Chapter Fourteen
Verina had not seen Reddington for two weeks.
She had kept busy with Tia, though. Her cousin was quite popular in the neighborhood, and they were continually receiving invitations to tea or dinner.
Tia was looking and feeling well these days.
Her nausea had subsided, and she seemed like the Tia of old.
At breakfast that morning, she and Justina had received a letter from Mama.
Mrs. Walters was doing much better, her plaster being removed, and Mama was eager to come to Merrifield to be with her girls.
Mama had also written to Tia, and her cousin said she would write Aunt Agnes immediately and tell her to come to Merrifield at her earliest convenience.
“Why don’t I go . . . and collect your aunt Agnes?” Hugo asked. “I am happy to do so. Write to her. Tell her I will escort her to Merrifield.”
“Are you certain you do not mind going?” Tia asked. “I would go with you, but I am only starting to feel myself again. Riding all day in a carriage to reach town and then turning around and coming back the next day has no appeal to me.”
“I will miss you,” Hugo said, taking Tia’s hand and kissing it. “But it will give me a chance to visit with my solicitor. I can travel to town one day. Do my business the next. Then collect your aunt the following day and return to Merrifield.”
“Why don’t I come with you?” Verina asked. “You have yet to meet Mama since she did not come to town this past Season.”
“I had not thought about that,” Hugo admitted. “Your mother might be . . . more comfortable with you present. After all, I am a stranger to her.”
“She will come to adore you, just as Justina and I have,” she assured him.
“Besides, I was thinking that Mama and I might see a modiste while I am in town. I could have her take my measurements, and we could commission a few gowns from her now, while it is a slow time of year. That way, when we do come to town, I should have several gowns close to being finished.”
“That is a brilliant idea,” Tia declared. “I will write to Madame Laurent and tell her you will be in town soon and ask for an appointment. My letter will introduce you to her.”
“Do you want to come along, Justina?” she asked her sister.
“Not really. I hate carriage travel. I wish I were a witch and could fly on my broomstick to whatever destination I chose. It would be so much faster—and more fun—than being trapped inside a boring carriage that bumps along.”
“Well, we will have plenty to do here while Hugo and Verina are gone,” Tia said. “Why don’t you call at Redfield and see if Matthew needs to go into town? He is always good company and would make the journey go faster.”
Verina thought about the last time she was in a carriage with the duke.
And that kiss . . .
She was very conflicted about the Duke of Reddington.
On one hand, she was intrigued by his philanthropic efforts to help mistreated women.
She had asked him how many he had helped, and he had not given her an exact count.
She thought the duke merely modest. He was too humble to take credit for removing ladies wrongly sent to asylums. She knew that between his missions of mercy and the running of his various estates, he must be quite busy.
On the other hand, she was hoping to find a husband come the next Season.
While Verina admired his efforts, she was torn between respecting all he did for the downtrodden and her own desire for a conventional marriage.
That meant having a husband who spent his time at home with her and their children, not one who went traipsing about England, heading willingly into dangerous situations.
As the duke had said himself, the odds meant that sooner or later, he would run into trouble since he hadn’t so far.
She did not want to wed a man who, even though he showed an unselfish concern for the welfare of others, was rarely at home—and put the well-being of total strangers above that of his family.
Shaking her head, Verina knew she was getting ahead of herself.
She and the duke had only shared a kiss in his carriage.
Once. No declarations were made, nor was there any mention of an understanding between them.
She still had much to learn about him, as well as he had to know more of her before she could seriously entertain any kind of offer from him.
Just because they had kissed did not mean he cared for her.
Or was wishing to commit to her for a lifetime.
Especially if she asked him to set aside the work he did.
Actually, now she thought about it, the duke would not make for a good husband.
While he had a kind heart and was most handsome, he would always have a driving need to help women who had been placed in the same position as his mother.
The Duke of Reddington might be a man of fine character, but she did not think him husband material.
“That is a good idea, love,” Hugo said. “I will send a note to Matthew, telling him that we will leave for town the day after tomorrow, and he is welcome to accompany us.”
Verina now regretted volunteering to go to town with Hugo to fetch Mama. Then again, it was not as if she would be in the carriage alone with the duke for all those hours.
