by Abby Ayles
Cecilia looked at her mother. “Joanna was not telling the truth, mother. I know she is not telling the truth.”
Annabelle and the Duchess looked at the young girl with wonder.
“You do?” Annabelle asked. “How do you know?”
“Because I overheard a conversation they were having at the church today.” She came over to the couch where Annabelle was sitting and sat down.
“Why have you not mentioned it yet?”
“I thought it was already proven that Joanna was telling falsehoods. I saw no need to add wood to the fire.”
“Please tell me what you overheard, Cecilia,” Annabelle said.
“I want mother to understand that the Duke has done nothing wrong.”
Cecilia looked from her sister to her mother.
“The Lords Balfour were talking about her. They said they were surprised she told the Duke what she told him. They never thought she would. They called her weak and a child-like. Lord Gilbert… he is not a very nice man. He used some very harsh language to describe Joanna. I am just glad she is no longer considering him as a suitor. He would have been very cruel to her and she could have nothing done about it.”
Annabelle looked at her mother’s face to see her reaction. The Duchess was moving her lips around as if she wanted to say something but the words would not form. Her face was thoughtful and finally, she looked at her eldest daughter.
“If she lied for them to protect them, I can see why she has been so distraught.”
“She did exactly that, mother,” Cecilia said. “And they believe she would do anything they asked her to. At least Lord Gilbert believes that. Lord Leonard only talks to his brother. I have not heard him speak but a few times since they arrived.”
Annabelle nodded. “Yes, I noticed that.”
“I do believe we all noticed that,” the Duchess said.
Annabelle related the information to Julia that night after they got Joanna calm and in bed. Julia had decided to stay with Annabelle for another night, so they could stay up later and talk. She said she had something to tell Annabelle.
They dressed for bed and climbed in, laying under the covers and looking at each other. The lantern on the side table on Annabelle’s side was still lit.
“What is it you need to tell me? And why could you not tell me when we were with Joanna?” Annabelle asked.
“I could not tell you this because Joanna will be very upset. Somehow, my father has not gotten the hint that the Balfour brothers are not to be trusted. He told someone at church that there would be arrangements made that I would marry Lord Leonard and Joanna would marry Lord Gilbert.”
Annabelle felt a little sick to her stomach. She knew that was the last thing Julia wanted and Joanna was not safe with a manipulative man like Lord Gilbert.
“Oh dear. That cannot happen. Your life would be ruined.”
“Yes, it would. But I will never marry Lord Leonard. The mere thought makes me ill. It is quite frightening to think that we would have to live the rest of our lives married to two cruel, unlawful brothers. I want nothing to do with them now. How will I feel after marrying one?”
“You need not worry, my dear,” Annabelle said in a low voice, scanning her friend’s face in the dim light of the lantern.
“You will not marry him. Joanna will not marry Lord Gilbert. It will not come to pass.”
“You sound very confident.”
Annabelle nodded.
“We will find the paintings and get justice. When we get justice, your father will see the light. The Lords Balfour will not be here to manipulate or steal anymore. They will be in prison or they will be hanged. That, of course, will depend on what has happened to Reverend Stovington.”
Julia pressed her cheek into the fluffy white pillow under her face.
“I wonder where he is. I certainly hope he is safe.”
“I do, too,” Annabelle responded, nodding. “I fear for his life. If he has gone missing without a trace or a word, there is a good chance he is not all right.”
“You are right,” Julia agreed. “And he is such a good man. This is such a tragedy.”
She was quiet for a moment before continuing, “When you spoke with Duke Colbourn today on your walk, did you solve anything at all? Do we have any way of finding the paintings?”
“We did not come to any solid conclusions. We know they took them. We just do not know where. That will be the hardest thing. Trying to find them. Someone knows something and they are not even aware of it.”
“What do you mean?”
Annabelle scooted herself down a little, pulling the covers up to her chin. She stared at the waving canopy fabric above her four-poster bed. It was the most fascinating color of green and she’d insisted on bedclothes to match. The green color comforted Annabelle’s rapid heartbeat.
“I mean, someone probably saw something and they did not even realize it might be a clue of some kind. Earlier today, Cecilia overheard the Lords Balfour discussing Joanna and how gullible she is. I could not mention them in front of her this evening. She is already distraught. I do not want to add to her pain and discomfort.”
“I thank you for thinking of her.”
“You did the same.”
They smiled at each other.
“I wish she realized that we really do care for her. I have told her on many occasions and not heard the same feelings returned. Not with her words.” Julia repeated Annabelle’s movements, turning to lay on her back and stare up at the fabric. She did not pull the covers up to her chin.
“I think she knows deep in her heart that we love her. I cannot imagine what would make her feel so terrible about herself. I feel sorry for her.”
“I think feeling sorry for her is one of the ways she copes with people,” Julia said.
“What I mean to say is that when people feel sorry for her, she feels more comfortable. She wants to be taken care of. She wants to be loved and taken care of. I think she thought that was what Lord Gilbert was going to give her.”
