Persuading Prudence

by Liz Cole

  “Thank you for understanding, Kolton,” she said gratefully, placing her hand against his cheek and tracing the outline of his jaw with her fingertips.

  “Don’t thank me,” he replied in a martyred tone. “Your pity would be much more appropriate.”

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Prudence sat at her desk the next day staring down in disbelief at the letter she held in her hand. She dropped it on the desk as if it were a snake ready to bite her. She immediately checked the drawer in her desk. It slid open easily, the diaries and letter she’d thought safely locked away, gone.

  She picked up the letter again and read over the flowing script.

  Lady Prudence,

  I have in my possession, three very informative bits of literature. Should you not want them to become the object of public scrutiny, it is my strong suggestion you end your engagement to Ravensbrook immediately.

  Should you not comply within a timely manner, said literature will be delivered to the Times and their subject matter made available to the public.

  Who had the diaries and her father’s letter? How had they gotten them? She always kept her desk locked and the key in the keepsake box on her desk. Until now, there had been no reason to secret it away. She opened the box, the key was there, and nothing else seemed out of place.

  She looked over the threatening letter once more. The handwriting was not familiar, but it was obviously penned by a woman. How did this person get into the house, find her room, know where to find the key, and search through her desk? It was unlikely a stranger could have managed such a feat. One of the servants, perhaps? Harriet was the obvious person to suspect. Prudence waved away the thought. Harriet had been with her too long and she trusted her ladies maid implicitly.

  Harriet knocked on the door and entered the room carrying her lunch tray. Prudence shoved the letter in the top drawer, locked it, and stuffed the key in the pocket of her skirt.

  “Harriet, have we hired any new servants recently?”

  Harriet set the tray down on the table in the cozy sitting area situated before the fireplace. “It is funny you should ask, my lady,” her maid answered. “We did hire a new upstairs maid a few weeks ago. Chatty thing she was. All starry-eyed about your wedding the earl. Couldn’t ask enough questions. Did her job well, from what I understand. Up ‘till she left without a by-your-leave the end of last week. Haven’t replaced her yet, as far as I know. Why? Is there a problem? Nothing’s come up missing has it?”

  “Oh, no. I thought I saw someone new,” Prudence lied. “I should have inquired earlier; I didn’t know the girl’s name. But it seems the point is moot now.”

  “Well, her name was Bessie, Bessie Watersham, in case you were wonderin’. Will there be anything else, my lady?”

  “No, thank you Harriet,” Prudence dismissed her maid with a forced smile. “I will ring when I have finished.” Prudence waited for the door to close behind her maid before resting her elbows on her desk and dropping her head in her hands.

  What was she going to do? She had more than herself to consider. There was the relationship with Hope and her father, the duke, not to mention Hope’s reputation and the scandal that would ensue if her sister’s paternity should become known. Then there was the scandal that would follow Prudence. What would it do to the family who had taken her in and raised her as one of them? Would they receive the cut direct? Prudence would never be able to live with herself if that happened.

  But how would she bring herself to let Kolton go? How could she not? If she broke off their engagement, she couldn’t continue living with the family. She would have to leave.

  Prudence conjured a picture in her mind of Kolton’s expression should she find the strength to tell him she was leaving him. Pain gripped her chest, squeezing so tightly she could barely breathe. Prudence wrapped her arms around herself, tears of anguish flowing freely down her cheeks.

  She stood, moved to the bed, and lay down. Curling herself into a ball, she cried herself silently to sleep.

  ***

  Prudence awoke an hour before dinner was to be served. She rang for Harriet and asked her maid to let Kolton and Victoria know she felt unwell and would be taking dinner in her room.

  After picking half-heartedly at her plate, Prudence set it aside. She let Harriet help her out of her dress and prepared for bed.

  Not long after her maid departed, there came a knock on Prudence’s door, and Kolton slipped in. He was sitting on the bed at her side and holding her hand before Prudence could blink.

