Something Scandalous (24 page)

“Indeed,” Will said softly. “How is that any different from what you have been doing?”

“How dare you! I have never thought about being your duchess, only your wife. I love you, Will.” Abigail appeared to force out more tears. “I could not disobey my father.”

Remembering Elizabeth’s words from when he first arrived in London, he said, “If you truly loved me, your father’s wishes would not have mattered.”

She stiffened and held her head high. “When that little strumpet shows her true colors, I will be waiting for you.”

“Before you leave, give my footman the name of the inn where you are staying.”

“Why?”

“So I can send your ship passage there.” Will started toward the doorway. He turned at the last minute and looked at her again. “Good-bye, Abigail.”

Will had never felt so relieved as when the door shut behind Abigail. He waited in the back hallway to make certain she left. She was gone. The woman he once thought he loved had come to him, defying her father, and he’d rejected her. When he thought about it like that, he felt a twinge of guilt. But something did not seem right about Abigail’s sudden arrival.

It just wasn’t like Abigail to do something quite so rash. There had to be a better reason for why she could not marry him earlier. Not that it mattered any longer. The most important thing was to speak with Elizabeth.

They had a wedding to plan and a baby to think about now. He walked up the steps and down the hall to her room. He knocked softly on her bedroom door, waiting for a reply.

“Go away, Will.”

“We need to talk, Elizabeth,” he replied to the door.

“No, I cannot talk right now. I need some time to think.”

Think? “About what?” He tried the knob but found it locked. She had locked him out.

“Us.”

He barely heard her whispered reply. “Elizabeth, let me in now.”

“No.”

“Very well, I shall be in my study.” Will strode to his study and then stood in the room. It seemed very empty today with Ellie and Lucy making calls to some of their new friends and the boys off riding in the park. The only other person left was Sarah. And she was probably upstairs with her governess learning her letters.

He didn’t like it when the house was this quiet. Especially when Elizabeth was home and probably crying in her room. He wanted to go to her again. Make her understand that everything would be all right. They would marry and love each other. They would not behave like her parents.

Will believed in love and marriage. After watching his father attempting to recover from his mother’s death, there was never a doubt in Will’s mind how much his father loved her. And if it hadn’t been for Betsy, his stepmother, his father might have lost his mind. She was the person who helped him through his grief. She taught him to love again.

And Will was certain he loved Elizabeth in the same manner. He never wanted to see her hurt and as pained as she was now. If she would just let him explain. She might not even know that Abigail was gone for good.

He was done waiting for Elizabeth to talk with him. He walked back up the steps again, determined to speak with her this time. Pounding on her bedroom door, he said, “Elizabeth, let me in now. We need to talk.”

“Yes, we do,” she said from behind the closed door. “But not here. I will be downstairs presently.”

“Very well.”

Elizabeth stared at the door to her bedroom and then to the valise she had packed. After spending the past hour reflecting upon her actions, she was certain there was only one outcome. Once she told him everything, he would want her to leave. She expected it.

She inhaled sharply, trying to ignore the pain in her heart. As she walked down the steps, she looked at the house that had been her home for twenty-six years. She’d always loved this house more than the estates. It was smaller and more intimate.

Her heels clicked softly on the marble floor as she walked to his study. Every step brought her closer to him, and closer to leaving. She could do this, she told herself. The time spent in her room had been an attempt to gain her confidence and tell him the truth. The awful truth. The sordid truth. At least once she left, he could dedicate the rest of the Season to finding a wife worthy of being the next duchess.

She knocked on the door and then entered quietly. He stood near the window looking out until he heard her cross the threshold.

“Elizabeth,” he whispered.

The look of love in his eyes almost forced her to retreat. Once she told him what she’d done, he would hate her for it. Almost as much as she hated herself.

“Will, sit down so we can talk.”

“Of course.” Will sat down in the chair closest to the fireplace. “Come sit close to me.”

“No. I need to stand.” Elizabeth closed her eyes for a moment, and then blinked them open. “Will, I am not with child. At least not that I know of.”

Will frowned, his gaze moving from her face to her belly. “I do not understand. Why would you announce such a thing in front of Abigail if you were not with child?”

This was more difficult than she even imagined. “Sophie and I were at the bookshop today, and by chance, so was Abigail. And her father.”

