The couple said their hellos to Felicity and Lady Stenfax and went through the introductions with the others. Once again, Gray felt them both watching Celia carefully, judging her, he supposed. He wondered what they thought, with all they knew and had witnessed. After all, it had been their terrace Stenfax had nearly thrown himself from after Elise’s ultimate betrayal.
They were all four of them bound together by the horror and terror of that awful night. It had solidified a friendship that had already been strong.
“Oh, here comes the next carriage already,” Stenfax said, casting his head toward the drive as they stood chatting about unimportant things. “I hate to be rude.”
Gray shot a glance to their friends and said, “Why don’t you let me see to them getting settled, Stenfax? You don’t need me for a few moments.”
“As long as no one minds us stealing you,” Marina said, “I’d love to catch up.”
The rest nodded, though Gray caught Rosalinde watching him carefully. She had sent several curious glances to Marina since her arrival. And of course she was always finding him, analyzing him. Making it hard to think or breathe.
“Come then,” Gray said, both relieved and sorry to walk away from Rosalinde. “We’ll get you tea while Taylor makes sure your chambers are ready.”
The three entered the house together and Gray guided them down the winding halls to the parlor. Once they were settled, he wrapped an arm around Folly’s shoulders once more.
“Damn, I am pleased to see you both! Alone as I am in the wilds of the North Country, I miss our gatherings.”
“We miss you, as well,” Marina said, pouring tea like she was the hostess. “The next few days promise to be rich with opportunities to spend time together, though I assume Stenfax will be busy with the wedding plans.”
Folly nodded, his gaze even on Gray. “Unless you still intend to break the match.”
Gray shifted. Folly had not approved of his desire when he’d first shared his plans over a month ago. His disapproving tone said he still didn’t.
“I simply don’t want to watch Lucien endure any more unnecessary pain thanks to someone bent on only taking a title,” he said.
Marina bent her head. “I don’t think any of us want to see him in pain given all he’s been through. But Miss Fitzgilbert seemed nice enough when we just met her.”
“So did Elise,” Gray said, his tone hard as stone. He might soften to Celia, yes, but no one would ever convince him to do anything but despite Elise to her core.
Now Folly shifted in the discomfort. “Well, if you are determined, Ididpick up the information you asked me to retrieve from your investigator before we left London.” His friend reached into his jacked and pulled out a thick packet of papers, bound together by a heavy ribbon.
Gray took them slowly. “Did you read them?”
“You are the one out to destroy this engagement, not me,” Folly said, raising his hands. “I’m merely the messenger. I have no interest in knowing the details.”
“Although we do have other news to share with you,” Marina said, sliding up to her husband and taking his hand. “That has a great deal to do with Stenfax.”
Gray pushed the papers into his inside pocket to review later and looked at them both. “News? What kind of news?”
“I don’t know how to make this easy, so I will simply state it,” Folly said. He drew a deep breath. “The Duke of Kirkford is dead.”
Gray’s ears began to ring and he blinked at his friends as he tried to keep his vision clear. “Elise’s husband.ThatDuke of Kirkford?”
Marina’s smile was soft, filled with understanding. “Yes, Gray. The only one.”
“How?” he croaked out. “When?”
“The when was a week ago. The how is still being determined, but it has been whispered that it was a duel. Over another man’s wife, though I would wager that will be covered up by the family,” Marina said. “You know I am related to that bastard—third cousins, I think.”
Gray staggered back and sank into the closest chair. The room was still spinning as he digested this news and all its ramifications.
Elise, the woman who had once ripped his brother to utter shreds with her lies, with her breaking of their engagement, with her marriage to a man with higher title and more money…she was once again free. And while Stenfax might pretend that wouldn’t bother him, if he knew…
Lucien had loved her. Completely. Desperately. Was it possible his brother would see this death as a way to be with her again? Would he be driven not by reason, but by emotion, the same way he had the night he nearly killed himself?
The very idea made Gray’s blood run cold.
“Who knows?” he whispered.