“She did not always look happy when she was with him,” Annabelle said.
“And I noticed when they were together and father was telling Lord Gilbert to talk to your father about courting her, she did not look happy. She became very stiff and held her hands behind her back. I could not see her face at that time but I know she had to have been trying hard to cover her feelings. Probably smiling through it.”
“Do you believe she loved Lord Gilbert at all?”
“I do not know. But I do not believe he loved her at any point in time. It seems to me they used her to try to get Duke Colbourn to leave and then steal the paintings. When they realized the Duke was more believable than Joanna, they had to think of something new. I wonder what they told her to make her go along with them?”
“I do hope the reverend is found soon.”
“As do I.”
“I hope he is not injured or…” Annabelle could tell Julia did not even want to mention that the reverend could be dead.
“Do you really think the Lords Balfour would be unwise enough to do such a thing?”
“It would be ill-advised, to be sure. But I do not know the men well and at this point, I feel that there is a possibility they would be unwise enough to do something ghastly to the reverend.”
Annabelle and Julia were quiet after that. Annabelle occupied her tired mind with thoughts of Duke Colbourn until she fell asleep, only to dream of the man who would someday be her husband.
Chapter 35
When Annabelle woke up the next morning, she discovered Julia was already up and gone from the room. She sat up and stretched, thinking about her dream, the bits that she could remember.
She’d been with Duke Colbourn at a dance. She felt comfortable in his arms. She remembered the feeling with a smile. She stretched her arms over her head and yawned.
Her brain was still in a fog so she got out of bed and went straight to the water basin. She poured fresh water into it from the pitche
r that sat beside it and dipped her hands in it. It was cool but not terribly cold. It woke her some and she rubbed her hands on her face to wake up fully.
She got dressed and brushed her hair quickly. She could smell breakfast foods and the scent of fresh tea in the air. It made her stomach grumble.
She went down the stairs quickly, looking down the hallway before descending. All the doors were closed. She did not know who else was up.
The dining hall was half-filled with people from the city and the nearby counties, enjoying the traditional breakfast foods the Cartwrights always had available. She passed through the hall, smiling at the people and nodding in response to their greetings.
Julia and Joanna were seated near the window, where they usually sat to eat. The sun was shining through the great, tall windows. The drapes had been pulled to the side.
Annabelle made a plate of food and sat with her friends. “Good morning,” she greeted them. “Did you sleep well?”
Looking at Joanna, Annabelle did not think she slept well. There were dark rings under her eyes and her face looked drawn and tired. She did not answer Annabelle but Julia did.
“I did sleep well. I always do when I am in your room, Annabelle. I do not think my sister did, though.” Her voice was regretful as she looked at Joanna. Joanna looked back at her and shrugged.
“I will be fine. It unnerves me that Lord Gilbert… and Lord Leonard have not owned their crime. And I am worried about the reverend. Father says there has still been no sign of him. Lord Gilbert and Lord Leonard will not be back here to Norrend, I believe.”
Annabelle shook her head. “I agree. They will not come back here. I do not think father would let them anyway.”
The ladies sat eating, watching the guests of Norrend as they mingled around the room, talking, eating, laughing.
Annabelle wondered how they could be so joyous, considering the reverend was still missing. The paintings would mean nothing to any of them. But surely, they knew the reverend and knew he was still not found.
Annabelle scanned the room for Duke Colbourn but did not see him among the crowd.
“I wonder where the duke is,” she murmured quietly. Julia looked at her.
“I saw him leave already. He was with your father and Mr. Covington. I do not know where they were going but I do not think they left Norrend. They are probably in the parlor.”
“They must have come in early.” Annabelle was disappointed. She missed the Duke, not having seen him for the entire night from dinnertime till the morning.
She was anxious for a time when she would not have to miss him, when she would see him when she woke up in the morning and when she went to bed at night.
She told herself to be patient. He would be her husband soon enough.
She laughed at herself inside, knowing that soon enough was not quite soon enough for her.
After their breakfast, the young ladies decided to walk in the garden and enjoy the morning air. Just as they went through the door into the foyer, they saw Duke Colbourn coming out of the parlor with Duke Cartwright and Mr. Covington.
“Good morning, my ladies,” Mr. Covington said in a loud voice. Annabelle suspected he thought they might not have seen them.
“Good morning, Mr. Covington,” Annabelle responded. She looked at her father. “Has there been any news, father? Has the reverend been found?”
Her father shook his head. “He has not been found.”
“But the elder Lord Balfour is here,” Mr. Covington said, making all three ladies look at him. Annabelle turned her eyes back to her father.
“The elder Lord Balfour? The father of the Lords Balfour?”
“Yes, that is correct. He is at the church now. The word is that he is here to take his sons back with him.”
“But they cannot leave, father. They have the paintings and they know what happened to the reverend.”
