They had reached the corner of the drawing room and the duchess carried on walking out onto the paved verandah and down the steps into the formal garden. Amelia’s new kid slippers sank into the soft grass, making her wish she’d worn her more sturdy half boots.
“I am not sure if we are destined to be friends, Your Grace, while the matter of Jack stands between us. I cannot in all conscience conspire with you against my husband.”
“Nor would I expect you to do so,” The duchess said calmly. “I am very fond of Jack, but my loyalty lies with the duke. He is the one who wishes the mystery solved.”
“His Grace does? Why?”
“Because he holds a certain position within the current government that is concerned with matters pertaining to the recent war.” The duchess paused. “Has your husband mentioned a man named Captain Fury?”
“I don’t think so.”
“Then I will enlighten you. Captain Fury worked both for and against the government during the war, mainly to enhance his own wealth, but sometimes to the benefit of the allied forces. He made his money trading information and smuggled goods across the English Channel. He knew Jack and was well aware of what happened to your husband and the other member of the ambushed party.”
“Marcus mentioned a David Rice who was killed.”
“That’s correct. Just to muddy matters further, Jack’s estranged wife is being courted by David Rice’s older brother.” The duchess grimaced. “That’s one of the reasons why His Grace asked Jack to escort his wife back to Swansea. They are both rather stubborn, and the duke hoped spending some time together would help bring them back together.”
“And have you heard if the duke’s strategy has been successful?”
“We have heard nothing except that we should expect guests within the week.”
“But Jack will return at some point?”
“I believe so. He owes the duke a report, and he is always conscientious about his duties.”
“Does he know that my husband’s attitude toward him is hostile?”
“The duke didn’t mention your husband specifically in his letter. He thought it too dangerous, but he did tell Jack to return with all speed.”
“If Captain Fury knows Marcus has returned, will he inform Jack?”
“He might do. From what I know of him, he likes to meddle in other people’s lives. For what reason, I am not sure.” The duchess hesitated. “He seems to hold a very particular grudge against Jack and your husband. Will you ask him about Captain Fury? It would be helpful if all concerned had the same information.”
“I will certainly think about it.” Amelia paused. “Marcus is still coming to terms with his release from captivity. His memories of what happened during the war are incomplete.”
The duchess nodded. “Neither the duke or I wish to impede your husband’s recovery. We truly wish to help both him and Jack.”
“Then it is really Captain Fury the duke is interested in?”
“He is definitely a mysterious man. I doubt his name is really Fury, don’t you?” The duchess turned back toward the house. “My name is Elizabeth, by the way. I do hope we can manage to become friends after this matter is dealt with.”
Amelia stared into the duchess’s clear grey eyes.
“I am…not socially accepted, Your Grace. I left home in disgrace, and my family do not acknowledge me.”
“Because you married beneath you?”
“In their eyes, not in mine.”
“Now you are a countess. Do you think your parents will reconsider their decision?”
“I’m not sure if I wish to be welcomed back into the bosom of my family simply because of my new social rank.”
The duchess’s smile widened and she took Amelia’s hand. “Oh, I do like you. Let us hope we can brush through all this and become friends.”
“Despite our unequal social status?”
Elizabeth raised an autocratic eyebrow. “My dear, Amelia. If the Duke and Duchess of Diable Delamere find no fault in you, the rest of society will follow.”
“It must be amusing to have such power, Your Grace.”
“Oh, it is, believe me. A few years ago, I was eking out my living as a paid companion and letter writer and attempting to run a household on virtually nothing. I have a deep appreciation of power now.” She winked at Amelia. “Shall we find your husband?”
Amelia allowed herself to be taken back to Marcus. He was in conversation with the elusive Duke of Diable Delamere, who wore his usual black and silver clothing and exuded an aura of power without even trying.
“You Grace.” She curtsied, and the duke favored her with a faint smile.
“Lady Havering. I was just asking your husband where you were. I should have known my own duchess had stolen you.”
