Chapter Seven
The rest of the meal was rather uncomfortable.
He could not quite believe that the woman he had sent away, whom he had been so angry at, was this very same beauty who sat beside him.
Well, at least he had solved the mystery of why she hated him so much.
He had been extremely rude; unconscionably rude.
And although he didn’t want to admit it to her, he thought she was right.
He had assumed she was of lower status, and it had affected the way he had spoken to her.
She spent much of the meal turning and talking to Lady Aylesbury, who was married to the Duke’s cousin. Ezra tried to remember what he knew of her. He thought he recognised her, and so he asked her, when there was a break in the conversation, "Did you grow up around here?"
She blushed, looked down at her plate, and then across to the Duchess, who gave her a warm smile.
Ezra didn’t know what he’d done wrong this time.
"Lady Aylesbury grew up in the village," the Duchess said, for some reason answering for the quiet redhead.
"I see, that must be why I recognise you," Ezra said, rather confused as to why such an innocent question would prompt embarrassment and the need for someone else to reply.
"And how are you finding Scotland?" the duchess at one end of the table asked the duchess halfway down. "Is it much different than Northumberland?"
The Duchess of Dunloch flashed a smile at her husband before responding. "Not really. After all, it’s not that far over the border. Although James would disagree – but of course he thinks Scotland is superior in all things."
"Because it is," the Duke of Dunloch said. He could not glean any trace of a Scottish accent in the man’s voice and wondered if he had grown up elsewhere. But he was worried to ask, in case that also caused an issue for some reason.
"You must come and visit, though, and bring the children – I think they’d like it. Of course, I miss Amblewood—"
"The Duchess does not think any castle rivals Amblewood Castle," the Duke of Dunloch said with a wry smile.
"I rather think I’d think the same of Blackthorne," the second duke said, in a rare contribution to the conversation.
Ezra wondered if the Duke was quiet because he had been secluded from society for so long.
And yet he himself had been absent for some time, and did not find it made him unable to make conversation, or even that he didn’t wish to.
In fact, he was surprised at how much he was enjoying being back out in society again.
Perhaps his mother had had a point. He couldn’t hide away forever, just because Laura was gone, just because he felt guilty, just because he didn’t know where to begin.
"That would be wonderful," the Duchess said.
"The children are always wanting new places to explore, running off to find secrets together.
" She smiled indulgently, but Ezra found his attention wandering. He found he had little interest in children, let alone ones he hadn’t even met.
They were all the same really – a necessity, certainly, but not an idea he relished.
Although Lady Constance barely spoke to him for the rest of the meal, he was feeling a little less embarrassed by the end of it, having conversed with the rest of the group, and with the plan to apologise properly to her once they were in the library after dinner.
He had been rude, and it had not been necessary, and clearly, he had given a terrible first impression.
He wanted to make things right, and so he planned his apology for as soon as the gentlemen rejoined the ladies after dinner.
But that time never came. Whilst he was sipping brandy in the library with the two dukes and Lord Aylesbury, a frantic-looking servant burst through the doors.
The Duke of Coldingham frowned. "What is it? What’s the problem?"
"I’m sorry to interrupt, Your Grace," the servant said, her voice shaking somewhat. "It’s just… Lord Warmley, Matthew, he is missing. We cannot find him anywhere. We have searched and searched, in case he is playing a game, but I don’t believe he’s in the castle."
The blood drained from the Duke’s face as he stood and roared, "What? How can this be?"
"I don’t know, Your Grace. He was in bed, and Nanny and I went to check on them both before turning in ourselves, and he was gone. Little Elizabeth doesn’t know where he is – or says she doesn’t. I don’t understand, I—"
"Well, stop dithering, we must find him. Fetch the Duchess."
She nodded. "Yes, Y-Your Grace."
"If you’ll excuse—"
Lord Aylesbury stood up. "We’ll help, Nathaniel, of course we will. Where should we start?"
The Duke looked as though panic was taking over his mind, and Ezra found himself stepping in. "The castle first, in case the maid is wrong, I would think. The boy is probably just hiding somewhere. The kitchens, maybe, to steal a treat? Or the stables – does he like horses?"
The Duke nodded. "Yes, yes, all of those places."
"Come. Let’s find the women, and split up," the Duke of Dunloch said.
◆◆◆
When the maid rushed into the parlour, her face ashen, her eyes wide, she gasped, "Your Grace, my apologies – I need you to come with me."
"What is it?" the Duchess asked, her eyes wide.
"It’s Matthew," the maid said tearfully. "We cannot find him. We must search—"
"My goodness," the Duchess said, standing and swaying slightly. "Where have—"
All of the men came in then, their faces grim.
The Duke rushed to the Duchess’s side and steadied her. "We will find him. Come, we must search the castle."
"Lady Constance and I will search the stables," Ezra said.
And although Constance wanted to help, she could not help but internally groan.
She did not want to help alongside the Earl, and yet he had given her no choice.
Of course, her irritation with him was nothing compared to a missing child – but still, she would have far preferred anyone else.
"Excellent. Dunloch, if you could check the west wing. Edward and Rachel, the nursery and the rooms surrounding it. The Duchess and I will start at the kitchens. Shout if you find him – one of us will hear. And Simmons, go and fetch any servants you can, and get them looking."
"Nathaniel, what if he’s gone down to the beach? You know how he loves it down there – and the waves…"
The Duke swallowed. "I don’t think he would go alone, would he? But nevertheless, Simmons, ask some of the men to go down to the beach and search thoroughly. Now!"