“Her father is in Virginia, Elizabeth. The man despises England and never would have allowed her to come, much less come here himself.”

“Will, I was standing in the aisle next to them. I heard them both.”

“You never met Abigail until she arrived here today. How could you possibly have known it was her?” His voice grew deeper with anger as he spoke.

He didn’t believe her. She hadn’t thought it possible. He must still love Abigail after all. “The man called her Abigail, she called him Father, and he talked about her becoming the Duchess of Kendal. That could only mean marrying you.”

“Even if she did, that doesn’t excuse your actions today. Why did you lie to me?”

“I felt I had no choice. I was certain you wouldn’t believe me over Abigail, and I knew she was lying to you.” Elizabeth wrung her hands in despair. She wanted desperately for him to believe her. “I blurted it out to protect you,” she whispered.

“Elizabeth,” Will said, then paused, staring down at his clenched hands. “Did you tell me you were pregnant to get me to marry you?”

“Yes, no, I don’t know!” Elizabeth tried to blink away the tears but they continued to fill her eyes. “It doesn’t matter anyway. You cannot marry me.”

“And why is that?”

She didn’t want to tell him everything, but he did have a right to know. “This wasn’t the first time I’ve manipulated you. I have been as awful as Abigail.”

He looked over at her sharply. “What are you talking about?” he asked slowly.

She licked her lips and then pressed them together. “I flirted with you to convince you to let me stay in the house. I made love with you to get you to stay in England. I read almost all of my mother’s journal. She did terrible things just to get her way. I’m no better than she was.”

Will rose from his seat and stalked her. With each step closer, she could feel the anger emanating from him.

“You made love with me only to get me to stay here?”

She looked away from him and nodded. “I wanted you to stay so I could continue to look for the journal.”

“And that was the only reason you let me touch you?”

She should tell him the truth but it didn’t matter at this point. She was a terrible person, and he deserved so much more than her.

“Yes,” she whispered.

“Get out of this house,” he said in a menacing tone. “I don’t want to see you here again.”

Elizabeth closed her eyes and nodded. “I will send for my things.”

“Do that.” He strode from the room and slammed the door behind him.

She dropped into the chair and wept for all that she had lost. Everything she ever wanted had just stormed out of the room, leaving her behind. She had nothing now…except her heartache.

Slowly, she stood and wiped away her tears. She had to leave now before she went up to his room and begged him to let her stay with him. To tell him that she loved him. And that the other times they had made love were what counted, not the first time. But she couldn’t do such a thing. He did not want her any longer, and she couldn’t blame him.

She was a terrible person who had used her wiles for her own gain. Just like her mother.

Walking down the hall, she gathered her courage and asked for a carriage to be brought around. Then she waited. She could hear the boys upstairs and wanted to say good-bye, but she didn’t think Will would want her to do it. She wondered if Ellie and Lucy were upstairs, too. They might not have returned from their morning calls yet.

“The carriage is ready, miss.”

“Thank you.”

She walked out to the carriage just as Ellie and Lucy arrived home.

“Elizabeth, where are you going at this time of day?” Ellie asked. “It will be dinner soon.”

She couldn’t tell them. They would never understand. “I am dining with my friend Sophie tonight.”

She barely got the words out of her mouth before her eyes filled with tears again.

“What is wrong?” Lucy demanded. She always reminded Elizabeth so much of Will.

“I’m sorry. I must go.” Elizabeth climbed into the carriage and then glanced back at the young women. Both looked shocked by her abrupt departure. As the carriage rolled away, Elizabeth stared back through watery eyes at the house that had been her home forever.

“What have you done to her?” Ellie demanded as soon as Will entered the salon.

After spending the rest of the afternoon in his room, his anger had only grown. “I did nothing to her.”

“She left here in tears. Susan told me Elizabeth took a valise and that she wanted the rest of her things packed and sent to Miss Reynard’s home.” Ellie crossed her arms over her chest. “That does not sound like nothing.”

“Elizabeth is gone?” squeaked Sarah. “Where did she go? When is she coming back? She promised to read me a story tonight.”

Seeing Sarah’s face crumble, he said, “I’m sorry, Sarah. I am certain Ellie will read to you tonight.”

Sarah ran from the room in tears.