Two days later, they called at Redfield. Hugo had received a response to his note, and Reddington would accompany them to town. Her Grace walked out to the carriage with her son, kissing him goodbye.
From the carriage, Hugo asked, “I hope you are feeling well, Duchess. Matthew told us that you believed you might be coming down with a cold.”
She saw the duchess looked surprised and quickly said, “I am glad you stayed in the carriage when you and His Grace brought me home the other day, Your Grace. It looks as though you are the picture of health now, however. It is good to see you looking so well.”
The older woman quickly caught on. “Why, I am feeling just fine now, Lady Verina. In fact, an old friend has come to call upon me. I will enjoy her company while my son is away.”
“I hope your friend will take good care of you, Your Grace—and you of her, as well,” Verina said.
“Oh, she is in fine spirits, my lady. Perhaps on your way home from town, you might call upon us. I am eager to meet your mama. Better yet, head straight for Merrifield and allow her to rest a bit. Then I will invite you to tea. Lady Adams, my friend, should still be with me.”
“That is very kind, Your Grace. I will tell Mama about your invitation.”
The duchess met Verina’s gaze. “I also have another friend who happens to be in town now. She will wed by special license. Perhaps my son can introduce the two of you. I believe you would have much in common.”
Verina was happy to hear that Miss Baird was already in town and that Lord Hampton had already arranged for the special license. The sooner Miss Baird was wed, the better.
“I hope that will be the case, Your Grace.”
“Mama, we must be off,” the duke said. “You and Lady Verina can speak another time.”
“Be gone then!” the duchess said good-naturedly. “It was lovely seeing you again, Merrifield.”
“Likewise, Duchess,” Hugo replied.
The duke kissed his mother goodbye and climbed into the carriage.
Verina had been sitting across from Hugo, and so Reddington chose to sit next to her.
It made sense. Hugo was a very large man, at least three inches over six feet, but the duke sitting next to her only made Verina aware of him in a way a woman is aware of a man.
And she would be sitting next to him for a good six hours or more today.
For a few hours, the two entertained her with stories of their university days, including tales involving Anthony, Hugo’s cousin who held the living at the local parish.
Anthony had been to dinner twice during their stay at Merrifield, and she thought him amusing and intelligent.
She actually liked the sermons he delivered because Anthony used a bit of humor in them.
When they stopped to change horses, the duke led her inside the changing station.
“We should purchase something to eat,” he told her, taking her arm as Hugo watched the team being traded out.
“Tia’s cook sent a basket with us, Your Grace,” she told him as they walked away. “We can eat from it. I believe she sent some cold chicken legs. A round of cheese. Some fruit.”
“I saw the hamper,” he said as they moved out of Hugo’s earshot. “I wanted to tell you about Miss Baird.”
“Oh, please do so,” she said eagerly. “I am so happy she is already in town and preparing for her wedding.”
“No one except Lord Hampton knows she is there. I wrote to him, briefly explaining the situation, and promising to have her brought to town. He replied, telling me he would head to town and go to Doctors’ Commons for the special license.”
“What does it allow?” she asked.
“A couple may wed any time of day and at any place of their choosing,” he informed her.
“No banns need be called. I have known several couples to wed with one of these licenses. They allow for a more private, intimate wedding than the parade of people one sees at a wedding held at St. George’s in Mayfair.
They also require no waiting period.” He paused.
“Sometimes, a couple wishes to wed quickly, as in this instance.”
“Do we know where Miss Baird’s father is? Hopefully, not in town.”
“Mr. Larkin escorted Miss Baird to town. While there, he learned from one of the viscount’s servants that he is at his country estate. Most members of the ton are this time of year.”
Verina frowned. “Where is Miss Baird staying?”
“At my townhome. Do not worry,” he added when she sucked in a noisy breath. “My servants are tremendously discreet. They will not breathe a word to anyone that Miss Baird is in town, much less that she is staying at the residence of a duke. Her reputation would be in tatters if word got out.”
