Page 7 of The Wedding-Crashing Duchess

“Matilda, there is no need for you to concern yourself with it,” Augusta said. “These are not matters for someone your age to be worried about, let alone discuss.”

Matilda gave her a slight eye-roll. As the youngest born, she disliked immensely being reminded of it.

“Surely, you are concerned about it. So, who was she?” her sister pressed.

Augusta looked at her, giving her a slight glare now. “I think you should return to your lesson.”

As luck would have it, the door opened before Matilda could continue her line of questioning.

Thank Heavens, Augusta felt grateful for the interruption but understood that having other people present came with its own set of challenges.

Charity entered the room wearing a pale blue gown while Duncan followed behind her. They were all smiles, oblivious to what Augusta had just read in the paper.

“Are you ready?” Charity asked Augusta. “We ought to leave within the next few minutes if we are to arrive before the ceremony begins.”

“Yes, I am ready,” Augusta replied, rising from her chair. She shot Matilda a look, as if to warn her not to say a word. “Shall we go?”

Charity gave her a curious look, but Augusta was already moving toward the door. Duncan offered his arm to his wife, and the three of them made their way downstairs, where the carriage waited before the house.

Augusta climbed inside first and took the seat opposite Duncan as Charity settled beside her.

“The church should not be more than half an hour away,” Charity said. “Provided the roads are clear, we ought to arrive with enough time to speak to Phillipa before the ceremony.”

“I doubt her mother will allow anyone near her,” Duncan remarked. “Lady Hewes guarded her daughter rather closely at the engagement party.”

“She was surrounded by half of London,” Charity replied. “I imagine the poor girl scarcely had time to think.”

Augusta barely heard them.

Merrigold.

Augusta looked through the carriage window, watching the passing houses without truly seeing them. She searched her memory for any mention of the estate. Perhaps she had heard the name during a dinner or while Charity entertained callers. It might have appeared in another newspaper article, though she could not recall reading one.

Still, the name felt too familiar to be meaningless.

“Merrigold,” she murmured.

Charity turned toward her. “What about Merrigold?”

Augusta blinked, only then realising that she had spoken aloud. “Do you know where it is?” she asked.

“Merrigold Estate?” Charity replied. “Yes, I believe so.”

Augusta sat straighter. “Where?”

Charity looked surprised by the urgency in her voice. “It belongs to the Hensley family, although they seldom reside there. Why do you ask?”

Duncan glanced between the sisters, his expression becoming more attentive.

“Tell me where it is.” She felt her heart beat faster.

Charity thought for a moment before answering. “It is beside Hewes Park. The two estates share a boundary, if I remember correctly.”

“Beside Hewes Park?” Augusta felt the blood drain from her face.

“Yes,” Charity said slowly. “The place we visited for Phillipa’s engagement party.”

“I…” she said, out of breath. “The paper... did you see.. There was an article.”