“I’m glad to see you eat a hearty breakfast,” His Grace observed. “Too many women eat like a sparrow, worried about their figures. Don’t know why, a man likes a shapely frame.”
Mercy’s cheeks grew warm. His grandson made her blush when he had said the same thing.
A footman poured tea.
“Bring toast and preserves, Geoffrey.” The Duke turned to her. “So, Grant has left?”
“Yes, early this morning.”
“Ah. Abandoning you at such a time. I hope you can forgive him, Mercy. Lady Haighton is a dear friend of the family.”
“Is Lady Haighton’s home far from here?”
“That would be about a half day’s ride for most of us.” He cast a glance at her over his coffee cup, a slight crease between his brows. “Apparently, Grant needs to assist her with an urgent matter.”
This hardly explained Grant’s need to ride off the morning after their wedding, and she suspected the duke agreed with her, although he would never side against his beloved grandson. Nor would Mercy want him to. She remembered them talking about Lady Haighton when she first came here. The lady had been recently widowed. It was unworthy of her to wonder if she had another rival for Grant’s affections. Was she turning into a horrid, jealous woman? She hardly knew herself. Wolf would help to remind her of the person she used to be. When the dog arrived tomorrow, they could enjoy a pleasant walk through the park.
She chewed on a piece of ham that tasted like dust in her mouth.
* * *
As he rode, Grant’s thoughts were filled with Mercy. Her emotions were clearly reflected on her pretty face and in those remarkable eyes. Her openness, warmth, and affection crumbled when he told her he must leave her. It felt like a dagger thrust to his heart to have to deny her the truth. He’d been forced to take his grandfather into his confidence this morning. Grandfather had taken it in good part and expressed his pride in Grant. But Mercy was another matter entirely. Mercy would be horrified to learn the truth, and in constant fear for him. He wouldn’t blame her if she asked him to quit. He had no intention of doing so; he would see this through to the end.
Past noon, the road wound its way beside the River Tees. Grant approached the Haighton Manor on the crest of a hill overlooking lush gardens and the winding ribbon of water.
When the butler admitted him into the drawing room, Jenny hurried to greet him, deep shadows beneath eyes darkened with fear. Compassion gripped him and he took her hands in his. “Are you all right?”
“Yes. Thank you so much for coming.” She squeezed his hands before releasing them. “I am consumed with guilt at having drawn you away from your bride.”
“Lady Northcliffe understands.”
She raised an eyebrow. “Then she is a better woman than me. Please do sit down. May I offer you a beverage?”
“Coffee, thank you.”
She ordered it, then joined him on the sofa. “We’ll go to the office afterward, which is in a dreadful mess. Ben, our footman is recovering from the attack, thank heaven.”
“Did he see who hit him?”
“No. It was midnight. He’d been stationed in the front hall, and heard a noise. He was struck down from behind when he went to investigate. In that part of the house the candles in the sconces had guttered.” A paper rustled as she pulled it from the pocket of her black bombazine gown. “I’ve been attempting to straighten up the mess, as the new secretary has not yet arrived. I found this, tucked into a ledger.”
He took the letter from her and read it.
You have been warned. If you do not make things right within the next two weeks, I’ll do what I have promised. Think of your family, Haighton, as you should have done months ago.
“It’s unsigned as you see.”
“And undated. You have no idea who might have sent it? Or when?”
She gave a helpless shrug. “None.”
“Do you recall anything unusual occurring in the last few months?”
“I remember Nathaniel grew quite short-tempered with me. It was unlike him. He talked of sending me and the children to Brighton for the summer and grew angry when I refused to go without him.”
“The former secretary could have seen this letter. Where might I find him? Did he leave an address?”
“Mr. Grayson was unhappy to be dismissed after so many years of service.” She paused. “He left without telling me his direction. But his mother lives in Harrogate.”
