The Penitent Duke (The Untamed Nobles #1)

Chapter Fifteen

There she is.

Lucian did not even attempt to approach Lady Rosalind, aware of the slight lifting of his heart as he watched her. She was deep in conversation with Lady Eleanor and he did not want to interrupt. Besides which, he considered, there was something about simply watching the lady that brought a flicker of happiness to him though he did not permit himself to consider it for too long. That would only lead to him thinking a good too many thoughts about the lady and that, he considered, was a trifle dangerous. The last thing he needed to do was linger upon thoughts of Lady Rosalind. It would do him no good.

Tilting his head just a little, Lucian leaned against the tree as he watched Lady Eleanor wave to someone and then hurry along the path around the pond. Lady Rosalind hurried after her, disappearing for a moment behind a bush – only for a huge splash to catch Lucian’s attention.

His breath stopped, catching in his chest as he stood up straight, watching the ripples across the pond… and then, he began to run. His chest was tight, his whole body burning with fear and dread, only for another splash to break out across the pond.

Lucian came to a stop, stepping closer to the pond as he tried to make out what was taking place. Seeing a bonnet floating across the water, he let out a cry of fright and threw himself in, wading towards it – just as two figures came into view.

“It is all right,” he heard a voice say as he rushed forward, striding through the water that came up to his waist. “You are safe.”

“Rosalind.” The word tore up his throat, leaving it ragged and raw as he reached out for her, though the other gentleman who had flung himself in the water after her held onto her just as tightly. “What happened? I –”

“I am all right.” Lady Rosalind reached out one hand to him and Lucian grasped a hold of it, pulling her to him despite the fact that the water was now halfway up his chest.

“We need to get her out of the water.”

Lucian blinked, looking at the other gentleman, only for his eyes to round. “Westlake?”

“I heard a splash and came to see what happened,” the gentleman told him, as a small crowd of gentlemen and ladies gathered on the bank. “Come. Make haste. ”

Lucian was shivering but not from the cold. The awareness of what may have befallen Lady Rosalind, had Lord Westlake not intervened, weighed heavily upon him; his mind resolutely declined to entertain such grievous possibilities. Somehow, he made his way to the side of the pond, Lady Rosalind still clinging to him though she quickly accepted the waiting hands ready to pull her up.

“Thank you, Westlake.” Climbing out, he shook Lord Westlake’s hand, though the fellow quickly dismissed it.

“I am sure that anyone would have done the same. She must be taken home, and quickly.

“Of course.”

“Rosalind!” Lady Eleanor pushed her way through the crowd. “What happened? I –”

“The carriage, Lady Eleanor,” Lucian interrupted, as a gentleman put his own coat around Lady Rosalind’s shoulders. “Hurry now.” Pausing, he dropped his head to speak quietly to Lady Rosalind, seeing the white of her cheeks and the way she shivered. “If you permit me, I will carry you.”

Despite her trembling, Lady Rosalind managed a small smile. “I will be quite all right, Strathmore,” she answered, though she was only just a little louder than a whisper. “I do not want to create more gossip than is necessary.”

Lucian opened his mouth to argue but Lady Eleanor was already guiding Lady Rosalind forward and Lucian hurried with them, aware of the water that dripped from practically every part of him. Glancing behind him, he saw Lord Westlake being congratulated by the lingering crowd and, immediately, Lucian’s gut twisted.

He saved my betrothed but I could not save his sister.

“We must get you home just as quickly as possible,” Lady Eleanor said, as Lucian walked alongside Lady Rosalind on the opposite side. “We came in my carriage, Your Grace, so I will see her home safely.”

Lucian nodded but said nothing. He did not want to be separated from Lady Rosalind but could not quite find the words to express that to either her or to Lady Rosalind. His whole body was shaking still but he gritted his teeth, trying to hide any sign of outward weakness. That was not what Lady Rosalind required from him at present. What she needed was for him to be strong, to make certain she was safe and well and would not suffer from what had happened.