Will glanced around the room to see everyone looking expectantly at him. “She decided to leave. It has nothing to do with any of you.”

“But it does have something to do with you,” Ellie said.

His sister’s unusual anger only spurred his own. “Maybe it does. Maybe I discovered that Elizabeth is not the person I thought she was.”

“This was her home,” Lucy said, entering the debate. “How could you force her to leave? That is cruel.”

“And she loved you,” Ellie added.

Will turned on his sister. “No, she did not. All she did was use me to get what she wanted.”

“That does not sound like the Elizabeth I know,” Lucy said quietly.

“Because she lied to us all,” Will said.

Ellie glared at him. “I highly doubt that.
You
did something to hurt her. You are the reason she left us all.”

Will clenched his fists into tight balls. “I did nothing. But since none of you want to believe me, I shall get my supper elsewhere.”

“Will,” Ellie yelled as he reached the hall. “This is not over. You will apologize for what you did.”

“I did nothing, Ellie. Absolutely nothing.” He hurled the front door open and slammed it behind him.

He did nothing, except fall in love with the wrong woman. Which he realized was the same thing he had done with Abigail. So why didn’t he feel this much anger at Abigail? She had used him for years.

Because he did not love Abigail.

He had to know if Elizabeth told him the truth about Abigail. Not that he wanted to return to her. But because he needed to know the extent of Elizabeth’s deceptions. He turned back to the house and ordered the coach.

After a short drive, he arrived at the inn where Abigail had told him she was staying.

“I’m here to see Miss Mason,” he said to the innkeeper.

The innkeeper eyed him from head to toe. “Do they expect you?”

They?
Every now and then, Will truly enjoyed being a duke, and this was one of those occasions. He handed the innkeeper his card.

“Your Grace, I apologize.” The innkeeper bowed. “Miss Mason and her father are in the dining room. I will tell them you are here.”

“No, wait,” Will said, grabbing the man’s arm. “I will announce myself.”

“Very well, Your Grace.”

“When did they arrive?” Will asked.

“Yesterday morning, Your Grace.”

“And they arrived together?”

“Yes.”

Perhaps Elizabeth was right. “Is there a private room we might use?”

“Yes, Your Grace. The room behind you will be cleared in a moment. The dining room is down that hall,” the innkeeper said, pointing toward the main hallway.

“Thank you.” Will walked down the hall and stopped at the threshold. He scanned the room until he found Abigail and her father. As he strolled toward them, Abigail glanced up and her eyes widened. She glanced around as if looking for an escape route.

He reached their table and placed his hands on the back of both chairs. “Good evening, Miss Mason, Mr. Mason. What a surprise to find you
both
here.”

Mr. Mason glared back at him. “I just arrived here this evening. I came to collect my little girl before she made a huge mistake.”

“Indeed? Why don’t we remove ourselves to a more private accommodation?” Will released the two chairs and stepped back, allowing them to stand.

“Will”—Abigail started but then stopped when he shot her a glare.

“Come along,” he said hoarsely.

They followed him to the private room the innkeeper had provided. Will sat in a wood chair and waited for the others to follow. “You might want to close the door, Mr. Mason.”

Mr. Mason hesitantly shut the door. “What is this about, Atherton?”

“Oh, but it’s Kendal now. As in, the Duke of Kendal.”

Mr. Mason turned up his lip. “What does that matter? You were nothing but a farmer in Virginia.”

“True, but we are not in Virginia any longer, are we?”

“Just tell me why you are here,” Mr. Mason demanded.

Will smiled at him. “That is exactly what I want to know. Why are you here? Both of you.”

“Will, I already told you that this afternoon,” Abigail said sweetly. “At least I did until that little strumpet interrupted us.”

Will clenched his jaw. “Do not ever call her that.” Even if that was an appropriate description of Elizabeth.

Abigail sat down in a huff. “I still cannot believe you bedded that awful woman, Will.”

“We have been through that, Abigail. I would like to know why you are both here. Especially you, Mr. Mason.”

“I told you. I arrived late this afternoon.”

“Indeed? Then how is it that my cousin overheard you and Abigail in a bookshop early this afternoon?” Will laced his fingers behind his head in a casual demeanor even though tension knotted his muscles.

“Is this the same cousin who is carrying your child?” Abigail questioned.