Secret Brides [3] Secrets of a Scandalous Marriage (23 page)

“Justin, say ‘Merry Christmas’ to her grace, Duchess Kate,” Lily said.

Kate shook her head frantically. “Oh no, no, no. Not Duchess Kate, just Kate.” She smiled at the boy.

“Well, Kate then,” Lily amended, nodding to Justin to let him know it was all right.

“Merry Christmas, Lady Kate,” Justin said, with another little formal bow.

“A pleasure to meet you, Master Justin,” Kate replied, laughing. She swept a grand curtsy in front of him.

The boy blushed beautifully, before turning to his stepmother. “Lily, may I have a sweet?”

Lily gave him a conspiratorial grin. “It depends. Have you been good?” She crossed her arms over her chest and stared down her nose at the boy, but the smile that lurked at the corners of her mouth belied the teasing nature of her remarks.

Justin nodded earnestly. “Quite, quite good.”

This time Lily nodded. “Then yes, you may have a sweet. Tell Cook I said so.”

The boy scampered off and Lily watched him go with a bright, adoring look on her face. “Ah, he’s such a good boy. Such a dear. Far too intelligent for his years though, I’m afraid. Not much gets by him. The tutors tell Devon he’s a genius.”

“Not to mention he’s adorable and extremely well behaved,” Kate said with a smile, a twinge of regret in her heart for the child she would never have.

Lily and Annie each took one of Kate’s arms and led her into the salon on the left. They ushered her in, and Lily gestured to a seat on the sofa. “Tea will be served momentarily.”

She waited for Kate to take a seat on the sofa before she added, “Well, now, I nearly choked on my tart when Lord Medford told us the valet had killed the duke.”

Annie curled up on the opposite side of the sofa and nodded emphatically to Kate. She clutched her chest. “Yes. If a man cannot trust his valet, whom can he trust?”

“I never knew him well,” Kate admitted. “Tucker was always gone with George to London. It’s difficult to believe George intended to let him go. They’d been together for ages. Apparently, they’d had rows before. I’d heard the other servants whispering a time or two about Tucker’s awful temper but I’d never seen it myself.”

Lily shook her head. “Just between us, I was always convinced Lady Bettina did it.”

Annie bit her lip. “I wonder if Lady Bettina suspected the valet.”

“I’ve thought about it all so much, and I’ll never make sense of any of it,” Kate replied. “I’m just glad to be free. Though I still cannot truly believe it. And please don’t think less of me for not wearing mourning clothes. I fear it would be entirely disingenuous of me, and with my reputation already in tatters, I fail to see the point.”

“On the contrary, we don’t think less of you at all,” Lily said, patting her hand.

“Absolutely not,” Annie added. “You’ll just have to put all that behind you now, start a new life.”

Kate shook her head and glanced down at her lap. “I don’t know how. I have nothing. Nothing more than my life. Though, believe me, for that I am immensely thankful.”

“Let us help you, Kate,” Lily said.

Kate glanced up. “No. You’ve both done so much for me already. I don’t know how I’ll ever be able to repay you. After Christmas, I’ll find a way.”

“You may stay as long as you like,” Lily said. “I hope you know that. Either here at Colton House or at our town house in London.”

Kate pulled one of the light blue embroidered pillows from the sofa up to her chest. “I couldn’t take such advantage, Lily. I’m ever so thankful for the invitation to spend Christmas here, but after the new year, I think I shall go to the Continent. I’m no longer welcome in London, I realize that.”

Lily squeezed her hand. “Whatever you decide, we’ll support you. And there’s no need to make a decision today.”

Kate smiled at that. Letting the pillow drop to her lap, she reached out and squeezed both sisters’ hands simultaneously. “You’re both too good to me.” She bit the inside of her cheek to keep the tears from spilling from her eyes. Then she gave her head a hard shake. “So, tell me, how is Viscount Medford? I’ve made inquiries but … he hasn’t published the pamphlet yet, has he?”

“No … he hasn’t,” Lily said, just before she and Annie exchanged glances. “But there is something we must tell you.”

Kate’s smile faded. “What? He’s all right, isn’t he?” She pressed her hand to her chest.

“Oh yes, he’s perfectly fine,” Lily hastened to say. “It’s just that … well … Lord Medford will be here for Christmas too.”