“What happened?” Lady Eleanor asked, as Lucian, unable to help himself, wrapped one arm tight around Lady Rosalind’s shoulders, supporting her if she required it. “You were just behind me and then, all I heard was a splash. ”

“I… I do not know.” Lady Rosalind’s voice was quavering but Lucian presumed that came from both the cold and the shock of what had happened. He prayed it did not come from fear. “I did not really see anything and mayhap… mayhap I just stumbled.”

“There was nothing to stumble over,” Lady Eleanor replied, with a shake of her head. “I do not know what happened either but I am sure there was no slip there.” For a moment, Lady Eleanor turned her head and caught Lucian’s attention with her gaze, a slight narrowing of her eyes and a thinning of her lips which made Lucian frown. Whatever was she thinking? Was it that she believed that somehow, he was responsible for what had happened? That somehow, he had wanted this? The thought made his stomach twist with concern.

“I did not see either,” he said, keeping his gaze fixed to Lady Eleanor. “I was standing watching you both, I will confess. I saw you both speaking with one another and waving to someone across the pond before beginning to make your way around it.”

“But you did not see Lady Rosalind fall into the water?” Lady Eleanor asked, her lip curling just a little, making Lucian’s fear grow all the more. “I know that you jumped in to find her thereafter, but that was only after Lord Westlake had done the same. And he reached her first.”

“Yes,” Lady Rosalind whispered, as Lucian’s hand tightened on her shoulder. “Yes, he did.”

Lucian swallowed, hard. “Lady Rosalind was hidden from my view for a time and I did not see what had happened. I did not understand that she had fallen in until I came closer and then, of course, I did not hesitate!”

“Mmm.” Lady Eleanor sniffed and turned her head away and then they were at the carriage, meaning that Lucian could say nothing more.

“Come, let me help you in.” It was all he could do, helping Lady Rosalind up into the carriage, another gentleman’s coat around her shoulders, her face white and her whole body trembling still. Her eyes were large and dark green, striking against her pale face and the desperate urge grew within him to reach up and cup her face and to promise her that everything would be all right, that he would discover what had happened and would make whoever was responsible pay for their foolishness.

Instead, he merely stepped back and assisted Lady Eleanor up into the carriage.

Then, he gripped Eleanor’s hand, refusing to let her free. Lady Eleanor’s breath caught audibly and she looked at him, wide eyed, only for Lucian to lean a little closer .

“I did not do this,” he breathed, seeing how her eyes rounded. “I can see that your thoughts linger towards my involvement but I can assure you, I did not – would not – do such a thing so as to injure Lady Rosalind in such a dreadful way.”

“No?” Lady Eleanor wrenched her hand from his.

“No!” Lucian exclaimed, though Lady Eleanor did not make to sit in the carriage. Instead, she simply glared at him. “For what purpose would I do such a thing?”

She shrugged, sniffed and lifted her chin. “I could not say,” she answered, quietly. “I must only hope that there was nothing cruel and calculating in what happened to Lady Pearl… and that the same will not happen to my dear friend.”

Lucian went white hot and then terribly cold as Lady Eleanor finished speaking. He wanted to tell her that she had no right to even suggest such a terrible thing but the shock of her words was so great, he could not even find a way to say it. Lady Eleanor lifted an eyebrow and then turned into the carriage, sitting down and having the carriage door shut tightly.

Then, it rolled away.

Lucian closed his eyes and let out a slow groan, dropping his head and rubbing one hand over his eyes. Surely Lady Eleanor did not think that a word of what she had suggested was true? And even if she did, could he trust that she would not express that to Lady Rosalind? Yes, he knew that she had been terribly shocked by what had happened but he had to pray, had to believe that Lady Rosalind would not believe that he had anything to do with it!

“Mayhap Lord Westlake saw what went on.” Muttering to himself, he rubbed one hand over his eyes again and then made to stride back to the path, only for a sudden gust of wind to twist over him.

