Chapter Twenty-Six
The Duke of Warrington closed his eyes momentarily and rubbed his forehead when he told the Earl of Dunstan had arrived and was at this moment standing in his foyer. He instructed the butler to make him comfortable in the parlor while he finished up his current piece of correspondence to the king.
When he arrived at the parlor door, he saw that Dunstan was studying the painting above the fireplace. The one of the previous Duke of Warrington, his father.
“That,” he said in a causal tone, “was my father. In the prime of his life. He died about seven years after that was painted.”
“What kind of man was he?” Dunstan asked.
The duke raised a brow at the bold question. “He was a man of sense.”
“Hmm.”
“Hmm? What do you mean by that?”
“Only that the artist has given him a particular sparkle in the eye and a lift just here to the lips. I think your father had a great sense of humor.”
“I suppose he did.”
“I think your father loved his life, loved his wife, and loved his country.”
It was true, his father had been faithful to his mother and loved his king and country. No one would dispute that fact. “And you see all that in that portrait?”
“You would be surprised at what I can see just from studying a painting. But I digress. I am here about a different painting. I was hoping to present it to Miss Sterling myself, but she has been absent from the social events this week and I was worried she might be ill.”
“She is fine. I’m afraid my mother was called away. Suddenly. My sister and Miss Sterling went with her.”
“Oh, and when will they be returning?”
“She did not mention a date.”
“I must say I am disappointed. I brought this painting all the way here and now I will have to take it all the way back.” He indicated the draped painting sitting on an easel behind him.
“You may leave it here if you wish. I am sure that Miss Sterling will let you know when she will be resuming her social itinerary.”
“I wish to see her expression when she sees it.”
“Of course. I will make sure she does not peek until you are here to see it unveiled,” he said. “Now, if you will excuse me. I am very busy and must return to my work.”
“Really? I was hoping to see some of your art works, or at least some that you admire.”
He would like nothing better, but he did not want to encourage the man further today. “Perhaps another time, but I thank you for coming and delivering your gift to Miss Sterling.”
Dunstan nodded and followed the duke out of the room. “Good day, Your Grace.”
“Good day, Lord Dunstan.”
Edward waited until he heard the carriage drive off and reentered the parlor.
He threw the drape back and stared at the painting.
It was a lifelike depiction of Lucinda’s parents, but as he looked, the more he saw.
Foxton had one hand on his wife’s shoulder and the other was behind his back with a tiny square of paper peeking out from behind him.
Lady Foxton was sitting with her arm crossed over her body to cover her husband’s hand at her shoulder and in her lap.
Her other palm lay face up with a lock of hair placed in the middle, complete with the pink ribbon.
Curious, he studied the painting more closely.
Confident brush strokes, glorious detail, and he even put a baby’s basinet in one corner with a baby’s rattle on the floor.
His way of including Lucinda by hinting she was there too.
A lovely detail that he was sure Lucinda would be happy with.
Even if her views on the artist were cooling, he could not dispute the quality of the work.
Should he send it to Lucinda? How would Lucinda receive it now?
Perhaps it was better to wait until Stafford could give them all some better news.
He thought it would be good to have some peace and quiet, but he did not like it, not at all.
No music drifted from the parlor up to his study.
No barking from that infernal dog of Marianne’s.
Not the tone of his mother ordering the servants around.
No morning discourse with his brother Tony, who barely tolerated him. He had to admit he was lonely.
This matter needed to be resolved so that he could have his normal life back.
It seemed he had just had a revelation. No matter how much work he did, or how busy he kept himself, he now knew he did not want to be alone.
If Tony married Lucinda, which, from what he had seen of their cow eyes for each other, was a real possibility, he would be alone again in this huge house.
They would not live here. They would want to have their own house, and he would give Tony a choice of unentailed properties attached to his dukedom as a wedding present.
That would mean he would only see his family during the season, if they came at all, that is.
His sister Marianne and his mother no doubt would, until Marianne married.
After that? He dared not think about it.
Tony waited in Charles’s parlor. He had rarely entered this house.
There was no need. They always came to Warrington House.
Looking around, he could see the finishing touches that only a woman could bring to make a house a home.
It was a very nice house and on a good street.
His other brother Thomas lived around the corner.
At least, that was when they were all in town.
His brother entered the room looking perplexed and then alarmed.
“What has happened? Edward is not…”
“No, everyone is very much alive.” His brother was terrified of inheriting the dukedom. He knew how much work it was and wanted nothing of it, preferring to tinker with his little experiments and marveling over animations.
“In that case, sit and I will get you a drink.”
“No. There is no time. I need you to come with me no questions asked.”
“No questions asked? I have to tell my wife I am going out and she will want to know where.”
Tony frowned. “Tell her you have been summoned by Edward.”
“She will want to know why.”
“Tell her we do not know.”
“This is all very peculiar, Tony.”
“I know, but if you could indulge me this one time.”
Charles studied his brother for a moment, then nodded. He pulled the bell cord and when a footman appeared, he asked him to relay a message to his wife. Once done, they hopped into the waiting hack and sped off.
