Christopher shook his head. “A lone rider gains little attention, a conveyance, however…”
This earned a huff from Alaina. “Fine, fine, you have made your point. It will be close to midnight when we arrive in London at this rate, and I am anxious to be on our way.”
With a final peck from Christopher on the tip of her nose, the marquess stepped back to close the carriage door. “I will see you in London, dearest.”
“I will see you in London, and we will see that your friend is well tended to,” Alaina reassured Christopher before a final, “I love you.”
“I love you,” Christopher repeated before finally tearing himself away from his wife. There was a niggling feeling down the back of his spine as he turned toward the groom holding his horse and quickly mounted it. Turning only once more to salute the carriage, he set off down the front drive. The faster he and Alaina got to London, the better he would feel, his worry for his friend at the forefront of his mind.
Alaina watched as the sun, now low in the sky, skipped through the trees, playing upon the seats of the carriage to match the galloping pace of the horses. Once more she stuck her head out of the side window and found the familiar form of her husband, now far down the road, almost out of sight. In the fading light, Alaina found it difficult to assure herself of his continued well-being, but she found solace in knowing that he did not turn back and thus was safely on his way.
Resettling herself on the cushions of the carriage, she closed her eyes and tried to calm her thoughts. As much as she had pushed to convince Christopher that she would be fine on her journey, the pit of her stomach was a roiling mess, and she tried once more to convince herself everything would be fine. Alaina took a few deep breaths and tried to focus on the pounding of the hooves and the swaying motion of the conveyance, hoping to find herself in London when she next opened her eyes.
Graham banged on the door of the Finch townhome, hoping his second round of knocking would not go unanswered. After rushing home, Graham had pressed his mother for information on Lady Barbara and her family, not least of which was where they lived. He needed answers before leaving for the country to warn Christopher and Alaina.
Graham finally heard a click sound from behind the door, and the portal was pulled slightly inward to reveal an older, stylishly dressed woman, exhaustion clear in her eyes.
Before the duke could open his mouth, the lady spoke tersely. “Who are you?”
Graham executed a shallow bow as he took off his hat and introduced himself. “I am the Duke of Ashford, my lady. I was hoping to speak to Lady Barbara Finch.”
The lady did not open the door wider, but Graham watched as her eyes widened and then narrowed. “She is not receiving visitors.”
Graham watched as the lady moved to close the door. Desperate, Graham stuck his boot in the door and tried once more. “Please, my lady, I would not come if it were not of grave importance. I feel Lady Barbara may have information to help a friend of mine. I promise to only stay a few minutes.”
“I fear my daughter no longer has certain memories. She has been recovering from a fall and a hard hit to the head,” came the woman’s response.
“I had heard of her misfortune, and I am sorry. I hope she recovers fully,” Graham stated, hoping to placate the elder Lady Finch. Unsure if it would help him gain entry, Graham offered a bit more, only fibbing slightly. “My cousin, Percy, told me of her troubles, and wished me to check on her.”
Lady Finch sighed and pulled the door inward. “Like I said, Barbara remembers little of the last couple of months. It pains me to admit that I have let her keep up some correspondence with that criminal, no offense intended, your grace. It has been the only thing that has raised Barbara’s spirits as she recovers. And I am sure she would want to be of help to you. Please come in.”
Graham stepped inside and was immediately surprised to find the interior of the home to be in stark contrast to the sunny day outside, the foyer and hallways almost pitch dark, with the only points of light the sconces on the wall.
Lady Finch only paused to close the front door before making her way silently down the dark hallway. With no invitation, Graham assumed he was supposed to follow and fell in behind the lady as he tried to make polite conversation. “I fear I was terribly abrupt in my greeting. I assume you are the lady of the house.”
“I am, my name is Lady Jane Finch, and my husband is Lord Samuel Finch. We have had seldom few visitors with my daughter still convalescing, so please excuse the state of the house,” was the woman’s response as she made her way into a room almost as dark as the rest of the house. Only small slivers of light streamed in through openings in the curtains. Graham’s eyes adjusted, allowing him to see a slight figure near one of those openings. Upon closer inspection, the woman in question was in her nightclothes, a robe providing sufficient modesty.
“Barbara, dear, I hope you have the energy for a visitor. He comes with word from Percy,” Lady Jane said softly, gaining the attention of the one by the window.
Lady Barbara turned from the window, and Graham watched as a look of shock and then anger crossed her face briefly before she turned a wane smile on her mother. “Mother, could you see that our guest has tea and biscuits. I am sothankfulhe is here to bring me news of Percy. I would like to show him gratitude for his visit.”
The duke was astounded when Lady Jane quickly acquiesced to her daughter’s request, leaving them alone in the room.
With a strength belying someone unwell, Lady Barbara spoke first. “What do you want? I know it is not to tell me how your cousin pines for me. He was quite rude in his last letter, so much so that I burned it; I could not have my parents reading such filth. So, I will have it out now.”
Graham mulled over his approach for only a moment, just now realizing he had come to Lady Barbara’s family townhome without much of a plan. “Percy told me you are knowledgeable about some scheme that puts my friends in danger.”
“You mean Lady Alaina and her husband the marquess?”
“You know that is who I mean,” Graham gritted between teeth, his earlier interaction with Percy making his patience short.
“Well, I fear that my memory is quiteunreliable. One minute I can remember something and the next I cannot,” Lady Barbara said benignly, before she continued, “But there arewaysto help it along.”
Graham shook his head and scoffed. “Well, if it were not for the lover’s tiff you are currently in the middle of, I would say you and Percy were made for one another.”
“We are not!” Lady Barbara burst, a moment later holding her head in her hands as if in pain. “We may have been once, long ago, but not anymore. Now if you have nothing to offer, I will insist you leave immediately.”
Graham looked at the woman, remembering the torture she had wrought on Alaina, and the trouble she caused with Percy at Ashford, and reluctantly removed his remaining change purse. He was perturbed to have the need for so many bribes in one day. A loudthunk!sounded as he tossed the coin purse onto the table next to Lady Barbara, who finally removed her head from her hands to look for the offending sound. She hefted the coin purse deftly in her hand and then turned her eyes back to the duke.
