Chapter Twenty-One
Lucinda sat in the parlor, looking out the window.
Her cup of tea, cold and forgotten. Sasha’s soft muzzle was on her lap as she absently stroked her golden, silky fur.
Her thoughts jumbled and unfocused. Heaviness had taken over her limbs, making them feel like lead.
Thankfully, Marianne and her mother had decided to keep to themselves on the other side of the room.
Occasionally, she would glace their way and they would smile at her, the kind of smile that one reserved for funerals.
There was the sound of voices in the foyer, and then Tony was there in the doorway. Her heart stumbled at the sight of him. He smiled at her, and she wanted to cry. Why did he not love her? Things would be so much simpler if he did. Wishes and dreams were not for her, it seemed.
“I have something that I am sure you will be happy to have back.” He held out his hand, a folded letter in his hand.
“If it is a letter from my grandfather, I will read it later. You can just leave it on the table there.”
“It is not a letter from Shorten.” He sauntered over to her and placed it in her palm. Confused, she unfolded the paper. She gasped. Her mother’s hair!
She jumped up. “Where did you get this?”
“Why from Lord Dunstan, of course.”
“You went to see him?”
“He had something that was not his. I simply asked for it back.”
“Oh! Thank you, thank you, thank you!” She threw her arms around him in a hug, and she felt his strong arms hug her back.
“Lucinda?” Marianne asked. “You did not tell me he took that from you.”
Realizing she was still hugging Tony, she pulled out of his embrace and stepped back to face Marianne and her mother. “I only noticed it when I got home. He had taken them out of their frames for some reason and this,” she held up the lock of hair, “was missing when he returned them to me.”
The dowager frowned. “My dear, why would he take them out of their frames?”
“I can answer that,” Tony said. “He explained it was to take measurements so that when he transferred them to the larger canvas it would be exact. I am not sure if it is true but that was the justification he gave. He also gave me this.” He handed her the note Dunstan had penned.
She took the note and opened it. “It is an apology.”
The dowager said, putting down her book, “I should think so!”
“What did he say?” Marianne asked. “Unless you do not wish to share it.”
Lucinda handed her the note to read for herself.
“Short and sweet and full of the appropriate adjectives but, Tony, was he sincere when you demanded the lock returned?”
“I did not have to demand it. He said it was simply an oversight when putting it back in the frame.” They did not need to know of his suspicions.
Marianne looked down at the note again. “But did you believe him?”
Ah, did he tell them what he really thought and perhaps sour Lucinda’s opinion of the man for good? Or would they all think he was making him out as insincere because they all knew he did not like Dunstan?
“He did not supplicate but he did seem worried he had upset you.”
Lucinda nodded. “How will I get it back into the frame without ruining the new glue?”
“I will do it for you,” said the duke from the door. “I see you have got it back in one piece.”
Tony was beginning to think his brother just liked to make late entrances on purpose.
Lucinda smiled at the duke and clapped her hands together. “Oh, thank you, Your Grace. I will run upstairs and fetch it for you.”
Once Lucinda was out of the room, all four Ashtons gathered, all asking questions of Tony at the same time. He put a hand up to halt them. “I have told you all I know. Did I think he kept it on purpose? No. Would he have returned it on his own? Probably.”
“So, should we still be thinking him a suitable match?” the duke asked.
“It was not as though he did it on purpose, as Tony said.”
“True, Marianne, and I did ask him if his intentions towards her were honorable and although he said he was not ready to propose right now he did not rule it out either.”
“How diplomatic of the man.” The duke read the note that Lucinda had left on the table. “His handwriting is passable, I suppose.”
“I doubt any of us are worried about his penmanship, dear.” His mother took the note off him and put it back on the table.
“I am more worried about his lack of affection towards her. He is kind enough and easy to converse with, but he pays as much attention to Marianne as he does to Lucinda. I was not going to say anything and there was nothing wrong with paying Marianne attention too. It is just that he should be giving Lucinda his undivided interest. If I did not know better, I would say he was courting them both.”
Marianne blushed. “I have not given him any reason to, Mama.”
“Of course not, dear,” the duchess said, giving her daughter a hug. “You have been a wonderful friend and companion to Lucinda. I am just worried you have concentrated all your efforts on her and left no room for courting yourself.”
“No one has caught my eye or kept my interest, and I really just want to help her find the husband she deserves. I thought that was the earl but now I am not so sure.”
“Let us not dismiss the man for one small error. He is, remember, putting in a great deal of effort to paint her parents for her,” said the duke.
“And he has done an amazing job too. Once framed it will be something she will truly treasure even if she does not marry him.”
“Why would I not marry him?” Lucinda asked, coming up to the group.
“When I think of all the kindness he has shown me, I cannot fault him for one mistake. He apologized and once my mother’s lock of hair is where it is meant to be I will put it behind me.
” She handed the miniature of her mother to the duke.
“Thank you. I know you will handle her with care.”
“I will indeed.” He took his leave of the room.
“I feel so much better now. I was worried that he may have lost it or thrown it away, but all is well. Thank you again, Tony, for going to retrieve it.”
