“I would ignore it all,” he rasped, stroking his fingers in a lazy circle at her sensitive bud. “All you have to do is ask it of me.”
Bridget let out a soft moan, and though her body begged her not to, she slowly drew her knees shut. His promise meant so verymuch to her, but she could not ask that of him.
“No,” she sighed softly, reaching up to cup his cheek. “Attend to your work, husband. I shall be here when you return.”
“Promise?” he asked, his blue eyes full of desire.
“I swear it,” she answered with a small smile.
Adrian leaned down and kissed her softly as he retracted his hand from her inner thighs. She immediately missed him, but did not pull him back. Her husband had work to do, and though he would never admit it, he was becoming very good at it.
They smiled at one another a final time before Adrian opened the door, and with that, he left. The ache of his absence began immediately, but as she had been doing for the past few weeks, she ignored it and rose from her bed. As she drew on her robe, she pulled the cord that would ring for Eva and Mona, and then sat at her vanity and waited.
“Good morning, Your Grace,” they both greeted cheerily a few moments later.
“Good morning, Mona, Eva,” she replied fondly.
“The cook prepared two soft-boiled eggs for you today, along with a bit of toast and some sliced tomato. Is that well, or would you like us to bring you something else?” Mona asked as she held out the silver breakfast tray.
“No, that sounds lovely, thank you,” Bridget replied, beckoning her over. “Sit it down here. I shall break my fast while you start on my hair.”
Mona obliged, but as she set down the tray, Bridget noticed that a small missive sat on its edge between the two egg holders.
“What is this?” Bridget asked, picking it up.
She looked it over and found no name on it.
“I am not sure, Your Grace,” Eva replied as she began to brush Bridget’s hair. “I only know that it arrived for you very early this morning by personal messenger, who insisted it be brought to you the moment you awoke.”
Curious, Bridget opened the letter and unfolded it.
Dear Duchess, I am afraid your new title is a falsehood. The rightful Duke of Redgrave is alive and in my custody. If you and his family wish for him to remain so…
Bridget gasped, blinked, then looked back down at the letter.
Come alone and tell no one of your whereabouts if you wish to return the missing Duke to his family. If you do not, he will indeed become that late Duke of Redgrave that he is rumored to be…
Bridget’s stomach dropped as she read through the short letter not once, but thrice. Could it be true? Could Evander still be alive? Bridget thought of the great relief that Adrian and his entire family would feel at such a revelation.
“Girls, leave me please,” Bridget whispered, pressing the letter to her chest.
“Is everything all right, Your Grace?” Eva asked, looking at Bridget’s reflection in the mirror. “You have gone pale.”
Bridget began to tremble as she pushed her mind to make an excuse that would allow her to be left alone the rest of the day.
“Y-yes,” she stammered. “I believe I am about to have my monthlies. I have enough rags, thank you, but I believe I wouldlike privacy for the rest of the day. Would you be sure to let the dowager know that I am not up for visiting today?”
Mona and Eva assured her they would, and the moment they left, Bridget flew out of her vanity seat. She dressed in her most simple day gown of pale lavender and a dove gray cape, drew her hair into a loose braid, then quickly began to gather anything of value in her room.
Jewels that Adrian gave her, even heirlooms gifted to her by Nora, all went into a sack with clumsy movements. She even grabbed her mother’s brooch and fastened it to her dress, willing to add it to the payment if what she had was not enough. When she was sure she had collected everything, she hurried as stealthily as possible down to Adrian’s study, praying no one would see her, and collected all the money he had stored away there.
He would be furious when he discovered her and the money gone, but Bridget prayed that once Evander walked into the house safe and sound, she would be forgiven. She then looked at the clock on Adrian’s mantle, and another rush of anxiety hit her. She was not at all sure where the address was, but she had the sense that it was important she leave immediately. The letter, which had been etched into her mind word for word, had made it very clear that she was to arrive on time and alone.
After Bridget made it out of the house unseen, she stopped at the stables. Her legs trembled. Her heart felt as if it was going to beat out of her chest. She drew in a breath, trying to calm herself, but instead, tears pricked her eyes. She was walking into danger. Into a situation that she was sure was a trade. Her life for Evander’s.
Bridget sniffled as she raised a trembling hand to her nose, mourning greatly for a life she had only just gotten to taste. But it had been a beautiful taste. A perfect taste. Of what her life could have been. Flashes of the last week filled her mind, of those most private moments where Adrian had shown her just how wonderful lovemaking could truly feel. She would think of those moments. Keep them at the forefront of her mind as she made this trade, because she couldnotbe too afraid to do this.
Adrian might love her, but that love would never exceed the love he had for Evander. If she could get him back. If she could return the lost Duke to his family… any sacrifice she made would be worth it.
