Chapter 18
Richard could not stop looking at Meriel, bedraggled from the rain, her hair lopsided, her spectacles useless. She looked…beautiful, stunning, and he could have gladly taken her back to the hunting lodge and—
And what? Seduced the virginal governess?
But he wasn’t at Thanet Court to satisfy his own needs. He was here for Stephen, who now thought that his uncle had forgotten him—just as his father always had.
And he needed to see that Stephen was all right. How had he forgotten that?
“We’ll talk about your spectacles another time,” he said. “Let’s get back to Stephen.”
As they walked through the park, past the stables, through the gardens, he couldn’t help noticing the attention they attracted.
Everyone turned to stare at the duke and his governess, alone and wet and…
disheveled. Heads came together in whispers, people knowingly nodded, and two grooms blatantly exchanged money.
Richard glanced down at Meriel. She couldn’t have missed that they were the focus of everyone as they passed. But she only lifted her chin and kept walking, nodding and smiling at the people she knew. Only he could see the hot color in her cheeks. But she said nothing, made no protest.
He felt like a scoundrel, because he couldn’t protest on her behalf. He was ruining the reputation of a good woman. Though he told himself it was for Stephen’s benefit, his self-disgust wouldn’t go away.
They entered Thanet Court through the conservatory, and once again it was as if the indoor staff had simply been waiting for their arrival.
Some maids sighed and slunk away, while others—namely Beatrice and Clover—struggled to hide their anger and disappointment.
Richard hoped they wouldn’t take out their wrath on Meriel, because surely they knew that Cecil always grew bored with his latest conquest after one month.
But Richard would dare even Cecil to grow bored with Meriel.
The merest thought of his brother having power over her made him feel indignant.
But didn’t the servants think that he himself used his power over Meriel?
Before he could sink any lower in his own estimation, he heard “Father!” coming from the grand staircase. Stephen came rushing toward them, Nurse Weston trailing behind, and skidded to a stop.
“You’re all wet,” Stephen said in a puzzled voice.
“It’s raining outside,” Richard said mildly. He put his hand on the boy’s head. “Forgive me for missing our boxing lesson. Miss Shelby came to tell me what I’d done. I’ll be happy to have our lesson right now—after I change, of course.”
“It’s all right, Father. We had a visitor while you were gone, but we both missed him!”
Richard frowned. “Who was it?”
“Our cousin Charles! But I was out playing with Nurse Weston, so I missed him, too.”
Richard felt a stab of fear that turned into anger at his own gullibility. Someone had sent him a note to meet at the hunting lodge; it was unsigned, and promised information on Charles. Richard hadn’t been able to ignore it.
Charles had succeeded in getting him out of the house, just as easily as that. He felt Meriel’s hand on his back, the weight of it meant to be a comfort. He took a deep breath and controlled his anger.
Had Charles meant to talk to Stephen, to begin to sway the boy’s opinion of him?
Or had Charles meant to steal the boy away?
That couldn’t be the case—what would he accomplish? Everyone would insist that Stephen be returned to his father.
But what if Charles suspected the truth about the masquerade?
Richard had to rethink all his plans, but right now Stephen was counting on him, and he found that he needed the comfort of knowing the boy was all right.
“Did Charles leave me a note?” he asked, looking toward Nurse Weston. Then he saw that Mrs. Theobald had come into the great hall as well. Though she wore her usual calm expression, there was something in her eyes that suggested she was as worried as he was.
“No, Your Grace,” Mrs. Theobald said. “Sir Charles did not remain long, once he realized that both you and Lord Ramsgate were out of the house.”
“It must not have been important,” he said, smiling down at Stephen. “I’ll change and meet you right here. Nurse Weston, can you wait with Stephen?”
“Of course, Your Grace.”
“I’ll send up your valet,” Mrs. Theobald said, disappearing through the far doors.
Meriel excused herself as well. Richard wanted to talk to her, but it would have to wait. Stephen needed him.
~oOo~
At dinner that evening, Richard was the first to arrive. He did his usual Cecil impersonation by starting to eat without Stephen and Meriel. He had a forkful in his mouth when he caught sight of Meriel walking through the double doors.
And he froze there, not certain if he would remember how to chew.
Meriel wore her hair up in the latest London style, with several blond ringlets free to cascade to her shoulders—her very bare shoulders. Though no cleavage was even hinted at, he almost choked on his food, and took a sip of wine to get it all down.