“It was my pleasure.” He would be keeping a close eye on Dunstan from now on.
“May I go and have a rest before we go out tonight?”
“What a good idea,” the dowager said.
“I will come with you.” Marianne looped their arms together as they left the room.
“What is on tonight, Mother?”
“A small soiree at Lady Dewhurst’s. Ladies only so you will not be required to come along.”
“Sounds delightful. Please keep her in sight of you at all times, maybe not so much tonight but at any future balls.”
“You fear Dunstan will do something?”
“No, not him. However, he did confirm that news of her dowry had made the rounds. More unsuitable men may beg her acquaintance.”
“I will keep my wits about me at all times, my dear.”
“You are an angel, Mother. How would this family work without you?”
“I do my best, but Tony dear, are you sure there is no one for you out there?”
“Never fear, Mother. If I suddenly lose my wits and fall for a woman, you will be the first to know of it.”
“Then I hope you lose your wits for a nice girl, like Lucinda.” She did not wait for an answer, simply patted his cheek and left him there alone, her words echoing in his ears. A nice girl like Lucinda.
Lady Townsend’s ball was much the same as the ball last night with all the same people.
It bored him, but he wouldn’t miss a single night now that his suspicions were aroused.
Dunstan was there, loitering on the edges.
He danced once with the hostess, once with Lucinda, and once with Marianne, and once with the hostess’s daughter, if she had one.
It was the same every time. His interest in Lucinda had also stayed the same. It was odd.
Watching Lord Fellowes dancing with Lucinda kept his attention.
It was the older man’s first time back on the social scene after his wife had died, though he usually preferred to spend his nights at his club playing whist. So, Tony was surprised to see him here, let alone dancing with a young lady like Lucinda.
Was he looking for a young wife, perhaps?
Or was it her dowry that had brought him out tonight?
A footman arrived at his side with a message. It was from Beckett. It simply said, “Meet me outside.” He let his mother know he would be stepping out for a few minutes. He met Beckett at the gates, and they walked around the corner and into a hack.
“Well, don’t ye look the tidy gentl’mn tonight.”
“You have seen me in evening wear before.”
“I s’pose I ’ave and in your sleep wear too.”
Tony gave him a glare. “It is cold out here and I do not have my coat. What do you have for me? You have been away for weeks.”
“I just got back from Prussia eh. Strange place; they like themselves a good sausage. Their ale ain’t bad either. Lots of castles but not as many as us.”
“Good to know. What else did you learn while you were there?”
“Foxton was a dunce.”
“I think we already established that. What did he steal?”
“Oh, that. Well, turns out he took a very important document.”
“What was in the document?”
“My source said it were somethin’ likely in code. Whatever it was he said he couldn’t read it. He said it were not in any language he knew.”
“All right. Document. Code. Good. What else?” He just happened to know a very reliable code breaker, if the need arose.
“That they looked for Miss Sterling everywhere. Turns out that maybe Foxton were not all stupid. Also, he never had the code on him when they found ’im.
They figured the girl had it and followed them back to England but lost track of them after that.
Foxton were alone when they found ’im in London. ”
“I thought he had been killed overseas, but he was here?”
“The prime minister likely wanted it covered up, like. It don’t look good when your ambassador steals from another country and then gets his throat cut.” Beckett made a cutting motion across his own neck. “Anyway, Foxton musta known his life were on the line. So, he hid her.”
“He hid Lucinda?”
Beckett humphed and narrowed his eyes. “What am I saying that is unclear, m’lord? He knew he was gunna be kill’d so he hid her somewhere no one would look. I mean who sends their daughter to a place like that?”
“What do you mean a place like that?”
“She were in a bare room smaller ’n my closet. That is the kinda place you send your brat when you want to forget ’em, at least for a while. Only he did it so everyone else forgot about her too.”
“To protect her.” Of course, it seemed so obvious now.
Had her father ever intended to retrieve her?
Had he known what circumstances he had left her in?
And why had Markham not warned him? It did present him with a full set of new problems though.
“Do you think, once they find out Lucinda’s here in London, the Prussians will come after her?
Have we put her in danger by bringing her back into society? ”
“It is not like you lot have been secret like about it. Everyone knows she is Foxton’s daughter. It’s only a matter of time, Ashton. You have to get her out of London and be quick about it. Getting a husband is the least of her worries.”
And now it was his worry too. This whole thing was turning to shit, and he had to find some safe place for her. He needed to talk to his mother and brother, and it had to be done now.
Tony went back into the ballroom, his heart a stone in his chest. Not only was Lucinda in peril, but so were his mother and sister—in fact, his whole family. When he reached his mother, he simply told her to gather the girls and to get their coats.
The atmosphere in the carriage was thick with trepidation.
“Will you please tell us what is going on?” Marianne asked.
“When we get home.”
“Why can’t you tell us now?”
“I promise all will be revealed soon.” His mind raced. What was the best way to explain what was going on? It would no doubt devastate Lucinda and frighten his mother and sister. He would have to tell them the truth.