Her heart heavy with guilt, she let the carriage sway her off to sleep where she dreamed of being a child, running in a manicured garden, while her mother chased her, both of them laughing until they collapsed. A dream or a memory, she couldn’t say, but it made her happy and when the carriage jerked to a stop she awoke.
Could she marry Lord Dunstan? He had been nothing but gentlemanly. Attentive and intelligent. Everything she could want in a husband. She could not shake the feeling that marrying him would be a mistake.
Perhaps it would be better if she went to live with her grandfather, if he would have her. They would get to know each other, and he could tell her things about her mother. About her grandmother. About her family. She could have what she wanted and maybe one day she would meet another man and her heart would let go of Tony Ashton and she would make a family of her own. In her own time, on her own terms.
It made her feel better to have a plan of sorts if she felt that she did not want to marry. Like a weight lifted off her shoulders, she practically skipped into the house.
Once alone in her room, she pulled the miniatures out of her reticule and went to place them on her dressing table when she noticed that the lock of hair was missing from her mother’s picture. It was apparent, after she turned it, that the seal was broken. Stricken, she turned over her father’s picture. Its seal had been broken too. No! Why would he do such a thing? Where was her mother’s hair? Why would he need to remove them from their frames? Her erratic heartbeat caused her to have to sit down.
She needed to calm down. Perhaps he had to for the purpose of the portrait? Pacing around the room for the next half hour did nothing to calm her. She gathered them up and went to findthe duke. She hoped he would know enough about art to know if this was a necessary action or plain vandalism.
She searched for him in the library, the parlor, and the garden, but he was nowhere to be found. Eventually she found the butler who informed her he was in his study and that he was not to be disturbed. She would have to wait until dinner. She could not. She went in search of his study and when she found it, her frantic emotions caused her to be reckless and knock on the door.
When she heard his deep voice bid her entry, she rushed in. The room was nothing like what she may have imagined. It was a large room, decorated in dark woods and leather. It had piles everywhere. Books and files and papers tied with ribbon.
He stood as soon as he saw her enter. “Miss Sterling? Is everything all right?”
“Can you look at these?” She shoved the two miniatures towards him.
“Ah, yes, your parents. A handsome couple.”
“No.”
“No?”
“Look at the back.”
He took them from her, a frown between his brows as he looked at her and then the pictures.
“What exactly am I looking for?”
“They have been taken out of the frames, and my mother’s hair is missing.”
“Was not the Earl of Dunstan painting them?”
“Yes, but would it be necessary for him to take them out of the frames to do so?”
“I wouldn’t think so, but he must have had reason.”
“What reason would he have to steal my mother’s hair?” She paced in front of his desk, wringing her hands, and hoped she wasn’t making a mountain out of a molehill.
“I am not sure. Would you like me to enquire on your behalf?”
“I do not know. Am I overreacting?”
The duke took her hand and led her to a chair, went over to a cabinet, and poured a dark liquid into a small glass and passed it to her. “Port. It will calm your nerves.”
She took the glass and tossed it back in one go. The duke raised his eyebrows and then chuckled. “Well, all right then. How do you feel now? Will I have to carry you back to your room a second time in a week?”
“I am sorry about that. And, no, thank you. I feel calmer now.”
“Good. Do you have reason to believe Lord Dunstan would maliciously vandalize your parents’ portraits?”
“No.” Now she felt awful. Dunstan had been nothing but kind and giving towards her.
“Then, can we safely say, he must have had good reason to remove them from their frames for a short time and may have simply forgotten to replace your mother’s hair?”
“I suppose that could have happened.”