Her gown was a brilliant, vivid red, with silk flowers sewn down her bodice and spreading out across her overskirt. Short puffed sleeves left her arms mostly bare except for her white gloves.
She looked like a princess—or a fallen woman.
Why did she allow everyone to think that she’d succumbed to his advances? It would have worked out fine if he only had to pursue her. He noticed that the footmen ogled her, barely able to fulfill their roles.
“Father, doesn’t Miss Shelby look pretty?” Stephen asked, pointing to his governess.
“Stunning,” Richard said, rising to his feet.
Instead of sitting on the other side of Stephen, Meriel came around and sat at Richard’s right hand, like an honored guest.
The full understanding of her plan hit him, and his heart squeezed painfully. She was sacrificing herself, so that all would believe he was Cecil. Why had she changed her mind?
Stephen. Richard had given away his concerns about Charles this afternoon. Now Meriel was as deeply involved as he was.
~oOo~
After Meriel left to take Stephen to bed, Richard remained at the table, drinking a glass of brandy slowly, staring at the liquid as if it held an answer to the pain eating away inside him.
“Your Grace?”
It was Mrs. Theobald, but he didn’t look up at her, just continued swirling the glass in his hand.
He heard the door shut, then the swish of her skirts as she walked toward him.
And suddenly the silence was too much.
“Did you see her?” he asked, speaking softly as if the words would hurt his throat.
“I did, Your Grace.”
He closed his eyes. “She’s letting everyone think that…that she’s my mistress.”
“That was your plan, was it not?”
He raised his startled gaze to find her watching him with concern. “It was not! You know that I only meant to appear to be pursuing her. She was supposed to resist, and keep her reputation intact. But then I accidentally told her that Stephen is in danger.”
Mrs. Theobald sighed and sat down on his left. “Accidentally?”
“My brain was scrambled from a blow to the head.”
She gasped aloud, her hand going to her throat.
“I’m fine. Meriel found me. But I wasn’t making sense, I know, and my fears for Stephen were what I spoke about first. I must have been lured out there so that Charles could meet with Stephen alone.”
“Thank goodness that didn’t happen,” Mrs. Theobald said with relief. “So you told Miss Shelby about the plan to pretend to seduce her?”
“And she took it further.” He slammed his hand down on the table, and the housekeeper twitched. “I didn’t want this to happen!” He spoke more forcefully than he’d intended to.
Mrs. Theobald’s eyes were filled with sympathy. “But it was her choice, Your Grace. You cannot fault yourself.”
“This has happened to her before, Mrs. Theobald. You can tell by the way she tries to hide within those plain garments. I’m using her, and she’s willing to be used, and it makes me feel—”
He broke off, hating himself in that moment. And still Mrs. Theobald waited, and the words came out though he tried to hold them back.
“I feel like I’m seducing the governess, like my brother would have done.” He clenched his jaw. “Though it started out as an illusion, it doesn’t feel that way anymore. Is being the duke changing me so much? Am I turning into my father?”
Mrs. Theobald touched his arm gently. “You could never be that, young sir.”
“But today I almost forgot about Stephen because I could only think about her!”
“You were hit on the head,” she said firmly. “And as for becoming your father, he would have had no guilt over using a woman any way he pleased. You should not feel guilty that Miss Shelby wants to help Stephen.”
“That are other things concerning her that I can feel guilty about,” he said darkly.
She hesitated, and he thought she might have blushed.
“Are you…coercing her into something she does not want?”
“No.” The kiss they’d shared had been equally passionate. He was shocked by how much her willingness made their relationship seem all right.
“Then all you can do is talk to her, young sir. Keep everything open between you.”
“My motives wouldn’t be pure. I know I should tell her so that she can understand the danger and minimize the risk to herself, but a selfish part of me wants her to know the full truth about me, so that she doesn’t think I’m like my brother. What does that say about my motives?”
“That’s something only you can answer, young sir. Be as honest with her as you can be.” She smiled. “Although it sounds to me like you have far too many things to think about where Miss Shelby is concerned.”
He grimaced.
“But if she wants to help you protect Stephen…how can you refuse?”
~oOo~
Richard waited until midnight, then he climbed the private staircase to the nursery. He remembered where the governess’s bedroom was, and he knocked softly on the door.
Meriel opened it a crack and stared up at him. “May I help you, Your Grace?”
He rolled his eyes. “You know why I’m here.”