Duke Cartwright stared at his daughter. “You say those things with great confidence.”
“Father, you do believe it, do you not? It could be no one else.”
“Annabelle, I have asked your father for his permission to take you on a carriage ride today and a walk in the park.”
When Duke Colbourn spoke up, Annabelle’s heart beat hard against her chest. She found it suddenly a little hard to breathe. All she could do was smile at him.
“I am happy to hear that,” she said. “When would you like to go?”
“If you are not busy now, we can go.”
Annabelle nodded. “I am ready to go.” She turned to Joanna and Julia. “You enjoy a walk if you like. I will be back soon.”
“Enjoy yourself, Annabelle.” Julia leaned over and gave her air kisses on each cheek.
“I will.”
Annabelle gave her a knowing smile as she passed by, taking the Duke’s arm as she had the day before. It was going to be a regular habit when they were married. She would not walk anywhere without circling her hands around his arm.
“Annabelle,” her father stopped her. She turned to look at him. “There is a ball in three days. We must prepare for it whether the reverend is found or not. Our lives must go on, shall we say.”
She blinked at him, wondering why it was so important for her to know that right then. She nodded. “All right, father.”
As Duke Colbourn led Annabelle outside to his waiting carriage, he leaned over and said in a low voice.
“We are going to do a little searching of our own, if you are up for it, Miss Cartwright. I do not want you to think I am being mischievous but the presence of the duke and others at the church yesterday did not leave the Balfour brothers much option but to cover themselves the whole day. Today, we will go visit the elder Lord Balfour at the church.”
“Did he not come just to get his sons?”
The Duke helped her up into the carriage and then went around to get in himself. She enjoyed being so close to him and knowing every time there was a jostle of the buggy or a rock in the road, she would be forced to bump against and lean on him. She did not mind it.
In fact, she rather looked forward to the small touches that would occur randomly throughout the ride.
“I assume he did come to get them but I suspect there is something else going on. They are the thieves as we have surmised so far but we have no proof of this. If their father has come to the church, I feel there is a good chance his sons were only following his directions. He does not sound like a gentleman from what I have heard. Already he has upset several women with his crude talk.”
Annabelle looked surprised. “He has? When did he arrive?”
“Apparently, he came sometime this morning during morning mass. Your father and I attended the mass this morning and he introduced himself to us. We did not have a lot of time to talk but what was said was quite telling.”
“Do you think he knows about the paintings?”
The Duke looked down at her with a sober face. “Not only do I think he knows about the paintings, I believe he knows something about the whereabouts of the reverend.”
“They will not tell us anything, will they? No more than they have? Their father will be of no help to us if he is taking part in the scheme.”
“We will have to take that chance.”
“We may have to do some very quiet research, your Grace,” Annabelle said.
Duke Colbourn looked down at her with a serious expression. “What do you mean, my Lady?”
“When I was a child, Julia, Joanna and I played a game in Norrend that never seemed to end. We would walk very quietly behind each other and if you were not spotted and touched, you won the game. I often won the game. But while I played, I noticed I could hear other people’s conversations very well and learned to avoid being seen by anyone, including those I was playing the game with. If we play that game with the Balfours, we may overhear some things we need to know.”
“Like the whereabouts of the reverend,” the Duke nodded as he spoke. “Yes, that is a good idea. I like your game.”
“Thank you.”
“What other games did you and the fine Rickman ladies play together?”
Annabelle looked thoughtful. “I would have to think about it. It was so long ago. I will have to think about it.”
“You are a very young lady. How can you forget already?” Duke Colbourn laughed.
Annabelle shrugged. “There are some things that once they are over, you rid from your mind in order to make room for better stuff than you had. I did that with my childish games. I do not think about them anymore. We had a lot of fun. But those days are over now and I will not reclaim them. I am a grown woman now.”
He grinned. “Yes, my dear, I can see that.”
“I wonder how much the Balfours know about art. Did you have a chance to talk to their father about it?”
“I did not. I did not want your father to question them further. If we make them angry, we might have a real catastrophe on our hands.”
Chapter 36
Annabelle and Duke Colbourn went to the church, leaving the carriage a block away and walking the rest of the distance so they would not be seen. She was feeling nervous but safe with the duke. He would not let any harm come to her, she was sure of it.
When she looked at him, even when he was not looking at her, she felt a warm feeling of love flow through her. She looked at his lips, his eyes, the features of his face, taking them in and making a new memory.
She was anxious for the day she could feel his arms wrapped around her and feel the love he had for her. She would make a scent memory of him, just the way she had with her father.
“Oh, your Grace, I do hope the reverend is all right.”
The Duke nodded. “I do, as well.”
“If he was not found at the church yesterday, why do you think he might be there now?”
“I do not know who else is at the church but if the Balfours are the only ones there, there is a reason for it. The Lords Balfour may not have been expecting their father and were therefore not ready to go. But I see no reason for them to stay any longer, yet they do. This does not make sense to me.”