“I thought my absence would be welcomed and you had Marianne and my mother with you for the luncheon yesterday and…”
“Lord Ashton, I was not even aware that you had gone anywhere.”Liar, liar, pants on fire.
“Oh, please. I assure you my absence was to your benefit. I have something I must discuss with you but as we are about to get callers Mother suggested we take a short carriage ride.”
“For my benefit? That is amusing. I think I would rather entertain a room full of fools than take a carriage ride with you at the moment, my lord.” She had not intended to be so snappy, but she couldn’t help it. Part of her wanted to punish him, wanted to shout,Why are you always leaving me? Why do you never tell me?It was silly, and she knew it. He did not need to inform her of his every move. Her irrational fear of him leaving and not coming back was making her act like a bedlamite.
“I’m sorry,” he said.
Now she felt awful.
“I should have told you, but I am so used to doing my own thing, I did not think.” He stood up and put out his hand to her. “Please. I promise it will be worthwhile.”
Lucinda stood, but she did not take his hand. She gathered up her bonnet and put it on, tying the ribbons with exaggerated movements. Then she turned and strode towards the mews. She refused to give him the satisfaction of thinking she was going willingly, even though she was intrigued by his need to tell her something.
She stopped mid-stride. The carriage was a one-horse phaeton. A flashy vehicle with the duke’s insignia on the door. They had raised the hood, and a groom waited with a footstool to help her into the carriage. She had never been in such a contraption. They really were going to be alone. She looked again at how high they were off the ground.
“Do not worry; I am quite competent at driving.” This he followed by demonstrating how he could effortlessly leap into it.
Gathering her skirt with one hand, the groom’s hand with another, she stood on the stool and then she had to take Tony’s hand to be hauled up onto the seat. It was frighteningly high. The small door was closed and with a jerk and a tug, the phaeton leaped into action. Lucinda took hold of her bonnet in one hand while the other held on to the door for grim death. Once out ofthe mews, he joined the other traffic, and they thankfully slowed down. Tony was laughing, looking her way, and then laughing more.
“I promise not to go too fast for you.”
“You had better keep your promise, Tony.” He did not look happy about being reminded about his sometimes-haphazard promises, but she did not care because she was frightened and did not wish to be just for his entertainment.
“I will.” They followed the traffic and turned into St. James’s Park, where he slowed to a walk. “Is this better?”
She let out a breath. “Yes. Thank you. I do not have an objection to going fast but that we are so awfully high off the ground.”
“You will get used to it and will not even notice by the time we arrive home.”
She doubted that but kept that to herself. Now that she could look around her and her nerves had settled, she remembered why they were out here at all. “What is it that you need to tell me?”
“A few days ago, I got a reply from a friend. I had asked him to look into the whereabouts of someone.”
This was all very clandestine.
“I then went and met this person.”
“Who was it? Did it have to do with Captain Markham?”
“No. It had something to do with you. Or rather it is someone who is connected to you.”
Now she was confused. “Who is it?”
“Your grandfather, on your mother’s side. Lord Shorten.”
She blinked several times, trying to comprehend what he was saying. “My grandfather?”
“Yes. Your grandfather.”
“The one who disliked my father so much that they had to leave the country. That grandfather?”
His face was crestfallen. “I did not know you knew that.”
“Your mother told me when she mentioned that she had met my mother. It was common knowledge, apparently. Something about opposing sides of politics. A rather stupid reason to lose your daughter, if you ask me.”
“He would say the same. Lord Shorten has had many years to regret his decision.”
