“But—but,” Louisa gasped for air like a fish. “She called him an arrogant o-oaf!”
“Shocking.” The dowager cleaned her spectacles on her shawl.
“Indeed!Such an excess of emotion is unbecoming for a lady. How can such appalling behaviour be tolerated, even if in a friend?”
Arabella groped for an answer. The dowager answered in her stead.
“You must be right, Lady Louisa. In medieval times, people used to be thrown into the dungeons every time they criticised their betters. No doubt you would prefer we re-introduce such customs. Now, if we may proceed to the tea tray, I’m fairly starved, even if it is…”—she flicked her pocket watch open— “long past midnight.”
Chapter 16
“Lucy, how could you say all those things! In my entire life, I’ve never heard him shout in such a way.” Arabella had followed Lucy to her room.
“I said terrible things. My infernal mouth! I suppose he’s right and the entire idea was stupid and childish to begin with.” Lucy’s shoulders slumped. “I just couldn’t resist Lady Louisa. Teach her a lesson. I’ll have to apologise to him, will I not?”
“Honestly, I’ve never seen him so angry before. Why didn’t you tell me you knew Ash from somewhere? The way you talked, or rather, shouted presupposes a degree offamiliarity that only people of greater intimacy have.”
“Because we—he—I didn’t—I mean—” Lucy sighed. “It’s really not in the way you think.”
“But you’ve met before.”
“Yes.”
“In London? At the season?”
“No. Look, Arabella—”
“I’m disappointed. I thought we were friends and told each other everything.”
“It’s not like that. I mean, I didn’t know who he was when I met him. I thought he was someone else then.”
“Oh! Tell me!”
Lucy hesitated. Tell her she’d met him when he was a gardener? That she’d lost her heart to someone who didn’t exist? That the very thought of him made her heart race? But that she didn’t care a tuppence for the duke? That she fairly detested him? How muddled was that? How could she explain to Arabella what she didn’t understand herself? Lucy placed her hands against her burning cheeks and shook her head.
“I can’t. Really, I can’t.”
Arabella sent her a long, pained look.
“There was a time when we had no secrets between each other. I wish you trusted me more.”
She left the room.
Lucy stared after her. Oh dear, what a muddle. She was not only bitterly at odds with the brother, now she’d also hurt her friend.
Lucy tossedand turned in bed, sleep eluding her. Would the duke throw her out, now? She’d proven him right. She wasn’t a good person to have around. She’d set the entire household on its head, antagonised and terrified the guests, and called him names. Good God. The letter! She slapped her forehead. Strange how she’d forgotten all about it. He’ll never writer her that dratted letter now. He’ll throw her out instead. She wouldn’t wait for that to happen. She’ll go quietly, first thing in the morning.
Lucy climbed out of bed and drew the curtains aside to let the moonlight flood through the windows. She froze. Outside, on the roof,there was a figure. A lone person leaning against the roof, looking into the sky.
It was the duke.
Without thinking twice, Lucy left her room, ran up the stairs to the tower room and climbed out.
She walked along the narrow edge, holding onto the parapet, and stopped next to him.
“I thought you were afraid of heights.”
“I am. That is why I’m looking at the sky, not on the ground.” He gripped the chimney edge so tightly his knuckles were white.
