Page 80 of Lavender’s Lost Duke

Mrs. Howard sniffed behind them. They both turned her way.

“Oh, don’t mind me,” she blubbered, wiping at her eyes. “I’m only here as a chaperone.”

Thomas led Lady Lavender back inside and allowed her to sit at the edge of the gathering that awaited them. He stood amidst his staff who felt more like friends than they ever had despite his months of absence. “I apologize for leaving you all as I did. At the time, it seemed like a lark to distract me from the whisperings of society.” He made eye contact with Mr. Alby who was shaking his head. “It seems I made them all the worse.”

“I’d say,” a voice from behind him called.

Thomas turned to see Jack framed in the doorway, his orange hair sticking up at all angles and a smile so big it threatened to split his face. “I’ll have you all know I’ve trained this fine gentleman to be one of the most accomplished gardeners in all of England. You’d be hard pressed to find a singing goose as dedicated to the dirt as him.”

Thomas chuckled and motioned toward Jack. “Everyone, this is Jack. And for the past few months, I’ve been his assistant under the Duke of Gilfordshire’s employ.”

A mixture of laughter and gasps went up from the gathered servants.

Thomas held up his hands. “I’ve been in London, hiding from the rumors, and hoping to find something that would clear my name so that I might properly court the loveliest woman of my acquaintance.”

One of the stable hands whistled and Thomas watched Lady Lavender hide her cheeks in her hands.

“I have come to understand better how much I need you all in my life. And I thank you for staying on and keeping the estate running properly. Thanks to Lady Lavender, we have some evidence of a plot that has been ongoing to prove me a traitor to the crown. If all goes according to my hopes, all charges will be dropped. If it does not work out the way I intend, I want you all to return to your families. In all honesty, I don’t know what will happen.”

Chapter 39

Lavender watched as the servants all exchanged glances. The uncertainty of their employment must have them all concerned, and she wished to put their minds at ease. The last thing she wanted was to be the center of attention at such a time, but she pushed past her inhibitions and stood from her wooden chair. Everyone’s eyes swung toward her. “I know that you must all be worried. I only wish to assure you that the evidence we’ve discovered should be more than enough to clear the duke’s name.”

A young man with a missing tooth rose a little from his spot on the floor. “Why are you here?”

Lavender felt the heat in her cheeks, but there was no hiding it now. “Someone I trusted told me that the Duke of Fenleigh had an incredible library. I love books, and as my father is dying, I am tasked with finding someone to care for me before he passes.”

“You’re here to marry our duke,” the boy said.

Lavender nodded her head. “That was my hope, but I expected the duke to return to his estate after his name was cleared, and I certainly did not anticipate knowing the man.” She sat back down, not wanting the attention of the room focused on her any longer. What they must think of her! Presumptuous woman to come convince a duke to marry her out of pity.

“This duke,” Tom—no, not Tom, Thomas—said, “has been an imbecile of the greatest degree, and he has some work to do to convince the lady to go through with her plan.” He smiled at her.

Lavender wished she could melt into the floorboards. If only they would all stop looking at her.

The butler clapped his hands once and all attention turned toward him. “Welcome home, Your Grace. Now, I do believe there are horses that need attending, and baths to be drawn. The rest of you will go off to bed.”

Jack put his hand up. “I’ve taken care of the horses. Is there somewhere you could put me up for the night as well?” He followed the butler but winked at Tom . . . Thomas. Goodness that would be difficult to wrap her mind around.

The room slowly emptied, the gaggle of servants not even attempting to hide their looks of curiosity as they gazed at Lavender. She couldn’t blame them; given the circumstances, she would have been staring, too. Besides, the discomfort she felt being the center of their attention was a small distraction from the Duke of Fenleigh who was situated on the other side of the room. She could feel his stare like one could feel the warmth from a fire.

Mrs. Howard was the last one to leave the room. She dipped a curtsey to the duke. “Your Grace, would you like the door open or closed?”

“Closed, please. Thank you, Mrs. Howard,” he answered swiftly.

The door clicked behind the housekeeper and Lavender was left with nothing and no one to distract her from the man across the room. She swallowed and then turned to face him.

“Lady Lavender,” he said as he walked slowly toward her. “Before you go to bed, I must warn you about the Duke of Fenleigh.”

Lavender watched him warily. There was fire in Thomas’s eyes, and she was tempted to play with it. The thought surprised her. “Is he guilty of his charges?”

Thomas shook his head. “He is not.” He reached out and cupped her elbow with his calloused hand, just as he’d done in the garden a few minutes ago.

Lavender’s breath hitched.

“The Duke of Fenleigh knows precisely what he wants. And what he wants is the love of a very specific lady.” He arched an eyebrow at Lavender as if she were going to misunderstand his implications. “But what he wants, and what the lady needs might not be one and the same.”

“You do not believe I need to be loved?”