Much as Julian regretted the loss of any young life, he could not say he mourned the absence of Annabel’s presence.After being everything that was agreeable during their very brief courtship, her words had been cutting and her manner disdainful toward him once they were married.She had told Julian repeatedly that she neither loved nor desired him.
The coldness of her words and demeanor had succeeded in killing any love Julian might once have felt for her.
Consequently, her disappearance meant that he felt only relief at no longer having to suffer through Annabel’s silence or hurtful barbs.
But he very quickly realized, as the rumors began to circulate of his having possibly followed his wife to the beach that day and killed her before disposing of her body, that he should probably have made more of an effort to appear the grieving, rather than relieved, widower.
Friends like the Dukes of St.Albans and Hellsmere had stood by him, of course, believing his claim of innocence in the matter.But even they could not halt the flow of gossip which followed Julian wherever he went.
That speculation had become unbearable when he dared to set foot in London in the spring following Annabel’s disappearance.Within days of being bombarded by that relentless gossip, he had retreated back to Norfolk, and here he had remained ever since.
Alone.
And, if he were honest, lonely.
Which now brought him to the realization that the reason he was so angry at the non-appearance of his new secretary was because he had been looking forward to their company.Even if it had only been for the few days it had taken his new employee to realize he was the duke suspected of murdering his wife.
Damn it, he didn’t need anyone!
Least of all a secretary who would no doubt judge and condemn him the moment they learned who he was.
With that resolution in mind, Julian pulled on the reins before urging Shadow to gallop across the sandy beach and traverse up the dunes, before then emerging onto the rough track at the back entrance to Moreland Park that led directly to the stables.Once he reached the house, he would strip out of his wet clothing and enjoy the luxury of sitting in a hot bath to get warm.
Once he was refreshed and in dry clothing, he would then go downstairs to his library and indulge in the decanter of brandy sitting waiting, with a glass, on the table next to his chair beside the warmth of the fire.
There was certainly nothing and no one who might object if he should become slightly inebriated?—
Julian barely had time to register the approach of the horses and carriage on the rutted track.The sound of the raging storm had muffled their presence, and Shadow, alarmed, now reared up on his powerful hind legs.
Unfortunately, the two horses pulling the carriage were equally as startled and also reared.The driver of the vehicle let out a warning shout before the front legs of the three equines fell back to earth at the same time.
The hooves of the nearest horse crashed down onto Shadow’s heaving side, dislodging Julian’s booted foot from the stirrup and knocking him off-balance.
Faced with releasing the reins and controlling his fall or being crushed beneath the hooves of the two still plunging horses attached to the carriage, Julian chose to let go.
His last thought before one of those churning hooves struck him a glancing blow on the side of his head as he fell was to wonder what on earth a carriage was doing traveling along this track that led only to Moreland Park, in the dark of the night, in the first place.
* * *
Georgiana had no time to gather her thoughts as she was jarred from lightly dozing on the comfortably upholstered bench seat of the St.Albans carriage to full wakefulness in a matter of seconds when the vehicle lurched to a sudden stop.She was forced to grasp the leather hand strap to prevent herself from being thrown onto the floor.
There was the sound of several horses whinnying outside, accompanied by men shouting, no doubt the groom driving the carriage and the second groom seated beside him.Indications that Georgiana was not still asleep and had not dreamt the sounds of alarm.
She sat forward hastily to pull back the curtain over the window in the door.But she could only see the pitch-black darkness and the heaviness of the rain still falling from the sky overhead.
The grooms had suggested stopping for the night at the inn five miles away when the rain first began to show signs of growing heavier, but Georgiana had refused.
She was very conscious of the fact she had made a promise to the Duke of St.Albans, to pass on to his friend, that she would reach Moreland Park before the end of May.As today was the last day of that month, Georgiana had been determined to honor that promise.
It had taken far longer to make the necessary arrangements for her to leave London than she had expected.
First, she had needed to write to Julia and Amanda, to gain their agreement for the deceit as to where she intended going when she left London.
Then she had needed to speak to her mother and sisters so she could explain that her intention was to visit with her friends in the country for several months.Her mother had, of course, protested, but only because she did not like the idea of Georgiana surrounding herself with so much grief when they were already in mourning for the earl.Georgiana had assured her mother that the country air would restore her.
It had been a longer journey than Georgiana had expected, and not an altogether comfortable one, despite the luxury of the ducal carriage.
They had finally made it into Norfolk yesterday, but the roads were not the best, and it had taken far longer to reach the coast, which was her final destination, than Georgiana would have wished.Hence, her refusal to stop at the inn earlier.