Lucian shivered. It had been a fine sunny day but all the same, the pond water had not been warm and now, even the smallest gust of wind made him feel all the colder. He could not do anything now. It would be best to return home, bathe, change and then go to find Lord Westlake thereafter.

Lifting his chin, he made his way back towards his own carriage, only for a small, somewhat scruffy looking child to rush up to him.

“Your Grace?”

Lucian took a step back so that the boy could not put a grubby hand on his clothing. “What is the meaning of this?” he exclaimed, but the boy seem to care nothing for his sharp tone. Instead, he looked up at Lucian as though somehow, he might be able to ascertain whether or not he truly was the Duke of Strathmore.

“Are you?”

Lucian stepped back again, his jaw tight. “Be off with you!”

“But I have a message!”

This stopped Lucian short. He turned and looked down at the small child, seeing an earnestness in his expression. Normally, he would not have cared about a street urchin, normally he would have dismissed him and stepped away, not believing that he truly did have a message for him but there was something about this boy’s face that made him pause. He did not know what it was, whether it was the wide eyes, the clasped hands in front or the general demeanor of earnestness but, despite his cold, despite his shivering, Lucian relented.

“Yes, I am the Duke of Strathmore,” he said, after a few moments. “What is it?”

The boy beamed at him and Lucian relaxed a little more.

“I am to tell you to be careful.” The smile quickly began to disappear, a frown replacing it. “She said there is more to him than you think, more than you have ever seen.”

“ She said?” Lucian frowned now, not understanding what it was that the boy meant. “Who sent you with this message?”

The boy’s shoulders lifted. “I don’t know. A lady. A kind lady. Said that she knew of me and what was happening and that I was to warn you about him.”

“And who is him ?” Lucian asked, coming a little closer to the boy now. “I do not understand.”

After a moment, the boy stuck his hands in his pockets. “I can’t say I rightly know, Your Grace. That’s all I was told and all I can say. Just to be careful around him, that there’s more to him than you’ve seen.” With this, he stuck out his hand. “She said you’d give me a coin.”

Blinking, Lucian stared down at the small boy, seeing the grin spreading right across his face again and wondering whether he spoke the truth or not. “This lady,” he said, taking out a coin from his pocket but then bending down now so that he was face to face with the child. “What did she look like?” He held the coin out but not so that the boy could grasp it, wanting to hear the answer to his question before he received it.

The boy scowled. “I wasn’t meant to say.”

“What do you mean?”

“I wasn’t to answer any questions,” he said, though his eyes were on the coin now, hungry for it. “She wants you to be careful, that’s all. ”

“Did she have dark hair? Fair hair?” Lucian pressed, still holding the coin out of reach. “Please, I must know something.”

The boy looked back at him then, shook his head. “I can’t answer any questions, Your Grace, otherwise I won’t get paid from her either.”

Lucian let out a sigh and made to pull the coin back, only to see the boy snatch in a breath, his eyes rounding and, much to Lucian’s surprise, filling with tears. His heart squeezed painfully, his conscience burning and, closing his eyes briefly, Lucian held out the coin and the boy quickly took it.

“And another,” Lucian murmured, taking out another coin to offer it to him. “You won’t go hungry tonight, I am sure.”

The boy blinked furiously, then shook his head. “It’s for my Mama,” he said, a little quietly. “The lady said she’d get the physician to my Mama once I came back. I have to go now.”

“Wait, I…”

It was too late. The boy was gone and all Lucian could do was follow after him with his gaze. Standing up straight, he shivered as another gust of wind wrapped around him, though he barely noticed it. Instead, his brow furrowed, his thoughts whirling this way and that as he considered what the boy had just said.

None of it made sense. Who was this mysterious lady who had spoken a warning to him through a street urchin? Why was she hiding herself away? And who, precisely, was the gentleman she was warning him away from?