“Because…” she stammered, losing her thread.
“Because?”
“It’s my home.” She told herself not to snuggle up against his shoulder, which she felt a sudden, inexplicable urge to do.
“I don’t understand. Why can you return to the Seminary only with the duke’s letter?”
“It’s a long story.”
Henry looked at the sky. “We have time.”
“Oh, very well.” Lucy told him how she’d suggested to her friends they’d sneak out of the Seminary at midnight to visit a wishing well. Arabella had made a wish for all of them, upsetting Pen, who insisted on retrieving her coin. Pen had fallen into the well, dragging Arabella down with her. It’d been an accident. Lucy still broke out in a sweat at the thought of how close her friends had come to drowning. “His Odiousness descended in wrathful righteousness and took Arabella out. And Miss Hilversham sent me away. To save the school’s reputation.” For the Duke of Ashmore had insisted it was all Lucy’s fault.
Lucy shuddered as she remembered crouching under the open window, overhearing the ice-cold, arrogant voice slashing her character to pieces. He'd enunciated his words with a damnation that was as clear and strong as if he'd been standing with her in the same room.Lucy Bell is wild, unpredictable and irresponsible. She is a disgrace to the Seminary...
It’d been three years ago, but it still stung. She'd felt every bit as worthless as he'd made her out to be. Deep down in her heart she feared maybe, just maybe ... he was right.
“It doesn’t seem fair I bear the brunt of the blame when it’s been Arabella’s fault. It was her idea to throw in those coins.” She stared darkly ahead.
He leaned sideways on his knee as he listened. “May I ask what kind of wish Arabella made that had Miss Pen so keen on retrieving those coins?”
“It was rather silly. Arabella wished we’d each end up marrying and living happily ever after with a duke.” She uttered the last word with utmost contempt. Henry choked on his pipe. “Not all of us with the same one, silly.” Lucy’s lips curled.
He coughed a bitmore.
“I can’t blame Pen for getting so upset about it, though maybe she overreacted a bit. I don’t believe in wishing wells. Not that it matters, because I won’t ever marry a duke, even if he got down on his knees and begged me.”
Henry cleared his throat. “That would be a dreadful fate, indeed. But back to the point. You’re thinking, if you can get His Grace to write you a letter—”
“And reinstate his patronship—”
“—then everything will be well again, and you can go back to the school.”
“That’s the plan.”
“And if it doesn’t work? If he refuses to write it?”
Lucy swallowed hard, lifted her chin and boldly met his gaze. “He simplyhas to! I will make him!”
“You will make him?” Henry’s eyes lit up with amusement. “To my knowledge,no one can make His Grace do anything he doesn’t want to do.”
“I’ll think of something.” Lucy said grimly.“I’m good at ideas. Maybe a trade of some sort.”
“A trade?” Henry grinned.
“Yes. Something he desperately needs.”
“That’s bound to be a challenge. The man has everything.” He crossed his arms and leaned back, thoroughly entertained.
“Everyone always needs something. Including a duke.”
She sat some minutes pondering in silence. Then she snapped her fingers. “Ah. I have it!”
“Pray tell.”
“Arabella.”
“I don’t follow.”
