Beside her, Mr. Mavis stepped from one foot to the other, his lips pressed into a thin line.
“He has spoken of the Duke who took him in, and his daughter. Yes. Not in detail, however. I found myself surprised to make your acquaintance, if that is what you are asking.”
She turned and realized from the expression on his face that he did not mean to hurt her feelings and thus chose his words with care.
“I see. Well, as I said, it does not matter. We were, after all, only playmates for some years when we were small. I suppose it was our shared tragedy which bound us together.”
“I am afraid I do not know what you speak of, My Lady.” Mr. Mavis’ eyes were fixed on her. Penelope wetted her lips upon the realization that Daniel had never told his friend much about her at all, least of all what sad circumstances truly united them.
She shook her head. “I thought he might have mentioned it. We both lost our mothers around the same time.”
His eyes widened and his mouth dropped open slightly as he received her words. “I am so sorry, Lady Penelope. I did not know. What a terrible event it must have been, especially when you were so young.”
She nodded. “Yes, it was. My mother passed away while on a visit to her parents, my grandparents, in Dover. A carriage accident.”
“You have my deepest condolences. I must confess, it makes me wish I were a better son to my mother. She is a dear lady, but at times I find myself vexed by her tendency to smother her children. For instance, I received a lengthy letter from her just this morning, detailing all of my siblings’ latest achievements as well as a detailed account of her day. This, even though I have been gone for only a matter of days. She is like that, a little overbearing at times. You remind me how lucky I am to even have her.”
“We do not know one another well, as you have said, but if there is one thing that I can advise you on, it is to cherish her as much as you can, for you never know when you may lose her. I certainly was unprepared.”
Mr. Mavis’ eyes narrowed and he sighed. “You are right. I will reply to her letter at once when we return this night. Or in the morrow, should I indulge in too much of your fine wine. But jesting aside, I am truly sorry. Though it must have been a comfort to have Daniel here, as he could understand you well.”
She sighed heavily. “Daniel was a lovely support for me—until that awful night when…” She shook her head. “Let us not speak of these things any longer. This is meant to be an evening of joy, not sadness.”
Relief crossed his face. Alistair Mavis struck her as a man who did not enjoy being drawn into lengthy conversations that were so dark in nature. No, he seemed to be someone who was always involved in a prank or lark of some kind.
“A truly delightful idea. Let us indulge in some of these delicacies and then perhaps it will be time for the quadrille?”
She nodded with a smile as he gently placed a hand behind her back to usher her toward the front of the table to collect a plate. “Perhaps Daniel will see fit to join us for it. I dare say he will not want to miss his chance at a dance with Miss Hughes.”
He winked at her and Penelope forced herself to appear pleased, while inside, a storm of emotion shook her to her core.
Chapter 12
Daniel walked away from the ballroom as the music of the orchestra faded away. He stopped down the hall, momentarily disoriented and uncertain of where to go. This had been his home, but he’d avoided it for so long that he could not quite find his way around.
He placed his hand on the wooden railing of the grand staircase at the end of the hall and inhaled, closing his eyes for a moment to bring himself back to his childhood days. Those first few days, after he arrived here and found himself wandering the halls, alone and scared, there was one place he always found himself going to. A place of solitude and comfort. He smiled to himself. Yes. The old library.
He made his way up the stairs, taking two steps at a time, and turned right at the landing. A moment later, he entered the room and at once a familiar scent of old books filled his nostrils.
It has not changed at all. Not at all. It is just as I remember it.
Daniel walked toward the center of the room, across the carpeted floor. He remembered running across this same carpet with Penny, their feet bare and the soft material caressing their feet. He slipped into the armchair across the fireplace. There was no fire burning at this time as it was still quite warm outside. He sighed and leaned back.
“I so hoped I would feel like I was coming home. And yet, it does not feel like it. I suppose I am a man without a home.”
“That’s not true, Daniel,” came a voice behind him. He jumped up and turned around to find himself faced with the Duke. He was standing a few steps behind him, leaning on his cane.
“I am sorry, Your Grace. I did not hear you enter. I will leave you be.” He set out to walk away, not wishing to intrude on the Duke but the older man shook his head and raised one hand.
“Please, stay. We’ve hardly had a chance to talk to one another since you returned. And I feel as though we both could use some tranquility away from the bustle in the ballroom.”
Daniel gave a curt nod and sat down once more, this time on the chaise lounge nearer the window, as he knew the Duke preferred the armchair. He always had. An image flashed through Daniel’s head of the Duke sitting in this very chair as he and Penelope sat in front of the fireplace, trying to learn chess.
“You are right, of course. It is a splendid ball, I must say.”
The Duke eyes him with the same intensity he always had when Daniel was a boy.
“When you were a boy, I’d find you here in this library whenever the world was overwhelming you, and you needed a respite. I suspect this habit has not changed. Unless it was nostalgia which drove you here.”
