by Fimch, Fanny
She knew of at least three people who would help her every step of the way.
“If you would care to check on him this evening, however,” she continued, “I would be grateful. But if he is doing well and still breathes life, you do not need to return to tell me. Return to Brisbourne and… perhaps I will see you again in the morning?”
“Yes, we will return to take you back if you like.”
Camilla was nodding. “I think that is a good idea, Emma,” she said. “And I will come with you.”
“In the morning, then.” Emma nodded in agreement.
Before they left for the night, the Duke of Lox and the Duke of Rabney stood outside on the porch with Emma and Camilla, admiring the million tiny stars that dotted the sky.
Emma was leaning on one of the large round pillars that stretched up to hold the roof above their heads. There were only a few steps down to the ground but the men both stopped at the top, without going down even one.
The women stood beside them, looking up.
“Will you find your way home?” Camilla asked. “Perhaps you should stay overnight.”
The Duke of Rabney looked down at her. “If we have bad news to report from Corning Manor, we will stay. If we do not return, rest assured we are all right and either at Brisbourne or heading there.”
“I hope we do not see you again tonight, then,” Camilla said with a smile.
Both the men smiled back at her, finally taking the steps down to where their horses were waiting for them. They mounted and took the lanterns from the stable boy as he handed one to each of them.
“Good night, Lady Wentworth, Lady Fielding,” the Duke of Lox said. “We hope to see you again in the morning. And not later tonight.”
“Yes, my lord,” Emma said softly, crossing her arms in front of her chest.
Both men gave a curt nod, then turned the horses away leading them down the path, holding up their lanterns to light the way.
Camilla put one arm around her cousin’s shoulders and squeezed. “Perhaps you should have gone back to Corning Manor with them, Emma,” she whispered. “You must be terribly anxious about your father.”
Emma nodded. “I am anxious. But I do not wish to see the duchess. I simply cannot bear to see her. Not tonight. Tomorrow when I am there, I am sure to see her. But I must have time to think about this. I cannot make any rash decisions.”
“You are not talking about the duchess,” Camilla said. Emma looked at her.
“What do you mean?”
“You are talking about making a decision between the Duke of Lox and Lord Archibald. We both know the answer to that question, Emma. The Duke of Lox is much more suited to you and you actually want to be around him. It is not like that with Lord Archibald. When was the last time you felt any attraction to him, if ever?”
Emma thought about it. It was true she had no romantic feelings for Lord Archibald but recalled feeling sorry for him on occasion, when he would be with Lady Bonneville and would look about as miserable as a man could get. It was a wonder the lady did not recognize that look for what it truly was.
“I have never felt any romantic attraction to him. I have never felt any attraction to him. He was my friend of the ton and I danced with him on occasion. It was never meant to be any more than that. I have seen him…” she hesitated but continued after a moment. “I have seen him with Lady Bonneville and he looks utterly miserable. On those occasions, I may have felt a stir in my heart but I do not think that is a sign of attraction to him.”
“Being sympathetic toward someone, no, that does not count as love.” Camilla gave her another squeeze and they smiled at each other. “Come, let us retire and talk about them inside.”
Emma let out a noise of exasperation. “Ugh, I do not wish to speak of Lord Archibald anymore.”
“Oh Emma, you know that is not who I was talking about.” Camilla giggled as the two young women turned to go inside. They could barely see the lantern lights in the distance, swinging as the dukes’ horses disappeared down the path. “I am praying we do not see them again tonight,” she continued, “though being in the presence of the Duke of Rabney is becoming such a joy for me.”
“I can see that,” Emma smiled at her cousin. “You two seem perfectly matched.”
Camilla’s dark eyes flashed at Emma as they passed the lit torches on either side of the front door. “I feel so comfortable talking to him. He seems to have the right response to everything I say.”
“I suppose you ask him questions about the Duke of Lox, Camilla,” Emma teased. “So that you can tell me about it later.”
Camilla laughed. “And what if I do? Do not think too highly of yourself, Lady Emma Wentworth,” she said through her tittering. “There are many times when we talk and do not mention you and the Duke of Lox at all. You are not the only topic of discussion, you know.”
Emma joined her cousin in laughter. She felt a jolt of excitement hearing Camilla pair her and the Duke of Lox together. Instead of saying you or the Duke of Lox, she had said you and the Duke of Lox. The one word made a huge world of difference to Emma.
“Yes, I am sure of that.” She noticed her cousin giving her a close look when they passed through the door to get back in. Camilla’s smile had not left her face. When she laughed this time, it was light and gentle, but with still the same infectious air. Emma couldn’t help giggling.
“Why are you laughing, Camilla?”
“I am very happy, Emma,” Camilla responded. “I see our futures looking bright and happy. I am excited for that to happen. Not just to me, though, to both of us. You were very different with the Duke of Lox tonight. You were more pleasant to him than usual. Does that mean you have made your choice?”
Emma felt her heart squeeze tight. She was not going to let Camilla in on it but she had made her choice. If the Duke of Lox would have her, she would agree to be his.
The obstacle that now stood in their way was the possibility of the duchess’s objection and arrangement with Lord Archibald if there was one.
