“Indeed. And Lord Trenton even appears to be lucid at the moment. At least, he was when I left. The codger even beatmeat a round of chess this morning,” he grumbled.
The duchess smiled fondly, and Alyssa could tell that the duke’s attentiveness in visiting with the earl and assisting Dr. Perimore meant a lot to Triana. Sherose from her seat. “In that case, I should enjoy that very much.” She turned to Alyssa. “Would you like to join me?”
Alyssa shook her head. “This should be a private visit,” she returned. “Besides,I had my dance with the earl last evening.”
Triana’s blue eyes sparkled. “I heard about that. I appreciate that you’ve been so kind to my father. I know it’s been rather trying for you and Travell until now.” With that, she left the room with Gabriel as her escort.
Left on her own, Alyssa headed back to the conservatory, where she could be surrounded by the comfort of the one thing that had ever been constant in her life.
Chapter Twenty-Three
Sophie’s eyes widened in abject fear as Travell advanced. He was so focused onthat damning reactionthat he didn’t notice it when hereldercompanioninterceded, stoppinghis movements with a sharp demand. “What is the meaning of this, sir? Accosting two females in such a crass manner?”
It didn’ttakelong forhim to pin her with a glare. “This womanhas answers regardingmy father’s disappearance and perhaps, his subsequent return.I won’t be going anywhere until she tells me what I want to know.”
Instead of being shocked, the lady scoffed. “That’s impossible. She’s been in my employ for the past five years as a companion.I trust her implicitly!”
He leaned forward. “Then apparently, you haven’t been made aware of her less than savory past, for I assure you, she was a scullery maid for the Earl of Trentonsevenyears ago.”
Travell saw a flicker of doubt in her gaze in light of this new information. She turned to Sophie. “Is this true?”
If it were possible, Sophie’s face became even more ashen. “LadyHarvey, I—”As her gaze darted back and forth between her employer and Travell, she must have had an idea of how this was going to go for her, for she darted past them and sprinted for the exit.
Travell didn’t even offer pursuit, for she wasn’t getting far.
Logan reached out an arm and captured the fleeing woman about the waist, lifting her off her feet as she came to an abrupt halt. Travell walked forward to hear his fellow agent say, “Now where might you be rushing off to in such a hurry?”
She must have realized her chance of escape were slim, for her chin trembled and she began to plead. “Please, I…have a good life now. I don’t want any trouble. I just…want to live a peaceful existence.”
“And perhaps you shall,” Travell said. “Once you tell me why my father believes that you poisoned him.”
A sharp gasp came from behind him as LadyHarveydrew forward. Her face was positively aghast. “And to think I trusted someone like you! I shall have your things packed up immediately. Your bags will be waiting for you in the foyer.” She turned to Travell. “Shall I fetch the authorities to deal with this miscreant?”
He regarded Sophie carefully. “I don’t think that will be necessary. Something tells me the lady will come along without any trouble.”
She hung her dark head, which was enough acquiescence for him.
As LadyHarveyflounced out of the display room, where more people were starting to draw inside,glancing at the scene before them with more than a touch of curiosity,Travell grasped Sophie’s arm. “Let’s take this somewherea bit more private.”
Together, with Logan, they headed for Abernathy House. As theypulled up in front of the stately townhouse, the butler opened the front door.He didn’t even bat an eye as the viscount walked up the steps with his two companions.“My lord,” he bowed. “It’s good to see you again.”
“Thank you, Holmes,” Travell returned. “I shall be in my study. See that we’re not disturbed.”
“Of course.” Since this was a request Travell had made several times over during his years as an agent, there was no doubt that the butler would do as requested. And he was loyal to a fault.
He paused to turn back and face the servant. “I don’t suppose you’ve heard from Lady Trenton yet?”
“I’m afraid not.”
“Indeed.” Travell was growing impatient with his mother’s continued absence. At any other time the woman wouldn’t be gone so long. But now that Triana was married, she didn’t have to worry about being aconstantchaperone any longer.
The trio continued on to Travell’s study where he shut the door behind them. Logan remained by the exit while he instructed Sophie to sit. She reluctantly did so, as Travell took a seat behind his desk.
He laid a hand flat on top and closed his eyes briefly. This piece of wood had been his only companion for so long. It was what he was comfortable with. He opened his eyes and glanced at the smooth surface. He imagined he would have missed being here, but when he compared a cold chunk of furniture with the warm, soft delights of a woman—one in particular—he realized that this empty life no longer meant as much as itoncehad.
But then, he was thirty years old, and it was time he thought of something more than himself. He truly wanted to have a future with Alyssa, and he realized that she was the one person who could have ever been capable of opening his eyes to what he was missing. While his father’s madness was still hanging over his head like a dark cloud, he was starting to understand that it wasn’t an imbalance in the brain that could be passed down the generations, but rather a malady he’d personally suffered. His continued ramblings about being poisoned were a direct clue.
He threaded his hands together and narrowed his gaze on the woman seated across from him. “Now, Sophie. If you please, let’s start from the beginning.”