“All right, can you tell me now what the hell is going on?”
“We are not going to Warrington House. We are going to… another place. We need your expertise, and no one must know about it.”
“Tony, I really do not like the sound of this.”
“You will be perfectly safe. We need your expertise, for reasons that will be made clear.”
“I certainly hope so.”
When the hack stopped, they alighted and walked a block down the road.
“You are not dragging me to some gambling hell, are you?”
“No. Now, be quiet, will you?”
Tony looked both ways before ducking down a small alleyway and down another street and to the back mews.
A footman held a lamp at the gate and once he saw it was Tony, he stepped aside to let them in.
Charles kept looking at his brother and then his surroundings, only to rest his frown back on his baby brother.
Tony led them inside and up the stairs to the main floor. He turned to face his brother just outside the parlor. “I know this is all very strange, but what goes on behind these doors cannot be relayed to anyone, not even Gabrielle.”
“Is this some kind of illegal activity?”
“You will see.” Tony pushed open the doors and strolled in. Charles peeked his head in the room. When he saw his mother and sister sitting on the sofa with her dog, he sighed and walked in.
“Mother, sister, Miss Sterling. What is this place?”
Tony led him to the small table where Lucinda sat and pushed him into a seat. “Charles, Lucinda has a ring. Within that ring is a message. We have been told it is not in code but is perhaps a formula.”
“A formula for what?”
“That is what we hope you will tell us.”
“I am not a chemist.”
“Can you please just look?”
“Fine. The ring if you please, Miss Sterling.”
Lucinda took off her ring and gave it to Tony’s brother. He examined the outside and then looked at Tony. Tony grabbed the ring and opened the three hinged areas, revealing the writing inside.
“Ah, now, let me see. It is written very small.” Tony handed him a magnifying glass. “Right, well I can see sulfur mustard and oh, this is not good, nitrogen mustard. These two should never go together.”
“Why not? What would happen?”
“Well, I am not an expert in such things but putting such organic compounds together would surely emit a poisonous gas. They are alkylating agents you see.”
“So, let me understand. This formula is for a poisonous gas?”
“In its basest form. There are a few other things here, but I am fairly sure it is intended for pest extermination perhaps or to destroy overrun farms of mice and rabbits. I can think of no other reason to use such a volatile substance. Let me say, I would never allow such a concoction to be used on my lands. Lord knows what the effects could be.”
Tony slapped him on the back. “Thank you, Charles.”
Charles looked around at the grim faces about him. “I have been helpful then?”
Lucinda smiled. “Very much so. Thank you so much, Lord Harlow.”
“Is that it? Can you tell me why that was in your ring?”
Lucinda put the ring back on her finger. “My father put it there.”
“Why?”
“To hide it, Charles,” Tony said. “You have just told us how dangerous this formula could be, so you understand why no one can know about it?”
“Of course.”
“Nobody. Not your valet who you tell everything to, not your wife who knows you better than you know yourself. Do you think you can keep this to yourself? If someone were to get their hands on this, imagine what they could do with it?”
Charles looked ill. Tony suspected he had just had the penny drop on how serious this was. “What do I tell them then?”
Marianne stood up and came over to her brother. “Tell them that Tony needed relationship advice.”
Charles looked up at Tony, who was frowning at his sister. “Relationship with whom?”
His mother rolled her eyes. “Oh, Charles.”
He looked around and then at Lucinda, and his eyes grew wide. “Really? Oh, Gabrielle will be so pleased. I mean I am too, of course, but… I thought you were being courted by the Earl of Dunstan? Not anymore, I see. Well, right, excellent. Most excellent.” He then sighed. “Can I go home now?”
Tony smiled and clapped his back. “Of course. Just remember what I said.”
Charles congratulated Lucinda and kissed her cheek. He kissed his mama and sister, and Tony left with him, taking him back home.
The dowager duchess sat back down after her second child left. “I think I drank too much Madeira when I was carrying him.” That made all the women laugh.
“He is so smart when it comes to some areas and so dense when it comes to everyday matters. Thankfully, he has Gabrielle.” Marianne hugged Lucinda. “Tell us, what agreement did you and Tony come to?”
“He wants time to figure out what he can do if he is not working for Stafford. He did not say how long that would be. He does love me, of that I am sure, and he does want to marry me, so I will wait.” She could not tell them what his job with Stafford was, and she was relieved that they did not ask.
Perhaps they had asked Tony before, and she could not know what he told them. Better to say nothing more about it.
“Well, my dear, he can forget about marrying you by special license. You deserve a proper wedding. People will expect it. I think we start on your trousseau immediately after this business is settled. We, as your family, must prepare you for marriage. And that means clothes, shoes, nightgowns, and of course a dress or two.”
His mother had called her family. Her heart swelled with pride, but she had caused them enough trouble. “I have clothes, shoes, and nightgowns. Surely just a nice dress will be sufficient.”
“Oh, pish posh. You have no idea. Leave it all to me,” the dowager said, patting Lucinda’s hand.
Marianne shook her head behind her mother, as if to say, do not even try; just let her be.