Kate’s heart pounded. Her chest felt tight. The room tilted all of a sudden. She shouldn’t be surprised. Of course James was welcome here at his friends’ house. He always would be. She was the interloper. The stranger. “I should have guessed.”

“You don’t mind, do you?” Lily asked quietly. “Please tell me you’re not upset.”

Kate tried to laugh. “What sort of an ingrate would I be if I tried to tell you whom to invite to your own party?” She swallowed. “But I must say, I’m not sure he’ll be pleased to see me. I would hate to ruin his holiday.”

Annie patted Kate’s hand. “No. No. Lord Medford has been worried about the same thing. He thinks you don’t want to see him.”

Kate furrowed her brow. “Why would he think that?”

Annie glanced at her. “Because you left his house and went back to the Tower and … He told us you returned the money he sent you.”

Kate glanced at her hands folded in her lap. “I couldn’t take his money. His town house was destroyed because of me.”

“Don’t worry. You’ll talk. I’m sure you two will sort it out.” Lily clapped her hands. “In the meantime, we can all just enjoy Christmas.”

Kate sighed. “It’s fine, my friends. I shall not ruin your holidays with my histrionics. You’ve invited your friend Lord Medford to share the season with you, and I shall make no trouble for you. I should never have tried to put you in a position where you felt you had to choose.”

Annie and Lily exchanged glances. “Thank you for understanding.”

Kate stood up and hastily smoothed out her skirts. “Would you mind, terribly, if I go lie down for a bit, I’m just exhausted and—”

“Say no more,” Lily said, ringing for a servant. “I’ll have one of the maids show you to your room immediately.”

*   *   *

After Kate left, Annie turned to Lily, her arms crossed over her chest, a catlike smile on her face. “One part down. At least, we’ve got her to agree to be in the same room with him.”

CHAPTER 32

The snow was falling steadily by the time James arrived at Colton House. The sun had just begun to set across the Surrey countryside, and the sky was turning dark. It was speckled with the white snowflakes that wandered to the earth like fat little clouds.

James brushed through the front doors of the manor, a cold wind sweeping in with him. He shook the snow off his hat and coat and stomped his boots before turning to greet Lily with a present under his arm. Themis, whom he’d brought with him, gave a hard shake to rid her fur of the excess snow, then she quickly bounded after Bandit and Leo who had materialized from the hallway.

“Aren’t they having a grand time already?” he said with a laugh, as the dogs raced away.

“Obviously they are in the Christmas spirit,” Lily replied, hugging her friend. “Merry Christmas, James.”

“Merry Christmas, Lily.” He returned her smile as best he could, but he couldn’t think of the last time he’d been so melancholy on Christmas. He’d told himself during the entire ride to Colton House that it had absolutely nothing to do with Kate. Why, he hadn’t even known the woman two weeks ago, and in two more he’d have completely forgotten about her. Wouldn’t he? Oh blast, even as he had the thought, he knew it wasn’t true.

Where was Kate tonight? Who was she celebrating Christmas with? Surely Mr. Abernathy had seen to it that she had someplace to go. Blast it. James should have seen to it that she wasn’t alone, only she’d made it quite clear that her association with him was at an end.

“Come into the library, Medford,” Lily said, pulling him from his thoughts. “Devon and Jordan are there having drinks.”

He arched a brow. “Of course they are.”

Lily returned his look. “Don’t act so smug. Devon told me he found you drinking at the club not so long ago.”

Medford rolled his eyes and followed Lily down the hall, the present still tucked under his arm. “Hmm. Now that you mention it, a drink sounds perfect.”

Lily led him down the marble hallway to the library. The large mahogany doors swung open to reveal Colton and Ashbourne relaxing in large leather chairs, both imbibing. Across from them, curled up on the sofa, Annie had her nose buried in a book. A fire crackled in the huge hearth across the room, and mistletoe hung above the doorway.

Colton stepped forward immediately and pulled his wife into his arms for a kiss. “Just ensuring you didn’t do it, Medford,” he said with a smug look in James’s direction.

James shook his head. “You’re funny when you’re drunk, Colton.” Then to the room at large he added, “Merry Christmas, everyone.”

Ashbourne raised his glass. “Ah, Medford, finally here.”

“Better late than never,” James replied.

Ashbourne sighed. “I suppose.”

Colton stepped over and shook James’s hand. “Merry Christmas, Medford. Good to see you, old chap.”

