“I should get you back to your house, Lady Bella.” Slade held his hand up and signaled the carriage to pick them up. After helping both women into the carriage, he seated himself beside Lady Bella.
As the carriage rolled to a stop in front of Lady Bella’s home, he signaled for the footman to assist Mary from the carriage.
As the maid exited the conveyance, Slade turned to Lady Bella. “I would like to see you again.”
“Yes,” she agreed without reservation. “I would like to see you, as well.”
He smiled at her forthrightness. “I will pick you up at half-past eleven tomorrow,” he said, picking up her hand and giving it a soft kiss. Slade liked her refreshing candor and found he looked forward to seeing her. She had a soothing effect on him. His grief was still profound, but she made him think about living.
He waited until she was safely inside before heading back to the picnic site he and Lady Bella had enjoyed earlier.
A few minutes later,Bella sat on her lushly-padded pink velvet window seat and watched the coach drive off from her bedroom window. It was her favorite spot to get away from it all. She could pull the curtains and sit in the window cubby and read, using the natural sunshine.
This morning had been marvelous and so unexpected. She had spent the most wonderful morning with Lord Drake—Slade. Ten years ago, if someone had even suggested that the handsome young man might court her, that her brother’sbest friend might court her, she might have thought them ‘daft.’ Slade paid no attention to her,no matter what she did.Even placing a bullfrog in his boots while he swam received no reaction, nor did tying his clothing together while he was swimming in the pond. She and her friend Diana had tried everything. Diana was two years older and fancied herself enamored of Bella’s brother, Percy. Funny how time changes everything.
Percy never paid court to Diana. He would be married in little more than a month to a lovely woman he met this past spring. And here she was courting Lord Slade Drake.
“Milady, would you like a bath before you change your dress?” Mary asked, smiling sweetly.
“I shall not need one until later, Mary. But thank you.” It seemed Mary was still trying to recover from falling asleep on the picnic today. Bella swallowed a smile. “Mary, it was all right this morning. I will never tell Mama that I was ravished beyond belief while my maid slept,” Bella teased.
“Oh, milady! Go on with you,” Mary said, swatting the air playfully. “You woke me up telling me I would be sitting with goats.”
Bella laughed. “Yes, it was mean of me. But you know it was all in fun. Lord Drake knew I was merely teasing you. I apologize. Although, stitchery would have cast me asleep, too.”
Both women sniggered. Bella realized she would have to be more careful with her teasing. Mary was sensitive where her chores and her mistress were concerned and wished no one to see her as entitled. The close friendship that underpinned their mistress-servant relationship could sometimes be prickly to navigate.
“He asked me for tomorrow!” Bella’s words were more than an exclamation of her excitement. She could not wait to see him again. What would he have in mind? Secretly, she hoped horseback riding would be involved. She would like nothing better than an excuse to ride her horse, Winnie.
“Milady, it would not surprise me to guess he would have something exciting. I just hope it isn’t horseback riding.” Mary visibly trembled. “Ye know I cannot sit on the silly beasts.”
Bella snorted. “No. I shan’t do that to you. If we are to ride, I shall take the footman,” she replied. “I promise.”
“Thank you,” Mary said, her face wide in a grin.
Bella stretched. “I know we had food and all, but I found I could do with a little more than a wedge of cheese and a small cup of wine. My nerves are at sixes and sevens.” She stretched her arms and groaned. “’Tis a glorious afternoon to read. A small plate of sandwiches and a cup of chocolate would be perfect. I will wander to the kitchen and rustle that up.”
“Nonsense, milady. I will see to that. Get comfortable. I shall not be long.” Mary picked a spoon from the floor that must have slipped from the morning tray and stuffed it into her apron. “I will take this to the kitchen.” The maid left the room singing her favorite little ditty, making Bella smile. Mary’s voice was delightful to listen to, unlike her own. Bella could barely carry a tune. Gratefully, Mama had never embarrassed her by making her sing in front of the company. She hated to sit through many such performances.
Bella placed a small, rolled pillow behind her back and, leaning back, stretched out at her window seat, enjoying the warmth radiating through the thick panes of glass.All I need is a cup of warm chocolate,she thought. She was not much of a napper, but if she could sleep in the middle of the day, it would be with a dream of him, she determined. Sleep could not come soon enough!
Six
A few hours later
Slade walked into the house and handed his hat and gloves to Norman on his way to his brother’s room. “Do you know if Graham has guests?”
“No, my lord. I believe he is alone,” Norman replied. The poor man had been the butler and a member of the household for as long as Slade could recall. The condition of the new duke and the death of Slade’s father had devastated him. “If there is anything I can do for him, my lord, please ask.”
“Thank you, Norman,” Slade said as he rounded the banister and began up the stairs. The marble-floored foyer and stairs were a recent renovation that his father had made, deciding to brighten up the darker front of the manor home. It was hard to get used to, yet Slade liked it.
He reached the third-floor apartment that his brother occupied and knocked. There was no answer. As he reached up to knock again, the door opened, and Doctor Fellows exited, followed by Mr. Wortle. The men had a strange look of collaboration on their faces. “My brother. Has he . . . ?”Surely no. He pushed open the door and ran to his brother’s bedside. What he saw made him drop to his knees. His brother lay there still and showing no sign of breathing. His right arm was thrown away from his side, laying open. Slade walked closer. Small gold coins lay upon his lids. “Damn it, Graham, no!I am not ready for this.” Tears filled his eyes as he squeezed his brother’s hand and screamed a wail of anguish. Unable to change things, he held on to his brother’s hand, making sure it still felt warm, wishing he had returned earlier, and hating himself for not being here.
“Your Grace,” a familiar voice said from behind. He turned, his face red with fear and anger. “Mr. Wortle, what is it?” His tone was sharper than intended. “I am notYour Grace,” he spluttered, forcing the edge from his voice.
“Your Grace,” Wortle continued. “Your brother left you this letter. He was weak and dictated it to me. But he signed it.” The shorter man held up a small, sealed missive.
Slade snatched the missive and gripped it tightly. “My mother. Where is she?” he demanded.