“Camilla, I wonder what the chances are that I have this whole situation wrong. Perhaps Lord Archibald was just coming to pay his respects. Perhaps his intentions were good.”
Camilla shrugged, a nonchalant look on her face. “It matters not. He did not come by your invitation. He may have come calling on you, not realizing what had happened. Or he may have been summoned by your step-mother. Either way, you did not want him there. You did not ask him to come calling.”
“Do you think the Duke of Lox understands that, too?”
Camilla smiled again, satisfaction covering her face. “Yes,” she replied confidently. “I do.”
Chapter Twenty-Five
The Duke of Lox rode alongside his companion in comfortable silence that was not broken until the men got past the long driveway.
“What an odd experience,” the Duke of Rabney was first to speak. “I do not think I will forget this day and night for some time to come.”
The Duke of Lox nodded, running one hand through his hair. “You are correct, Christian. It has been an odd day from the beginning.”
“I feel like I have been living this day for a year.” The Duke of Rabney’s voice was so whimsical, the Duke of Lox looked over at his friend’s profile to make sure he was not falling asleep in the saddle. He could only see the outline of the Duke of Rabney but the man was not slumping in exhaustion. He was sitting up straight in the saddle, his eyes directly ahead. He only turned them when he noticed the Duke of Lox was looking at him.
“It is a very bright moon tonight,” the Duke of Lox said. “Do you not agree?”
“It is. We almost do not need the lanterns.”
There was a moment of silence before the Duke of Rabney spoke once again. “I say, I am still in shock from today’s events. And I noticed a difference in Lady Wentworth after we left the Hillshire Estate.”
“Do you suppose it was my wit and charm finally winning her over?” The Duke of Lox grinned from ear
to ear.
The Duke of Rabney laughed loudly and the Duke of Lox feigned being hurt by it. “Why do you laugh? It is a possibility.”
“Yes, yes, of course,” the Duke of Rabney said quickly. “I only laugh because you have been pining over her for weeks now and you finally have a chance. It makes me very happy for you. I wish the same fortune for you as I have with Lady Fielding.”
“I do not think I need be worried about Lord Archibald, do you?”
The Duke of Rabney shook his head. “No. If anything, you might be worried if you do indeed have to do business with him. But not where Lady Wentworth is concerned. She is not interested in that man. It took her this long to show any interest in you. It feels as though you just danced with her and we have remained at the beginning.”
The Duke of Lox shook his head, staring down the road in front of him. “Not to me. I have spoken with her enough to know a few things about her. It is my wish to have time to find out many more things about her.”
“A delightful bonus it is to have no more worries about our inheritances. We will surely be married by the end of the season.”
The Duke of Lox tried to imagine himself married to Lady Wentworth. It seemed like a dream. How could he possibly be so blessed as to have her as his wife? He was sure she would provide him with an heir quickly, which was the whole point of holding the inheritance. He had to marry to produce an heir. He smiled. Their children would be beautiful, like their mother.
“I got the same impression, Christian,” the Duke of Lox finally replied, bringing his thoughts back to reality. “But I would like to know more about Lord Archibald. It seems odd to me that he would be making deals with the Duchess of Corning. What would possess either of them to conspire? If the duchess is only worried about Lady Wentworth being married, why would she strictly focus on Lord Archibald?”
The Duke of Rabney nodded. “I know what you are thinking. You are thinking what is wrong with you instead of him. That is a good question, Baldwin. One to which I do not know the answer. I see nothing that young man has that you do not have. In fact, you are much more suited to take care of Lady Wentworth and her family than he is.”
“I have to agree, not to sound boastful.”
The Duke of Rabney shook his head. “The truth is not boastful.”
The Duke of Lox thought about it a moment. “I cannot put my finger on it but there must be something. Perhaps we can find out somehow. I do not know either of them to speak of. But I know others who do.”
“You may raise suspicion if you ask too many questions, Baldwin. You must be careful not to damage Lady Wentworth’s reputation.”
“I am aware.” The Duke of Lox nodded. The last thing he wanted to do was damage her reputation in society. He would do anything he could to avoid such a thing.
When they reached the long path up to Corning Manor, they stopped and looked up at the house. It was dark, other than one or two rooms lit by indoor lanterns and fireplaces.
“It looks peaceful up there. Surely, it would not be peaceful if the duke passed on.”
The Duke of Lox peered up at the house, scanning the row of buggies out front. He recognized the doctor’s and the Cornings’. There was a horse next to the Corning buggy.
He narrowed his eyes when movement caught his attention. Someone had come from the front door.
“Speak of the devil,” the Duke of Rabney muttered under his breath.
Lord Archibald was coming through the door of Corning Manor, carrying a torch in front of him. As soon as he was outside, he lit the torch and held it up in front of him. He turned when someone else followed him from the house.
The Duke of Lox sucked in his breath. “That is the duchess!” he hissed.
“It certainly is,” the Duke of Rabney’s voice was low.
They sat atop their horses, watching as Lord Archibald and the Duchess of Corning had a discussion. It was too dark to see the looks on their faces. Neither of the dukes could tell if they were arguing or not.