“She is going to have a hard time of it next Season, married or not. If she were supposed to wed another man, the banns would have been called and guests would have been invited to her wedding. For her to have stood up that groom, a man of her father’s choosing, and then arrive in town as Lady Hampton?
I shudder to think what the gossips will make of that. ”
“Fortunately, that is only partially the case. Larkin found out that while the banns had been called in her home parish, her father had not sent the news to the London newspapers, so nothing of the upcoming nuptials was printed in town. Miss Baird’s father, Viscount Ayles, lives in Durham, far from London, in the north of England. ”
“And the wedding guests?”
“Miss Baird told Mama and me that the ceremony was to be held the afternoon after the third and final reading of the banns. Only a handful were supposed to be in attendance.”
“It seems as if she will be safe in town then, especially with so many of the ton at their country estates this time of year.”
“Yes. I asked her not to leave my residence, though she does have the run of it. I also called in Mama’s modiste, and she came directly to the townhouse.
Lord Hampton is paying for a new wardrobe for his bride since she only had a few gowns which Miss Vines sewed for her once Miss Baird reached Dove Hall.
I will pay for her wedding gown, however, and have been asked to be one of the witnesses to the ceremony. ”
The duke’s gaze pierced her. “I know Miss Baird would be delighted if you could attend, Lady Verina. She thinks a great deal of you.”
“Will it take place while we are in town?”
“Yes. Tomorrow, as a matter of fact. I was already planning to come to town when I received Hugo’s message.”
“I am surprised that Her Grace did not come.”
“She is still tending to Lady Adams. The poor woman’s health was broken in that place. Mama is nursing her back to good health.”
“What will become of Lady Adams?”
“I believe she will stay with Mama as a companion of sorts. She will not attend any of the social affairs of the Season with Mama, but rarely do companions do so. They were friends before, but I see a closeness between them, as if they are now sisters.”
“And you welcome Lady Adams into your family?”
“I am happy to do so.” He paused. “So, would you be willing to attend the wedding ceremony? It is scheduled for ten o’clock tomorrow morning. A wedding breakfast will follow.”
She thought a moment. “Hugo is due to see his solicitor sometime tomorrow morning. I suppose I could go. I hate not telling him the truth, though.”
“Why don’t you tell him that you received a letter from an old friend who was to wed? That you had not thought about attending the ceremony because you thought you would be at Merrifield. Mention it—and I will offer to escort you. He will not object.”
Verina very much wanted to see Miss Baird again, so she agreed to the plan.
They returned to the carriage. She waited until after they had stopped again to change out the horses and were back on the road again.
“Why, what is the date?” she asked.
The duke told her, and Verina, doing her best playacting, said, “It must be fate. My friend Miss Baird is to wed tomorrow in town.”
“A wedding, you say?” asked Hugo.
“Yes. I have known Miss Baird a good while now. When she wrote to me to tell me of her betrothal, she shared the wedding date with me. Of course, I replied and told her I would not be able to attend because I would be at Merrifield. But with this sudden turn of events, I find myself in town.”
She paused and beseeched, “Might I go to the wedding ceremony tomorrow, Hugo? Only a few family and friends will be in attendance. It is to take place at ten o’clock.”
He frowned. “I meet with my solicitor at half-past ten. I suppose I could try and move the appointment so that I might accompany you.”
“I do not mind escorting you to the wedding of your friend, Lady Verina,” the duke offered.
“You know how fussy solicitors are, Hugo. If you try to push the appointment for later in the day, he might not have any openings available. And you are only going to be in town and able to do business tomorrow.”
“That is true,” Hugo mused. He looked at Verina. “Would you mind Matthew taking my place?”
Verina turned her gaze upon the duke. “If you truly do not mind, Your Grace, I would appreciate it. So would Miss Baird.”
“I am more than happy to take Lady Verina to her wedding.”
“Perhaps you both can come for tea tomorrow afternoon,” she said. “Surely, your business would be completed by then, Hugo.”
“It will be.”
“I am afraid I cannot come for tea, my lady,” Reddington said. “I have an appointment tomorrow afternoon which will not allow me to do so.”
She did not know if he had another engagement or not. It did not matter.
Verina was going to a wedding—with the Duke of Reddington as her escort.