“So I’m assuming everyone was in shock?” Diana asked.
“But of course they were. They didn’t expect this kind of rash behavior from Lord Tristan.” She sipped her tea. “Now the youngest Worthington brother, Lord Trey… before he married if he would have done something like this, society wouldn’t have batted an eye.”
“How right you are. But, what are they saying?” Diana asked, hesitantly. “Have they sent out search parties?”
“Not yet. Of course, I have heard a few people mention that they wonder if Lord Tristan is having some kind of memory lapse. But if you ask me, I really don’t think that story is very believable, anyway.”
Diana sipped her tea, watching her friend over the rim of her cup. Claudia was only a year older than her and married Lord Dashwood—a much older man—in her first season. Like Diana, Claudia had been beaten by her husband.
“Why don’t you believe that story?” Tabitha asked.
“Well, mainly because he’s been doing so well since he returned from the dead, so to speak. He doesn’t act at all like he has no memory.” Claudia lifted the cup to her mouth and took a quick drink. “But if you ask me, I think his memory-lost story is not true, and just an excuse his family used to cover up whatreallyhappened when he didn’t arrive the morning of the duel.”
“Do you know what really happened?” Diana whispered. This subject had always been a hard one for Diana to discuss. She was still so very confused about everything that happened during that time. And to think, she’d find out as soon as she could get her friend to leave.
“That, my dear, is yet to be discovered.” Claudia nodded.
“I heard he drinks himself into a stupor most nights,” Tabitha added her thoughts. “Most of the servants at Lord Elliot’s townhouse talked about the lordship’s cousin, Lord Tristan, as if they didn’t know anything else to talk about.”
Diana rolled her eyes. “Well, those Worthington brothers certainly know how to stir up trouble and cause talk no matter what they seem to do.”
“I agree.” Claudia lifted her teacup and took another sip. “Their poor mother dealt with enough scandal while her husband was alive. I’m surprised the poor dear can still breathe.”
Frowning, Diana remembered what Tristan had said about his mother’s health issues. She touched Claudia’s arm. “How is the Dowager Duchess holding up now? Have you heard?”
“I’m sorry to say, I haven’t heard. I’m quite certain she will live through this tragedy. If she can live through all the scandal her husband brought on the family from his liaisons, and with Trey’s rakish behavior, then to have Tristan disappear, the dowager is indeed a very strong woman.”
“So do you think the dowager is all right?” Diana asked softly.
Claudia gave her a reassured smile. “I think she’ll recover splendidly.”
“Thank goodness. I would be very upset if something bad happened to her because of my grudge.”
“Not to worry, Diana.” Claudia patted Diana’s hand. “What you and Tabitha did with Lord Tristan was perfect.”
As the conversation continued, Diana prayed her friend was right. And she also prayed that she could stay focused instead of remembering that Tristan was just in the other room, waiting to tell her the truth.
*
Tristan stood nextto the door with his ear pressed against the wall. He was able to hear bits and pieces of the conversation going on in the next room. Thankfully, the women decided to adjourn to the kitchen to chat, or he wouldn’t have heard anything.
It made him happy to hear concern in Diana’s voice when she asked about his mother. His heart melted. Dianadidcare what happened to him and his mother. Even though she’d acted like she was set on revenge and didn’t have a heart, she really had one after all.
When the ladies started discussing mundane things, he paced back and forth in the small room, eyeing the bed. He hadn’t slept very well, and the feather pillows and heavy quilts beckoned him to lie down. But he fought the temptation. He didn’t want to fall asleep, mainly because he was afraid Diana wouldn’t wake him, and he definitely needed to talk to her about what he’d remembered.
But as the hours passed, his eyelids became heavy and he moved to the bed. As soon as his head hit the pillow, exhaustion took over and he couldn’t open his eyes even if he wanted to. He drifted to sleep with Diana on his mind once again.
Jerking wide awake, Tristan’s heart beat in a frantic rhythm as if he’d been running from someone in fear. He groaned and scrubbed his hands across his face, then threaded his fingers through his hair.Where am I?
Then he remembered. He ran to the window and pulled open the curtain. The predawn morning peeked on the horizon. He groaned. Diana hadn’t come to wake him up after all. Well, at least he was still here and he vowed he would not leave until they had their talk.
He scratched his whiskery face. He needed a bath. His stomach grumbled. And food. But not quite in that order. Right now, he’d take whichever he could get first.
As he sneaked out of the room, his mind turned to what he had remembered yesterday.
Diana. The letter. The duel… and what followed.
Could Hollingsworth have been correct when he said he’d paid off the baron’s debts and that Diana knew about it? Confusion filled Tristan, making his stomach churn faster. And had Hollingsworth taken Diana’s innocence that very night and gotten her pregnant? If that were the case, it was no wonder Tristan had held such feelings of betrayal for her without knowing why.