  “Your maid said you were not feeling well. Are you sick?”

  His expression of tender concern tore at Prudence’s heart. She wanted to fall into his arms and cry all over again.

  Prudence gave him a weak smile. “It is nothing serious, Kolton. I have a crushing headache and wished to go to bed early, that’s all.” It was no lie; her eyes ached and her temples throbbed.

  Kolton ran the back of his fingers along her cheek, his worried eyes studying her face. “I can’t stand the thought of your suffering. What can I do to help, love? Would you like me to get you a cold compress?”

  By sheer strength of will, Prudence held back the tears that threatened at his sweet attempt to soothe her pain. She took his hand in hers and placed a kiss on his knuckles. “Thank you, Kolton, you are so good to me, but I will be fine. I just need to sleep.”

  A frown furrowed his brow. “Would you like me to sit with you until you fall asleep?” He tucked a stray lock of hair behind her ear.

  Yes!

  “No, Kolton, Victoria may come to check on me and it wouldn’t do to have you in bed with me.”

  He waived his hand dismissively. “I don’t care about Victoria; I only care about you and how you are feeling.”

  “Well, I care. Victoria has been like a mother to me. I wouldn’t want her thinking badly of me. No, you can say she would understand,” she continued before he could voice any objection, “but I would not feel right about it, and worrying will not help my headache.”

  Kolton’s shoulders dropped in defeat. “No, I suppose it wouldn’t,” he conceded regretfully, “but I insist you let me hold you for a moment or two before I go.”

  Prudence couldn’t deny herself one last opportunity to feel his strong arms around her. She needed him now more than ever, but he was the one person she couldn’t share her burden with.

  “Only a few moments,” she agreed.

  She moved over and made room for him to sit beside her. He pulled her into his arms and Prudence felt the tension leave her body. But along with the comfort he provided came a sharp stab of pain. Never again would he hold her. She would never feel his embrace or the soft little kisses he placed at her temple. She would never make love with him again or become his wife. She would never know the joy of carrying Kolton’s baby, and watching it grow.

  Prudence realized then how much she wanted to share her life with him; to argue and make up, to laugh, and to cry, to grow old with him. But it was nothing but an unattainable dream. He would be hurt when she left and be understandably angry with her. Perhaps one day they could both look back and agree they wouldn’t have suited after all.

  She doubted she would ever be able to feel that way. She would love him until her dying breath. She had no doubt.

  Prudence slipped her arms around his waist and gave him a squeeze. “You should probably get going.” Better now when she still had the strength to let him. “Victoria will be heading up any time now.”

  Kolton gave a weary sigh. “I will leave; but I want it duly noted it is under protest.” His arms left her and he stood. He helped her settle herself under the covers and placed a gentle kiss on her lips.

  Prudence feigned a realistic yawn and let her lids drop as if she were already drifting off to sleep.

  “I love you,” he said softly. Prudence gave him a sleepy smile in reply. She couldn’t say those words in return knowing she would be packing in a couple of hours and leaving before dawn.

&n
bsp; Chapter Twenty-Two

  “This is a ridiculous bunch of drivel.” Kolton threw Pru’s letter down on his desk.

  “What is ‘a ridiculous bunch of drivel’?” Victor asked, sauntering into Kolton’s study and seating himself in an overstuffed chair where he lounged as if he’d not a care in the world, while Kolton’s world was crashing down around him.

  Kolton spun and faced his brother. “Do you know anything about this?” He shoved Pru’s letter into his brother’s hands.

  “Pru’s left? Why? Where did she go?” Victor’s bewildered expression only added to his frustration. Had Pru confided in anyone? Told anyone where to find her? He’d already questioned his stepmother. His only success there was worrying the sweet woman.

  “If I knew that I wouldn’t be standing here asking you, now would I?”

  “No need to growl, Kolton. If I had any idea she’d been having second thoughts or planned to run off, you can be sure I would have come straight to you. It could be something as simple as wedding jitters. Perhaps she’ll be back in a couple of days.”

