Chapter 21
Chapter Twenty-One
Matthew
Drake and Zachary were waiting for him in the foyer, both of them dressed and ready for the day. Monkey Sinclair sat on Zachary’s shoulder, as usual, his yellow ribbon dangling from his collar.
“Apologies for interrupting the day after your wedding,” Zachary said regretfully. “Last night, my uncle mentioned seeing Cornwall back in town. We want to do the rounds of the clubs today and possibly the hells tonight to try to track him down, but…”
“But my presence there is less likely to cause comment than yours. Especially as you are newly engaged.”
Zachary flinched at the reminder, raking his hand through his long dark hair. The dark yellow waistcoat under his grey jacket was fitted perfectly to him, shifting as he moved.
“And even though you are newly married,” Drake said.
“Christian and Sebastian are going around to some of the more vaunted haunts for gentlemen of the ton. White’s, Hyde Park, and the like.
Nathanial is not at-home to visitors at the moment, so we left him a note.
Gregory and Zachary will be attending events with their ladies, in case Cornwall acts completely out of character. Which leaves you and me…”
“We will not cause comment at the gaming hells and the like.” Matthew sighed. Even the day after his wedding, no one would question the Lord of Luck trying his hand at the tables.
Perhaps they would think he was testing his luck now that his life had changed so drastically.
Or trying to win a big pot to gift his new wife with something outrageous.
The important thing was that the theories would have nothing to do with their fathers’ deaths, and no one would think twice about Matthew approaching Cornwall at a gaming table.
It was important to all of them that no one know they were investigating.
Firstly, because an investigation had already been completed, and the ton was convinced the tragic deaths of such a large group of dukes was an accident.
Gossip had died down rather quickly. Learning that it had been a conspiracy to murder would do more than set a fox among hens; it would cast a shadow on all the heirs.
Perhaps Matthew was na?ve, but he fully trusted his friends, and he did not think any of them had anything to do with the explosion and subsequent fire that had killed all their fathers.
Some of them did not have the best relationships with their fathers—Nathanial, for one—and if it was just his father who had died…
well, truth be told, most of the ton would likely have shrugged their shoulders and privately said it was for the best, even if Nathanial was guilty.
But Nathanial would not have done that to the other dukes. And he was the one who had come up with the clue about Cornwall, who had invited the former Duke of Hereford to the party at the hunting lodge, despite being owed a very large debt from Nathanial’s father.
It was suspicious, and until Drake’s men managed to track down Gregory’s old steward—who they knew had something to do with it—Cornwall was their only clue.
That also meant they had to tread delicately because it was not as though the earl would be eager to implicate himself in the death of so many dukes.
Secondly, several of them now had wives and heirs. Not to mention mothers or grandmothers. If they were known to be investigating, all of them could be in danger. Nathanial and Gregory’s wives knew the truth, of course. Matthew would need to tell his wife eventually, too.
“Flip your coin to see if you’re coming with me,” Drake ordered impatiently.
Matthew pulled it out of his pocket and did as Drake asked. He was unsurprised by the answer.
“I am.” It only made sense after all.
He gave the coin another flip. He would not be telling his wife the truth about his father and the other duke’s fathers today. Which also made sense. It was her first day as his duchess. Better to let her get used to the household first, then ease her into things.
“What was that for?” Zachary asked, frowning at him.
“Nothing to do with this. Just a private matter.” Matthew tucked his coin back into his pocket. “Well, gentlemen, shall we?” He gestured to the door.
He glanced around for Holt, who was coming back from the hallway.
“Holt, let my grandmother and wife know that I have gone out with the Dukes of Grafton and Ormonde, and I expect I’ll return rather late this evening.”
Though Holt’s expression did not change one iota, Matthew got the distinct impression that the butler was displeased with his announcement.
It was likely not well done of him to leave his new wife on her first day as his duchess, but his grandmama would have things well in hand.
Matthew was not sure what he would be able to add to it.
The ladies ran the household; he would likely be rather useless hanging about.
“Yes, Your Grace,” he said, nonetheless, because he was a butler, and that’s what butlers did.
Matthew nodded at him and followed Drake and Zachary out the door. Drake was waiting for him on the other side, though Zachary was already making his way down the street.
“How is married life?” Drake asked, falling into step beside him.
“Much nicer than I anticipated,” Matthew replied, eyeing his friend.
Drake was the contemporary who intimidated him the most, if he was being honest. While all of them had been bonded together by the tragedy that had befallen them, sometimes, he felt like that was all he had in common with Drake. “You should try it soon.”
“I will. Soon enough.” Drake scowled, but not at Matthew. At a point in the street in front of him. Likely, he was also being hounded by his mother as well. One of the dangers of being betrothed to the daughter of her closest friend. Lady Astrid was no wilting flower either.
Personally, Matthew did not blame Drake for putting it off, now that he thought about it.
He could not imagine Lady Astrid being nearly as nice or obliging as Johanna was.
Lady Astrid was known to the ton as an Original; friendship with her was highly desired, but she was rather choosy with her friends, and no one knew exactly what her criteria was.
After all, she’d invited Lady Johanna to her house party, and before that, Matthew had never even heard of the Ashmores.
Trying to memorize Debrett’s book of Peerage had never been one of his aspirations.
His grandmama handled the connections for him.
