Once again Adelaide considered confessing all she had to hide to her friend, but decided against it. It was too high a risk. “Of course not.” She sought a change of subject and found it. Though it was not a topic that pleased her as she said, “I’m sorry my aunt was so wretched to you last night.”
Emma shrugged. “I could care a fig about what your aunt Opal says to me.”
“Your Abernathe looked as though he wished to call her out,” Adelaide said with a shake of her head. “Pistols at dawn with my spinster aunt.”
“He’s protective,” Emma said with a smile. “But I don’t need it.Youdo. Was she very hard on you after?”
Adelaide shrugged. “Just harsh. You know her and her erratic behavior.”
Emma frowned. “You could come and stay with James and me,” she suggested.
“She’d never allow it,” Adelaide said immediately. “At any rate, I’m…fine. I’m fine.”
Emma didn’t look convinced. “Well, what about just joining us for supper? Do you think Opal would allow for that?”
Adelaide considered it. She would not return to the theatre for another performance until the next night. “I think I could convince her,” she said. “If my maid was with me as chaperone.”
Emma’s face lit up. “Wonderful. I so want you to see our home and the nursery and get to know James better.”
Adelaide couldn’t help but beam at Emma’s enthusiasm. “Well, my dear, I look forward to all that, too. It will be nice to have a night away where I can just be myself and not worry about anything but how much dessert to eat.”
“Your Grace?”
Graham looked up from his ledger to find his butler, Rogers, standing at the door to his study. The man had been with his father and continued on after the previous Northfield’s death nearly eight years before. Because of their long acquaintance, Graham knew the servant could read his troubles, probably better than most.
Graham could do the same. From the way the older man kept shifting his weight, he could see whatever Rogers was about to say was not pleasant.
“What is it?” Graham asked, carefully setting his quill down and focusing his attention as best he could. A difficult feat considering his head had been spinning for days now.
“You have a visitor,” Rogers said softly. “The Duke of Abernathe.”
Graham froze. Although his quarrel was with Simon, his relationship with James had been strained for months. Not strained—destroyed. Before the ball the previous night, he hadn’t seen the man he’d considered his brother since he walked out of his home in the country months before.
“I see,” he said, rising. “I assume he will not be turned back?”
A hint of a smile crossed over Rogers face. “You know the duke, sir. He’s always been quite singular.”
“Stubborn as an ass,” Graham corrected. “Yes, I know. Well, show him in.”
Rogers seemed pleased at Graham’s response and stepped out to fetch his guest. That gave Graham a moment’s reprieve before he faced what was about to come. He smoothed his waistcoat and shook out his suddenly tingling hands.
And then James walked into the room slowly. He paused at the doorway, and Graham stared at him. His friend looked lighter than he ever had, happier thanks to his recent marriage. The concern in his eyes was only for his friend, not for his own troubles.
Graham couldn’t help but be happy for that fact. He knew his friend deserved the happiness he’d found.
“Graham,” James said at last. “I admit I feared you would not see me.”
Graham cleared his throat. “Is that why you haven’t called before?”
James shifted. “After our last encounter, I thought it best to give you your space. I knew you were well, or at least as well as could be expected because of—”
“Your spies,” Graham grunted. When James seemed surprised, he laughed softly. “Oh yes, I know Ewan and Matthew and even Kit report back to you when they see me. You’re our fearless leader, after all. King of the Dukes.”
James sighed. “Some king. I allowed my kingdom to be destroyed.”
Graham shook his head. “That wasn’t you, mate. At any rate, I’m…” He hesitated, then met James’s eyes. “I’m happy to see you,” he admitted.
James’s expression softened and he crossed the room, hand outstretched. “I’m so happy to see you.”