  “Sorry,” Kolton grumbled raking his fingers through his already tussled hair. “I know you would. I just cannot believe she has done something like this. She loves me; I know she does. There has to be something other than ‘not being sure of her feelings’ going on here.”

  “She didn’t confide in me, Kolton. I’m sorry.”

  “She had to have spoken to someone!” Kolton started to pace, his agitation to strong to allow him to sit still.

  “Calm down, my man. I know it may seem a silly thing to say, but working yourself into a state is not going to help.”

  Kolton blew out a frustrated gust of air. “The wedding is in a little less than a month, Victor. What would you expect I do when I have no idea where my betrothed has run off to?”

  “You are right; this is a bunch of drivel,” Victor agreed, handing Pru’s letter back to Kolton who folded the paper and stuffed it into the pocket of his coat. “Is there anything you might have said or done that would have given her leave to doubt your feelings?”

  Kolton stopped pacing and turned to his brother. “Pardon? Where would you have gotten such a ridiculous notion?”

  Victor studied him in silence a moment or two. “Nowhere in particular.” He shrugged assuming an air of casual disinterest. “You know how women are: imagining slights when none were given.”

  Kolton snorted in agreement. “Be that as it may, Pru isn’t like most women. If she is annoyed with me, she is not averse to letting me know why in no uncertain terms.”

  “You’re sure about that?”

  “Trust me, Victor; she has no problem ringing peal over my head when she is upset with me.” Kolton’s lips quirked in a small smile as he thought back to his time with Pru at his hunting cabin. “No, something must have triggered this, but I can’t imagine what it could be.”

  Please, God, let simple wedding jitters be the reason, and let me be able fix whatever is wrong. If he couldn’t make things right…

  No. He wouldn’t think that way. She loved him, he had to find her, had to get her back. Life without Pru—the thought was unbearable. Kolton rubbed his chest where the empty void that had swallowed all his happiness and was now filled with a painful ache.

  Victor stood and crossed the room to stand by Kolton and placed a hand on his brother’s shoulder. “What do you need me to do? I am at your disposal for as long as you need me.”

  “We need to check with her friends in town and see if they know anything. If that doesn’t help us find her, we should probably check and see if she has run off to one of the country estates.”

  “There is the property left to her by her mother. Could she have headed there?”

  Kolton shook his head. “I doubt it. She would undoubtedly figure it is one of the first places we would look. I will send someone out there, but it is unlikely they will find her there.”

  “Have you checked with Amanda?”

  Kolton blew out a gust of air and raked his fingers through his hair. “Not yet, that was next.”

  “I can check with her friends in town, then,” Victor offered.

  “Thank you. That would help enormously. I’ll write down some names for you.”

  Kolton strode over to his desk and jotted down a list of people Pru would be most likely to contact. He handed the list to Victor, and walked his brother to the door before ordering a carriage to take him to Amanda’s.

  ***

  More than a week had passed and Kolton was no closer to finding Pru. With each day that had gone by, he grew more despondent and irritable. He snapped at the servants and locked himself in his study at night, drinking himself insensible.

  As he was dressing, Arbuckle knocked on the door and informed him he had a visitor.

  “This time of morning? Who is it?” he snapped

  “A Lady Hope Kingsley,” the butler replied.

  Lady Hope. Yes, they had become close over the last month or so, but had they become close enough for her to be of any help? Victor had questioned her and, at the time, she knew nothing of Pru’s disappearance. Had something changed?

  “Show her into my study and inform her I will be right down.”

  “Do you think she has news of Lady Prudence?” Rupert asked as he quickly tied Kolton’s cravat.

  “Let’s hope she does,” he replied as his anxious valet helped him into his jacket and he hurried from the room.

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  When Kolton entered the study, he found Lady Hope standing by the window looking out while absently twisting her handkerchief between her hands.

