Dev was diligent in focusing on immediate matters as they arose and deliberately chose to put off any decision that would affect the dukedom long-term.
Initially, the most pressing concern he faced was to support his aunt through the funerals. The duchess had insisted upon attending the full pomp and circumstances of the services but refused to allow Sophia to join her.
It was unusual even, for her grace to be present.
She did, however, lean heavily upon Dev.
The long, drawn-out ceremony concluded with a formal procession transporting the bodies to Eden’s Court for burial. All of this took over twelve hours and made for an exhausting day. Her grace remained poised and stoic through it all. Dev was only grateful Sophia had been sent ahead with her maid to Kent. She fretted too much already. None of it could be good for the baby she might be carrying.
His presence at the funeral was only the beginning of Dev’s new responsibilities.
Over the next weeks, he’d had to abandon all thoughts of working Dartmouth Place, instead focusing his energies upon resolving the quagmire he’d landed himself in. He’d yet to hear from Harold, in code or otherwise.
Meanwhile, the solicitors were most concerned with an issue Dev was quite reluctant to address.
“Your grace — sir,” the man corrected himself. No one knew how they ought to address him.
“Captain Brookes,” Dev supplied.
“Captain Brookes, then.” The short balding man cleared his throat. “Many issues could be resolved if we were allowed irrefutable determination as to the, er, condition of Lord Harold’s widow. It is my understanding that she has not yet called in a physician, and yet it has not been reported that she is… not with child.”
Dev did not suppress his annoyance. “Lady Harold will inform us when she is ready. I’ll not press her on this matter.”
The solicitor failed to hide his frustration at Dev’s response. Nonetheless, he pulled out another document and moved to his next item of business.
“The other matter can be considered resolved, however,” the solicitor said as he handed an official-looking document to Dev. It was titled, Certificate of Death. Dev assumed it was a copy of some sort, of either Prescotts’, St. John’s or his father’s, but when he looked down, he read Harold’s name.
Glancing up at the solicitor, he raised his brows in question.
The solicitor jumped to answer. “It seems, your… er, Captain Brookes, that what remains of Lord Harold has been recovered. The magistrate assumed you would wish to have what’s left of his body brought here. He asked me to deliver this to you and inform the duchess as well.”
A ghastly mistake had obviously been made. “Who identified the body?” Dev asked.
The solicitor frowned. “Well, you see, the body was virtually unrecognizable and not completely intact, what with the sea, and fish and whatnot. Three of the servants at Priory Point, however, confirmed that the ring discovered with the body belonged to the deceased –– belonged to Lord Harold.”
Dev had not expected that.
Harold had safely escaped Priory Point.
Would not Stewart have contacted him if Harold had failed to show? Of course, Stewart would have returned as well.
The body could not possibly be his cousin’s.
He’d assisted Harold out of the cave, himself. He’d watched as he’d rushed away on foot, in order to rendezvous with the mount waiting for him a short mile from the cliff.
Dev’s heart dropped into his shoes at the possibility of Harold meeting up with some sort of catastrophe when he departed. But Stewart would have contacted him; Dev was certain.
“The remains are being sent here?”
“They are outside on the coach, sir.”
Dev took in a deep breath.
The solicitor pulled a small cloth sack from his jacket pocket and handed it to Dev. Inside was a ring Dev had known Harold to wear for most of his adult life. “The remains are not… something any refined person would wish to examine. They have been transported as a courtesy. You will present the ring to her grace and to Lady Harold?”
Dev nodded. “Of course.”
“And the other?” The solicitor looked at him hopefully.
