“But that would not be the case for Felicity, I daresay. After all, she is a vain young lady and one who would not care to hear herself talked about in disapproving tones. And she has not been seen out much in society ever since. I cannot help thinking she has been awaiting your return before doing so. She knows that you will not make a scene of any kind, and the moment you are seen out in society to be quite upright and without emotion upon the thing, she will set herself free from the prison of her own making. She will unleash herself upon the world again so that she might strut and preen and primp as a Duchess for all to see.”
“Did you always feel so about Felicity, my dear cousin, or is it simply now that she has done me a good deal of wrong?”
“I have always felt so, Hunter. Forgive me, but it is true. Although I must admit, I find the feeling has grown since her betrayal has reached my ears.”
“You need not look down, Algernon. You are free to speak your mind, and I should not have you do any other, really I should not.”
“Your understanding does you credit, Hunter. But surely you cannot be so understanding of Felicity herself. Surely you will never be able to forgive such a thing.”
“Perhaps, when the truth of it finally hits me, you shall be quite right, and I will never forgive her. But now, as I sit here and say the words, I feel as if I am talking about another man and woman entirely. I cannot believe that the woman I had intended to marry is now already married to another. Tell me, when did it happen?”
“As far as I know it, the two of them had met at several events during the early part of the London Season. Of course, the Season being what it is, I do not think that anybody thought their growing acquaintanceship amiss in any way,” Algernon said and shrugged. “But I have no doubt that Christian Burton has flattered her greatly, for our how else would a man of his age seek to entice so young a woman?”
“Whilst it is true that Christian Burton is, at forty years, almost twice Felicity’s age, he is a Duke. Perhaps he had no need to flatter her at all, especially if the woman I once thought I knew really is as vain as you perceived. Perhaps the idea that she would be a Duchess, instead of just the Countess that she would have been had she married me, was enough for her.”
“Yes, you are likely right. And please do forgive me for speaking so plainly about Felicity. Her behaviour has caused you pain enough, and I would not seek to add to it with my pronouncements on her character which have simply come too late.”
“But her character is something that I ought to have discerned for myself, Algernon. You have absolutely nothing to reproach yourself for, my dear fellow, and I will not hear it.” Hunter rose to his feet and strode over to the drinks cabinet. He lifted the brandy bottle and walked back with it, pausing briefly to add a little more to his cousin’s glass before almost filling his own.
“Anyway, I believe that they were married five or six weeks ago. As I said before, there was very little fuss made about the thing.”
Hunter thought about her last letter to him and tried to remember the exact details. He had kept the letter, of course, and knew that he would return to it the moment his cousin left him alone. He knew, of course, that it had contained little of personal content, and now he knew why. But what he wondered more than anything at that moment was if she had written that letter to him when she had still been Lady Felicity Morgan. Had there still been a moment where chance might still have brought them together? Or had she written the letter to him from her own chamber at Galcross Hall? The chamber she now occupied as the wife of another man. For reasons he could not quite explain at that moment, it was somehow vitally important that he knew.
Chapter 4
“I thought that Clara might have ridden over with us in the carriage, Emmeline,” Rose said as they made the short journey from Tarlton Manor to Ashton House, the home of the Lennox family. “You have not had a falling out, have you?” Emmeline’s younger sister went on.
“No, not at all,” Emmeline said and laughed as she reached out to take her sister’s hand.
They sat side-by-side in the carriage, despite having the whole thing to themselves. Their mother, still in full mourning for the next three months, had not come with them. Still, Emmeline and Rose were no strangers to Ashton House, and there would certainly be no impropriety in the sisters arriving there together, albeit unaccompanied.
Emmeline had received the invitation by letter, and it had been made by Christopher’s mother. At the time, she had thought it a curious thing; after all, Christopher would ordinarily make such invitations himself, and in person. Still, it was a little thing and of no matter as far as Emmeline was concerned.
“And Clara is going with her parents today, is she?” Rose seemed unsettled.
“Yes, I presume so,” Emmeline said a little uncertainly.
The evening soirée of buffet and music seemed to have been arranged quickly, and Clara had seemed a little distant when Emmeline had spoken to her of it. Ordinarily, Emmeline and Clara could hardly be parted and travelled almost everywhere together, whether it be in Emmeline’s family carriage or in Clara’s. But the last couple of weeks had felt a little unusual, ever since Emmeline had been back out in society again once her period of full mourning had been over. However, she had just put that down to the fact that she and her dear friend were finding their feet once again after the upheaval of so great a loss. And yet, there was something, something Emmeline could not quite put her finger on.
“It is not like Clara to travel separately,” Rose carried on innocently, entirely unaware of Emmeline’s curiously unsettled feelings. “And what a strange thing that Christopher’s family have arranged an event so suddenly. And why did Christopher not deliver the invitation himself? Ordinarily, he just calls upon us and asks us in person.”
“Rose, I do not know,” Emmeline said a little shortly and immediately regretted her tone. “Forgive me, Sister. Really, I do not know what has become of my humour.” She tried to laugh.
“I am sorry,” Rose said, and her cheeks turned pink.
“There is no reason for you to apologize for my poor humour.” Emmeline squeezed her sister’s hand.
They made the rest of their journey in silence and, by the time they had arrived at Ashton House, Emmeline felt curiously nervous. For some reason, she did not want to go inside; as ridiculous as it was, Emmeline wanted to climb back up into the carriage and instruct the driver to take them home again.
“Are you quite well, Emmeline?” Rose said, her concern clear.
“Yes, I am quite well.” Emmeline forced a smile and reached out to link her arm through her sister’s as they made their way to the front door of Ashton House.
Mr and Mrs Lennox were waiting in the hallway, greeting their guests as they arrived. When Mrs Lennox set eyes on Emmeline, she seemed suddenly flushed and uncomfortable.
“Good evening, Mrs Lennox,” Emmeline said with forced cheer. “Thank you kindly for your invitation.”
“Not at all, my dear.” Mrs Lennox seemed greatly distracted. “You are more than welcome. And do have a good evening,” she said, politely dismissing her much more quickly than ordinarily she would.