“Right, well. I suppose I would not be rushing toward it, either.”
Now Drake did frown at him, turning his head with a quizzical expression on his face and pinning Matthew with his dark eyes.
“Your marriage was the definition of rushed.”
“Ah… well.” He had meant that he would not rush to marry Lady Astrid, but despite the way he dragged his feet, Drake could become rather prickly over his betrothed. Matthew would prefer not to draw his ire if they were going to spend the day together. “That was really the coin, though. Not me.”
Drake’s expression softened, and he shook his head.
“You know, you do not have to do what the coin tells you to. You have a choice.”
“Of course I do. But why would I choose to do the opposite when it has never steered me wrong?” Matthew shrugged. “I am not one to fight the whims of fate.”
Which made Drake frown again, and Matthew realized that could apply to his situation, seeing as he was certainly fighting marrying the woman his parents had fated him for.
So, Matthew had stuck his foot in it after all.
Ah, well. It was not as though Drake was the most humorous fellow; it was hard to tell the difference between Drake in a good mood and Drake in a bad mood, anyway.
“Speaking of, where should we go first?” Matthew dug into his pocket for his coin. Beside him, Drake sighed, but obligingly slowed to wait and see what direction the coin would point them in.
Matthew appreciated that about him.
Johanna
Walking down the hallway alone, Johanna steeled herself. Hopefully, her mother was better this morning. Both in body and in mind. As much as part of her wanted Rose by her side, she was also relieved she would not have to explain anything to Rose if her mother said something shocking again.
When she reached the door, Johanna took a deep breath and squared her shoulders, lifting her chin. She was a grown woman, and she did not need her mother’s permission or blessing to marry. Especially when doing so had saved her mother’s life.
Opening the door, Johanna stepped inside. Her heart softened as soon as she saw her mother lying there in bed, pale as ever, head nestled against the pillow. Her mother’s eyes opened as Johanna approached.
“Good morning, Mother, how are you feeling today?” Johanna asked gently, stepping to the bedside and reaching out a hand to feel her mother’s forehead.
Damp, but cool. Johanna breathed a sigh of relief. The fever must have broken in the night, helped by the tea.
Her mother grabbed her by the wrist in a faster movement than Johanna would have thought she could manage, and it was all she could do not to jump back and pull away as her mother stared up at her with wide, violet eyes.
“Did you do it?” she asked, her voice a low hiss.
“Do what?” Johanna’s heart sank. Whatever madness had gripped her mother, she worried it had nothing to do with the fever.
“Did you marry him? The duke? I heard the maids talking. They said you married him yesterday.”
“I did.” Johanna said it as gently as she could. “But—”
Before she could say anything else, her mother had released her wrist and was turning over.
“Then we are all doomed.”
Taking a deep breath, Johanna tried to gather her thoughts. She had no idea how to handle her mother when she was like this. The threat of doom was gone. Johanna had saved them from doom with her marriage to Matthew. She closed her eyes and felt her nails biting into the palms of her hands.
While it did feel as though the lovely dream of being safe under Matthew’s care could disappear at any moment, the truth was that there was no reason to think it would. She was so tired of being afraid. So tired of scrambling for a few more days of sustenance and hope.
Why could her mother not see those days were over?
Perhaps it was fear of having to return to them that had prompted her to make up wild stories in her mind. Perhaps she was too frightened to trust that all of this would not be taken away again.
Johanna could understand that. The very thought of losing everything she’d just gained by her marriage made her feel sick to her stomach.
She did not know how to reassure her mother. Only time would be able to ease the fear entirely. Johanna unclenched her hands and let out a long, slow breath.
“Everything will be well, Mother,” she said softly, putting her hand on her mother’s shoulder. There was no response, verbally or physically. “You will see. Just do not speak of this to anyone else.”
Her mother sniffed but did not argue, which Johanna presumed was the best she could hope for at the moment. There was a small throbbing in her head, not quite an ache but like the beginning of one.
Everything else in her life was so wonderful, she felt like she’d been swept into a fairy tale.
She’d been rescued from a terrible fate, married to a handsome duke, and would have no worries for the rest of her life…
Her mother’s fears and the terrible fantasy she’d conjured up because of it were the only fly in the ointment.
Perhaps she could find a way to bring the conversation around to the old duke with Lady Stark in the room.
Surely, hearing from Lady Stark that the entire ton knew the dukes’ deaths had been accidents would help convince her mother to be reasonable.
Why this thing had stuck so in her mind, Johanna could not countenance.
It was sheer madness to think that her sleeping potions had anything to do with their deaths, even if they had been purchased by one of their stewards.
Of course Johanna did not wish to expose her mother’s madness.
Lack of food must have done something to her.
Hopefully, having it in plentiful amounts now would be healing.
At the very least, Johanna could be grateful that her mother did not seem eager to speak of it to anyone but Johanna herself.
Hopefully, it would stay that way, especially as Johanna and the duke were already married, and the marriage had been thoroughly consummated.
There was nothing to be done about that.
Tucking the covers in around her mother, Johanna sighed and left the room. As much as she wanted to convince her mother, it was obviously useless to make the attempt today when she was so upset. Maybe tomorrow she would be able to be more reasonable.
In the meantime, Johanna wanted to be the best duchess possible, and right now, that meant joining her sisters in learning how to dance.