“It’s for the best,” Duncan tried to keep his tone emotionless, “you shall have a great life in London, and should you requireany sort of assistance from me, you may write to me. Consider me as a big brother figure in your life.”
Augusta’s mouth twisted into a frown, and she shook her stubbornly.
“But I think that this whole thing is a mistake,” she admitted. It was a bold statement, but Augusta had always been someone who had been blunt in her communication. “I don’t think that Charity should go away and be on her own. That is just not right.”
Now, after Malcolm, Augusta was the second person to tell Duncan to go back on his word and change his decision. He stifled a sigh.
“You are too young to understand such matters,” he said in return.
“Am I?” Augusta challenged, raising an eyebrow. “I find it rather peculiar that both you and my sister say the same thing to do. Sure, we can account for my age and my lack of experience in life as a limiting condition. But I can see things from a third-person perspective, and see what you both seem to be missing.”
“You are good at arguing, I must say,” Duncan retorted, wanting nothing more than to change the topic. He did not want their last conversation to be a sour one, as he had grown fond of Charity’s sisters.
“And you are good at evading, Your Grace,” Augusta sighed, finally accepting her defeat. “I shall try and write to you, letting you know about Charity’s well-being. I suppose she will be too stubborn to do so herself.”
Her promise brought a small sense of relief to Duncan. If he could not have Charity completely, then maybe a small window in her life was better than nothing.
Duncan pointed to the stairway and began to escort Augusta down the staircase. He had never had any younger siblings, but he felt protective of her like an older brother. The both of them had only made to the middle of the staircase when Charity came running from the downstairs hallway.
“Matilda? Where are you, dear?” she said, frantically looking around. “Oh, she was here just a moment ago.”
Charity had been with Matilda just a moment ago. She was beside her as she exchanged her goodbyes with the housekeeper, and then the next moment, Matilda was nowhere to be seen.
“Is everything alright?” Duncan called out to her, and Charity looked up at him to find Augusta by his side. Both of them were looking at her with an expression of concern.
“It’s Matilda,” Charity replied, flushed. “I just… I can’t seem to locate her, and she was here just a moment ago. Oh, I… I don’tknow, I’m having just the worst possible thoughts… what if… something…”
“Breathe, Charity.” Duncan was by her side in a flash, putting one of his hands on her shoulder to settle her. “We will find her.”
Charity felt immediately calmer with Duncan by her side. She looked at him, cheeks burning.
“I just…”
“I know,” Duncan nodded, as though he would read her mind. “You’re worried something bad has happened to her, because you’re on edge and still worried about your uncle resurging. I’ll help you find her, and we will put your mind to rest.”
He was so decisive about his words, as though there was no shred of doubt in his mind that he meant exactly what he said.
“Please,” Charity flushed again. Duncan immediately took the lead and started to make his way out the door.
“I will help you,” Duncan said, not even slightly hesitating as if he had already decided that Matilda would be found within minutes and there was no other possible outcome. “But first, you will stop frightening yourself with unnecessary thoughts.”
Charity nodded quickly, though she did not feel capable of stopping anything in her mind at the moment. Her eyes kept flicking to the as if Matilda might appear.
“Please just help me find her.”
“Matilda is not clever enough to disappear properly,” Augusta stepped closer, trying to sound confident, though there was worry in her eyes too. “If she is hiding, it will be somewhere obvious.”
“You will check the drawing room and the schoolroom,” Duncan said to Augusta. “Call her name once in each place and then return here.”
Augusta listened without protest, which surprised Charity. Her sister was not one to take commands from anyone, yet she had listened to Duncan.
“Come,” Duncan said to Charity, who followed him at once. They moved through the corridor quickly with Duncan leading.
“Matilda,” Charity called out, “Matilda, where are you, dear?”
No answer came, and her nerves began to go haywire once more.
“She was right beside me,” she said with a noticeable tremor in her voice, “now she’s gone. I cannot believe that I could be careless. If I cannot keep track of her, how will I manage in London?”
