“Jonathan,” she said, “I believe you must set a good example, then. Once you find a possible life partner, perhaps my brother would be more enthused to hunt for his future wife.”
Daniel looked at both Richard and Victoria with relief and gratitude. The duke wondered then if his brother-in-law was trying to avoid marriage for a reason. Then again, who was in arush to get married but debutantes who had several seasons and eager mamas.
Richard and Victoria bid the last of their family guests goodbye. Melody was tired from socializing with her aunts, uncles, and cousins. Yes, everyone had insisted that she was now a Brighton-Weston. A true member of the family.
Victoria had changed her clothes quickly with the aid of her maid. She was still clutching a copy ofThe Mysteries of Udolpho.
“They love you,” Richard said, as he approached his wife, “and they also love Melody.”
“As they should,” she replied cheekily. Then, she became more somber, saying, “I didn’t expect to have something like this. I mean, I always had a large family, but to have a child of my own, it was something else.”
“You deserve this,” Richard murmured, sitting next to where she was lying down.
He now rarely uses his own room. Victoria’s bedchambers had become their own—together. Sometimes, they left the adjoining door open, but most of the time, they made certain all the doors were locked and secured. They had come to long for the end of each night so that they could spend it together, in intimacy. Itwas not always physical, either. Sometimes, they would just talk and tease until night threatened to turn into day, and they must truly sleep.
“Oh, truly? Now, do I deserve you?” she asked, teasingly, even as her eyes drooped from drowsiness.
“Of course, darling,” he said.
The question, really, was whether he deserved to have this kind of peace.
He still felt that at any given moment, everything could fall apart.
Chapter Twenty-Three
“Where are you? Where can you be?” Richard murmured at his London maps, his fingers tracing the roads and noting the names of the streets, even the tiny lanes.
Hawksford House might have golden days, but the nights were made for hunting and analyzing clues passed on to him by his agents. While he was in no hurry to give up Melody, he still believed that they should know where she came from.
He and Jonathan had already visited a dozen or more shops in Soho, focusing on those dealing with sewing and textiles. The seamstresses and tailors had so far been anxious and even afraid, wondering what type of inspection he was doing. Despite their curiosity, they could do nothing to help.
For every “Do you know where I can find this seamstress?” he received the response, “No, Your Grace.”
So, it was not enough to stay in his study and examine the proof that he had gathered and the number of shops he had marked with an X. He needed to get out there.
Even on a gray Thursday morning, Richard felt inclined to leave the house. He was reluctant, of course, given the fact that he had to leave Victoria and Melody behind. He wore layers for the job, expecting the chill to intensify as he explored Soho. His face was grim and determined.
“I have to leave for Soho today,” he informed Victoria. Frustration was clear in his voice, and he could not hide it even from his wife. He put his leather gloves on, slowly and deliberately, giving himself time to breathe. “We still have a few shops to inspect. We can’t go on wondering what’s going to happen to Melody and to us.”
He almost expected Victoria to protest. After all, she had formed a deep connection with the baby. He had, as well, but for her, it was much stronger. Anyone who looked at Victoria and Melody would think they were mother and child if they didn’t know any better. At this point, the baby recognized her as her mother.
Instead of doing that, Victoria approached him urgently, with Melody in her arms. He noticed that both were wearing their outdoor clothes, with his wife even appearing to wear a corset beneath her gown. Huh. He had gotten used to seeing her without corsets and stays at home, and an alarm went off in his head. The sight of the baby wearing a knitted yellow bonnet framing her chubby, rosy cheeks confirmed it.
“We are coming with you,” the duchess declared, as if there was no room for any opposition. She tilted her chin up to show just how determined she was.
Richard narrowed his eyes at his wife. Was she getting ready when he was? It looked like she was fully aware of his plans for the day.
“I believe I was clear about this before. Soho is not a place for duchesses and babies to visit. You may soon regret it as the carriage enters the narrow streets and you inhale the stench and see the?—”
“Do you think I won’t be able to handle it?” she interrupted, turning bright red with offense.
She stomped closer, the child giggling, thinking that it was all a game.
“We are resolving this matter together. Melody and I are perfectly capable of solving this mystery with you. You said yourself you have a few more shops left to visit. It can’t be that bad. If it does get bad, then at least have the carriage ready at all times.”
“I hate that you are right when it comes to this, Victoria,” Richard relented. “It may help for the seamstress to see Melody. She might recognize the baby and reveal herself.”
“Ah. I like it when we see eye to eye,” Victoria said with a smirk, her fingers fidgeting with his cravat before tapping his chest.
