“Would it?”
Iseabail turned to her, conviction ringing in her voice. “Of course it would. I made a promise to Nithesdale.”
“Nithesdale is dead. What about you? You care for Ross.”
“No. I’m carrying my husband’s heir and I will not allow society’s gossip to destroy my baby’s future.”
“What about Ross?”
She laughed, the sound humorless and bitter. “The Duke of Ross will forget about me in a month. Let him come, but he will be turned away at the gates.” Iseabail swept out of the room in a flurry of silks and satin, the letter completely forgotten.
Phoebe walked over to the fire and pulled out the letter from her sleeve. She may have shared some of the content of Joshua’s letter, but she did not confess all of it. She read the letter for the thousandth time in the past few hours and fantasized about all the delectable things Joshua Forrester offered to do. She had been bold when requesting the books of unparalleledsinbecause her cousin had needed the information she couldn’t provide. As a widow who was purported to be the mistress of a duke, one would believe her to be knowledgeable in all manner of debauchery.
Except she wasn’t.
She had been a widow much longer than she’d been married, and her husband had not been one to inspirebliss. She read Joshua’s letter once more, slowly taking in each word in the beautiful scrolling script of Forrester’s strong hand.
“Ross is coming for the duchess, and my dear Lady, I am coming for you. I have spent years waiting for you and I will not give up on us now when we are so close to the unparalleled bliss I promised.”
“I’m sorry, Joshua, butblissis not worth the price of my freedom.” She hoped he heard her words, otherwise she would have to run… Or throw another house party and create a scandal no gentleman could ignore, even one of no rank.
Two
Dear Mr. Forrester,
I appreciate your offer in your latest correspondence; however, I must decline your invitation. The duchess has had a rather difficult pregnancy and I believe it to be in her best interest, and the baby’s, that I remain at Caerlaverock throughout her confinement. We would both be grateful if you could dispel the rumors of the two of us holding a tendre for one another. I am simply a female relative assisting the duchess through her sorrow and confinement. Please advise Ross he will not be allowed entry into Caerlaverock. The duchess is determined to protect her child at any cost and has banned all men from entering the castle walls. This is to include you and all male staff.
The footmen are being temporarily housed at the dowager house outside the walls of Caerlaverock. Paddington, Her Grace’s ever-faithful butler, will be the only man allowed entry into the estate. If you need to communicate with Her Grace, you may do so in writing, or I will meet you at the dowager house and bring any papers she may need to read or sign to her.
Please understand this is a happy, but also sad and stressful time in the duchess’s life. The midwife, along with the duchess and myself, believe this to be the best course of action for Her Grace’s health and the babe’s.
With kindest regards,
Lady Drake
—A letter written at the end of April 1811 to Mr. Joshua Forrester, Esquire from Lady Phoebe Drake citing an article in The Whispers of the Ton gossip rag which accused the duchess of attempting to seduce male staff to become impregnated with a bastard child and claim it as the late Duke of Nithesdale’s heir. In truth, it was to dissuade Ross and Mr. Forrester from traveling to Caerlaverock.
DECEMBER 1811
She was here. Somewhere inside the cold, damp stone walls of Caerlaverock Castle, Lady Phoebe Drake was doing what she did best. Hiding from him.
Joshua, solicitor to the Duchess of Nithesdale, and the lady in hiding, sat in the blue drawing room of the ancient castle where he had served the former Duke of Nithesdale prior to his passing. The same drawing room where he had introduced the duchess to Lady Phoebe Drake almost nine years earlier. So many firsts had occurred for him in this room. His first ducal client had hired him here after summoning him to the Scottish Lowlands.
“Mr. Forrester.”
The duchess walked into the room, or rather waddled into the room, if he was being completely honest. Her gait was much different in the late stages of pregnancy than what it had been the last time he’d seen her. It took everything in him toschool his utter shock at how large she had become. Her attire looked more like a bombazine tent than a gown. Just the fact that his mind went in that direction made him wince from the mental slap his mother was giving him from heaven.Apologies, Mamma.
He rose to his feet and bowed. “Your Grace, I didn’t expect to see you. I had meant to meet with Lady Drake regarding a rather important matter. I did not mean to undermine your directive that no men enter the castle during your confinement. I understand why you would like to avoid any hint of scandal that may bring into question the parentage of your child.”
The duchess rolled her eyes. “Please stop calling me ‘Your Grace.’ And secondly, you asked to see Lady Drake, not me. I can hardly decline your admittance to Caerlaverock when you’re not here to see me. Besides, you could hardly impregnate me now.”
“I will never forget your station, Your Grace. That is why I’m surprised you’re the one greeting me, and not Lady Drake.” He hoped that was enough to cover his shock at seeing the duchess in her current condition. The duchess he had served pre-pregnancy looked nothing like the woman before him now.
“I will sack you, if you don’t start speaking less formally, and gawking at my protruding belly.”
His eyes shot to hers, heat rising up his neck. He hadn’t even realized he was staring at her stomach. “Of course, Your Grace.”
The duchess laughed but her mirth quickly turned into a sharp gasp as she froze in front of the settee. Joshua quickly moved to her side and grabbed her arm to steady her. “Are you alright, Your Grace?”