“I’m not sure I believe the good part, Colton. And your wife informs me that you’ve been telling her my secrets.”

Colton shrugged. “If you’re going to go drinking in public…”

“As if drinking at the club is such a scandal,” James replied.

“Not for
me
it isn’t.” Colton cracked a smile. “But for you it’s nearly front-page news.”

James ignored that. “Where’s Justin?”

“He’s in his room, preparing to make way for all of his new Christmas gifts.”

“Ah, perfect, this will do nicely, then.” James pulled the present from under his arm and handed it to Colton. Then he turned to Annie. “What are you reading there, Countess? Hannah More again?”

Annie sprang up from the settee and came to hug him. “Oh God, no. No more Hannah More. I only read that drivel before I was married. I’m much more interested in love stories these days. I’m finding
Emma
positively delightful. Though I do so wonder which
lady
wrote it. It wasn’t you, was it, Lily?”

Lily snorted. “Hardly. I retired my quill after
Secrets of a Wedding Night
.”

After kissing Medford on the cheek, Annie returned to the sofa and opened the book again.

James took a seat in a large leather chair next to the other two men.

“Drink, Medford?” Ashbourne asked.

James gave him a tight smile. “No. Thank you.”

Ashbourne grinned. “Are you quite sure you don’t want any blue ruin?”

James shoved his hands in his pockets. “Ah, Ashbourne. You never miss a chance to bring up our drinking contest.”

Ashbourne winked at his wife who managed to give her husband a warning grunt without taking her eyes from the page. “Why would I miss an opportunity?” Ashbourne said. “I won!”

“Yes, but I tricked you. I let you win.” James narrowed his eyes on Ashbourne.

Annie glanced up from her book then. “Don’t make me come elbow you, Medford. We promised not to mention that, ahem, incident again.” But she smiled at her friend.

James grinned back at her.

Lily shook her head. “Please don’t mention it. I never found out the details of all that and I daresay I don’t want to know.”

James inclined his head toward Lily. “Allow me to change the subject, then. Ashbourne, where are your brothers? Why aren’t you spending the evening with them at Ashbourne Manor?”

“Trying to get rid of me so soon? Why, you only just arrived.” Ashbourne cracked a smile.

Annie gave her husband a warning glare. “Actually, Medford, all of Jordan’s brothers are arriving in the morning. We’re spending the night here, and then we’ll be traveling back to Ashbourne Manor after breakfast.”

James nodded. “I see. At any rate, be sure to tell the lot of them I said Merry Christmas.”

“You act as if there are half a dozen, Medford. There are still only three.”

Medford nodded. He was struck as usual by the fact that Ashbourne had such a large family. While the earl’s three younger brothers were not married, two of them were engaged, and all three were very close to Ashbourne. Until recently, the earl had been set on remaining a bachelor and allowing his brothers to carry on the family name. That is, until Annie had come along and swept him off his feet, as it were.

“I’m glad you’ve arrived before dinner, James,” Lily said, scooting her chair closer to his. “There’s something I wanted to tell you.”

James glanced up at her. “Why don’t I like the sound of that? Or the look on your face?”

Lily fluttered a hand in the air. “Oh, it’s nothing dreadful. It’s just that…” She hesitated, glancing first at Devon, then at Annie.

“Out with it,” Devon prompted, while Annie gave her sister an encouraging nod.

“Yes,” James agreed. “Out with it.” He crossed his arms over his chest and regarded her down the length of his nose.

“It’s just that … Well…” Lily bit her lip. “Kate is here.”

CHAPTER 33

James slapped his open palm on the table next to him. The table bounced. Annie winced.

James’s face was a blank mask. “Where is she?” he said in a flat voice.

Lily folded her hands serenely in her lap and returned his stare. “I intend to tell you, of course, but first, we must—”

“Where is she?” This time it was a thunderous command.

Colton sat forward in his chair. “Medford?” His voice held a note of warning.

“I merely want to speak with her.” James’s voice was tight.

Annie had snapped her book shut and slid forward on the sofa. “She took a nap earlier, but I think she went into the music room after that.”

Lily gave her sister a condemning glare.

James nodded his thanks to Annie, stood, and stalked out of the library.

The music room was on the first floor at the end of a long hallway. James made his way toward it, each step making him more sure that he didn’t know what he would say once he saw her. But Kate was here. Kate. Surely he’d think of something—the right thing—when he came face to face with her.