The duchess linked her arm through the duke’s with a familiarity that made Amelia stare. “You didn’t tell me you planned to attend this event.”
“I wanted to see Havering. I’ve had word that Jack is returning to London and should be here in about five days.” He bowed to Marcus. “I also wanted to introduce your wife to someone. If you’ll excuse us both for a moment?”
To her utter horror, Amelia found herself borne away on the duke’s arm and back into the melee of guests crowded in the supper room. He kept moving, a path magically opening up in front of him as if inspired by his mere presence.
“Where are you taking me?” Amelia asked.
“Ah. Here we are.” The duke knocked on a door and went in, bringing Amelia with him. “Lady Judith? Your servant.” He bowed and walked out, leaving Amelia staring at the woman on the couch who had one hand covering her mouth.
“
Amelia?”
Judith rose to her feet and took an uncertain step toward Amelia.
“Do… you not remember me?”
“Of course I do.” Amelia held herself stiffly, ready to turn and flee after the duke at the first opportunity offered. “Did you wish to speak to me?”
“How could you doubt it? We were once so
close.”
“Until you sided with our parents over my dismissal and refused to answer my letters.” Amelia held up her hand. “It’s all right, Judith. I do understand that you were even younger than I was and completely in our parents’ power.”
Judith’s eyes filled with tears. “You are too kind. I behaved appallingly. I was more worried that your behavior would sully my come-out than in what was happening to you. I behaved like a silly, petulant child.”
“If our positions had been reversed, I probably would have done exactly the same thing.”
“No, you would not have done that.” Judith dabbed her eyes with her handkerchief. “You were always the brave one. I lacked your ability to stand up to everyone. It is a skill I have often wished I had.”
“You are speaking to me now. I’m fairly certain that our parents wouldn’t approve of that,” Amelia pointed out.
“I’m older and hopefully wiser now and I’m married.” Judith met her gaze fully for the first time. “I couldn’t believe it when I saw you pass by on that soldier’s arm. I knew your first husband had died, but I didn’t realize you had married another military man, and an earl at that!”
“It was quite a surprise to me as well.” Amelia hesitated. “Who told you that Matthew had died?”
“Our parents, of course.”
“And you didn’t think to write to me and express your condolences at the time?”
Judith’s fair skin flushed red. “I didn’t know what to say. And, in truth, there seemed little point in sending condolences for an event that set you free. I thought you would be relieved. You cannot have enjoyed being married to that… nonentity.”
Amelia’s hands fisted at her sides. “Then perhaps when you do
think
of something adequate to say, something that might consider the pain of my loss, of my husband
dying
before he reached thirty years of age, you might care to share it with me. I will then consider whether it is an acceptable response for your years of silence.” Amelia bobbed a curtsey. “Good afternoon, Judith.”
She left, practically running in her haste to quit the room.
“Amelia?”
A hand closed around her elbow, pulling her up short. She looked up into Marcus’s concerned face. He drew her away from the grand salon into a quieter corridor close to the rear of the house.
“What’s wrong?”
She put her hand on his chest. “Do you remember when we walked into Stortford Hall and all your family were sitting there without a care in the world and you were shaking with anger?”
He grimaced. “How could I forget? You told me I was behaving abominably, and I agreed with you.”
“I was wrong to chastise you. I—” She gulped down a breath and thumped her fist against his waistcoat. “I am rather angry right now.”
“With whom?”
“My sister had the gall to ask the duke to re-introduce us.”
“And?”
“She is
insufferable!”
“Ah.”
“Is that all you have to say?” Amelia demanded. “She congratulated me on being free of my inconvenient first marriage and of having the good fortune to marry another far more suitable
titled
military man.”
Silence until she eventually lifted her gaze to meet his. “I do not regret my marriage to you, Marcus.”
“Then why are you angry?”
“Because Judith
knew
Matthew had died, and she didn’t bother to send her condolences because as far as she was concerned it was ‘a blessing in disguise’.”
