.”
Chapter 15
Jack leaned against the side of the building. The wind was blustery and noisy today as it swept around the buildings, leaving Jack struggling to hear as he attempted to listen to any noises that came from within the building that Henry had entered. Jack cursed his luck.
Henry’s defensiveness the last time Jack spoke to the man had made Jack curious to see exactly what Henry was doing during his ever more frequent trips to London. Jack could not recall his father having any holdings in the building that he currently leaned against.
The only noise that Jack heard was the sound of the front door opening. He peered around the building cautiously. Henry was standing outside the door talking with someone still inside the building. What Henry was saying was drowned out by the wind in Jack’s ears. The person Henry was speaking to remained in the building securely out of sight, and Jack grew frustrated.
After Henry finally left, Jack decided to investigate the building. After all, he needed to know what Henry was doing if he had any hope of convincing everyone that Henry was not the person he claimed to be. Jack walked the stone road and eyed the house warily. There was not much to do other than just knock. If word got back to Henry, then so be it, Jack thought resignedly.
Jack walked up the stoop and rapped his hands against the door as there was no other way to knock. The wind whipped at his hat and hair, causing his blond strands to sting his face. He tugged his overcoat tighter around him.