Lord Archibald turned away from the duchess and she watched as he went down to his horse. He must have said something when he reached the horse. He mounted and sat in the saddle for a prolonged pause. Then he urged the horse to the left and began down the path to where the dukes were waiting for him.
The Duke of Rabney looked at his friend. “Here he comes. What will you say to him?”
The Duke of Lox raised his eyebrows, giving his friend a curious look. “I have nothing wayward to say to him.”
“Perhaps I should introduce him to Daniella.”
Both men burst out laughing. The Duke of Lox noticed when Lord Archibald suddenly halted his horse, staring down at them. They were lit up enough by their lanterns for him to see who they were. The Duke of Lox lifted one arm and beckoned to him.
“Come down, Lord Archibald. Tell us the news of the Duke of Corning. Is he well?”
Lord Archibald moved his horse along the pathway, approaching them slowly. “He is not well,” he answered when he was within a few feet of them. “But he lives.”
“That is good news.” The Duke of Rabney pulled his horse closer to the Duke of Lox and they blocked Lord Archibald’s progress from the pathway to the road. “The doctor has stayed?”
Lord Archibald nodded. “He felt he may be needed in the night. We are hoping not, as Lady Wentworth seems to have disappeared.”
“She has disappeared?”
The Duke of Lox and the Duke of Rabney shared a look between them. Should they mention Emma’s whereabouts to Lord Archibald? Just the thought made a frown cover the Duke of Lox’s face, which Lord Archibald took to mean he was worried about the young lady.
“Lady Wentworth is a unique woman,” Lord Archibald said, almost to himself. The Duke of Lox narrowed his eyes.
“What do you mean by that?” he asked.
“I have been acquainted with her for several years now,” the younger man replied. The Duke of Lox detected a hint of superiority in Lord Archibald’s voice. It amused him and annoyed him at the same time. “She is odd in her ways… she is not like the other women in society. She is like… a wild fire. Always on the move. Always doing something.”
“Is that the way she seems to you?” The Duke of Rabney sounded surprised. “She seems quite demure and kind to me.”
“She is both of those things,” Lord Archibald was quick to say. “And she is hot and cold and weak and strong… she is unique, as I said.”
The Duke of Lox felt a bit sick that Lord Archibald described Emma to such great precision. Those were his thoughts on her, too. He didn’t want Lord Archibald to know her better than he did.
“I have danced with her for about three seasons, this being the fourth, I do believe. She is a lovely woman, is she not? I hope to someday make her my bride. The duchess and I…” He stopped suddenly and his eyes widened, as if he had just realized who he was speaking to. “It… it is quite late and I must get home. I am sure you both have important things to do tomorrow, as well. I will bid you good night.”
The Duke of Rabney stared at Lord Archibald for just a moment before moving his horse to let the young man pass.
“Good night, Lord Archibald, and Godspeed,” he said as he moved his horse to stand next to the Duke of Lox again.
Once his torchlight faded and he could no longer be seen, the men looked at each other.
“Do you still feel the need to go up to Corning Manor?” the Duke of Rabney asked.
The Duke of Lox ran his tongue along the inside of his mouth, thinking about it. “I see no real need, since we know he is alive but failing quickly. Going to the house will bring questions about Lady Wentworth. She does not want the duchess to know where she is.”
He shook his head. “This is a terrible situation for Lady Wentworth. My heart goes out to her.”
“Your heart goes out to her for more reasons than her trouble with the duchess.” The Duke of Rabney snorted. “But I do see your point. Shall we return to Brisbourne and Daniella?”
The Duke of Lox grunted. “You continue to bring up Lady Christian and cause me pains in my stomach. Why must you do that?”
The Duke of Rabney laughed. “It is fun. There is no better reason to do something. Daniella is a good reason to try something new. Especially in your case, Baldwin.”
The Duke of Lox moaned and placed one hand over his stomach as if he was truly in pain. His companion continued to laugh.
“Come now, it is not that bad, is it?” The Duke of Rabney shook his head. “Calm yourself. I will find a way to get Daniella to go home soon. I am sure you can live through a day or two of her being in Brisbourne.”
The Duke of Lox snorted. “It would not surprise me if we returned to see that she had changed all the furniture, placed paintings on the wall and laid new rugs on the floor.”
The Duke of Rabney laughed harder than before. “Oh, Baldwin! You surely do know my cousin well. Perhaps you should marry her.”
“Mention that again and I will thrash you to within an inch of your life,” the Duke of Lox warned his friend, shaking his head and smiling. “Do you hear me, sir? Within an inch of your life.”
Chapter Twenty-Six
When the two men returned to Cooksey Castle the next morning, they found the entire family ready to leave with them. The Fieldings were going to visit with the Duke of Corning. Camilla’s mother was worried about her brother’s health.
The Duke of Lox approached the Duke of Cooksey, speaking to him in a low voice as the rest of the family got in the carriage. “Do you feel it appropriate for me to come along, sir? This may be a time only for family.”
The duke gave him a grateful smile. “That is kind of you to say, your grace. But no, you are welcome to come along. I do believe you can provide some comfort for Lady Emma.”