  “Lady Hope, a pleasure to see you again. To what do I owe your visit this morning?” He crossed the room and took her outstretched hand, bowing over it politely in greeting and noting its trembling as he did so.

  “I am so sorry to call on you at such an early hour, my lord, but I have just received word from Lady Prudence and assumed you would want to know right away.”

  Kolton’s heart began to race. He sent up a silent prayer that this was the chance he had been looking for.

  “Your assumption was completely correct. What news have you, my dear?”

  Lady Hope hesitated, her brows drawing together slightly in apparent indecision, but her expression quickly cleared and determination took its place. “I don’t know if this will be of any help finding her, but I thought you had the right to know the reason she left.” She reached into her ridicule, pulled out a folded piece of stationery, and handed it to him.

  He unfolded the single sheet of paper.

  Hope,

  I am sorry that I hadn’t the chance to see you one more time and explain why I had to leave London with such haste.

  Hope, I am so sorry, but the letter and diaries have been stolen and the person responsible for their theft threatened to expose their contents unless I ended my engagement to Lord Ravensbrook. I’m sure you can see how I had no choice but to comply with the blackmailer’s demands. You are young and deserve the opportunity to make a good marriage, which would be impossible if I stayed and married Lord Ravensbrook.

  You will never know how sick I feel over this. Though I have left London, I still fear for you, and wanted apprise you of the situation. I want you to know that the short time we had to spend together and known each other has meant the world to me and our parting will not be forever. Once the stir amongst the ton my leaving will surely cause has time to settle, I will contact you again.

  Please, Hope, I beg you not to try and find me. I have made peace with my decision, and my mind will not be changed.

  Ever your friend,

  Prudence

  Kolton shook his head, perplexed. “I don’t understand; what is all this about a letter and a diary, and what does it have to do with blackmail? Why would she be concerned for you?” He motioned the young woman to take a seat and sat himself next to her.

  Lady Hope bowed her head, gazing sightlessly at the shredded bit of material that
had once been a beautifully embroidered lace handkerchief. “I am not sure where to begin,” she replied tearfully. “This is all my fault. If I had never approached her in the first place …”

  “Please, Lady Hope,” Kolton urged, checking his impatience, and laying his hand on her arm encouragingly. “What is this all about? It would appear to be of a sensitive nature. Let me promise you that anything you tell me will not go beyond this room.” To prove his point, he rose and closed the door to the study before rejoining her on the settee.

  Lady Hope smiled faintly. “Thank you, my lord, your discretion is appreciated.” She straitened her spine and squared her shoulders as if drawing her courage around her like a cloak. She turned to him and placed her hand on his in a gesture of sympathy. “I want you to know first, how sorry I am to be the cause of the upset Lady Prudence’s leaving has undoubtedly caused you.”

  Kolton nodded in acceptance of her apology.

  “I will begin by telling you that I am not the Duke of Stoneville’s biological daughter.”

  Kolton gave a start of surprise. Of all things the young woman could have come out with, this was the least expected. “I don’t know what to say, Lady Hope. Your news comes as a complete surprise. But what does this have to do with Lady Prudence?”

  Lady Hope clasped her hands tightly in her lap and locked eyes with him. “Lady Prudence is my half-sister,” she stated boldly.

  Kolton stared at the young woman, at a loss as to how to respond. Lady Hope didn’t give him time to formulate a reply. She told him of the discovery of her mother’s diary and all that had transpired since. Kolton listened intently, but other than explaining Pru’s decision to leave, it gave him no clue as to where she might have gone.

  When her story came to an end, Kolton sat back and rubbed his chin thoughtfully. “And your father? Does he know of your mother’s affair and your true paternity?”

  Lady Hope lowered her eyes and shook her head. “I almost positive he does not. I had hoped to keep him ignorant of the fact I am not his real daughter, but now I see it is not possible. He must know of this threat to our family in the event that the truth becomes known.”