“Now you are making sense.” He cupped her chin, his dark blue gaze direct. “You have a right to be angry, my dear.” His thumb smoothed over her trembling lower lip. “Do you need me to hold your reticule and fan?”
“For what reason?”
He raised an eyebrow. “For when I stand as your second.”
With a broken sound, she buried her face in his waistcoat and rubbed her cheek against the heavy corded embroidery. “Oh, Marcus…”
“Your sister is a fool.” He kissed the top of her head. “I do hope you told her so.”
“I said she needed to work on her apology and
then
I would consider whether I wished to be reacquainted with her or not.”
“Good for you.” His arm slid around her waist, holding her tight against him. “Is this sister of yours older or younger than you?”
“Judith is a year younger. We were best friends when we were children. I told her
everything
, which is what led to my downfall.”
“She told your parents about Matthew?”
Amelia nodded. “I was meeting him in the park without their knowledge, and Judith betrayed my confidence. My parents locked me in my room and threatened to send me away to Scotland if I didn’t behave myself. I managed to gather a few possessions, climb out of the window, and I hid in the park until Matthew came looking for me the next morning.”
“And Judith has never apologized for that, either?”
“Of course not.”
He continued to hold her, and she relaxed further against his body. In this part of the house, the noise of the chattering guests was muted and the music barely audible. For the first time in a long while, she felt completely safe
.
“Would it help if I called on your parents?” Marcus asked quietly.
“So they can congratulate themselves on their daughter finally catching an earl and declare us fit company?”
He went still. “I didn’t mean—”
She jerked her head up and away from the broad expanse of his chest. “Oh. God, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean it to sound like that—as if I regret anything, as if I regret you—because I don’t.”
“I suppose it would’ve been a lot easier if I hadn’t been an earl.” He held her gaze for a long while before nodding. “If you don’t wish to call or have anything to do with your family, we will not acknowledge them.”
“Thank you.”
He brought her gloved hand to his lips and formally kissed her fingers. “My lady, shall we return to the ballroom? Perhaps if she is still here you might point your sister out to me so that I know to avoid her.”
Marcus wasn’t sure if he was pleased or disappointed by the non-appearance of Amelia’s sister on their return to the party. He was, however, aware that his wife’s anger with her family was completely justifiable. Amelia had tried to apologize more than once for her refusal to let him visit her family. He had hastened to assure her that he understood, and that he wasn’t offended, but if he was honest with himself, it did rankle.
As he was rapidly remembering, the
ton
was a very small and particular club, where secrets were few and the opportunities to be publicly humiliated apparently limitless. Even if Amelia never wanted to see her family again, she would be constantly rubbing shoulders with them. At some point, there would be a reckoning, and Amelia was capable of very plain speech indeed. Not that he cared whether the
ton
accepted them back or not. As far as he was concerned, they could all go to the devil.
So why was he still unsettled? Was it because of Amelia’s defense of her first marriage? Surely he wasn’t jealous of her love for a dead man—a fellow soldier? He glanced down at Amelia as they made their way toward their hostess to say goodbye. They hadn’t married for love. Would she defend him like that?
He left her in the hall and went to find a servant to locate his hat and Amelia’s outdoor garments. Wearing his uniform again felt wrong, but until he spoke to his regimental commander and resigned his commission, he supposed he was still an officer in the king’s army. In truth, he’d worn the uniform to draw attention to himself and away from Amelia. The more people who knew he was back in London and searching for Jack, the harder it would be for his traitorous ex-friend to hide.
“Havering.”
Marcus returned from his errand to find the Duke of Diable Delamere waiting for him in the doorway leading to the entrance hall.
“Your Grace?”
“I understand that my attempt to reunite your countess with her sister didn’t go quite as planned.”
Marcus inclined his head an icy inch. “No, it didn’t. And I would prefer it if you left such personal matters to me and did not interfere.”
The duke bowed. “As you wish.” He went to walk past Marcus and then hesitated for a moment. “Your wife’s family name is Covington. Perhaps you have heard of it?”
“I don’t remember much about society, Your Grace, but thank you for the information.”