Chapter 23
Everleigh Park held the most incredible library Lavender had ever set foot in.
Everything about it made her heart soar.
From the floor-to-ceiling bookshelves to the large fireplace taking up residence on one wall to an entire wall of windows overlooking orchards to the west. It was like something from her best dreams all in one room.
It seems Tom wasn’t exaggerating when he told her the Duke of Fenleigh had an incredible library.
She was tempted to marry the man for this room alone.
She could put up with a good deal of idiocy if she had a haven like this to resort to.
Samuel had asked her to help him by keeping an eye on Lord Chilcott and make certain the man didn’t try to leave any papers behind him as they traversed the house.
As Samuel was friends with Fenleigh, she understood the request. She wouldn’t want her friend to be framed for something of this magnitude either, even if it meant pulling someone as overlooked as herself into the scheme.
But at a nod from Samuel, she’d been asked to leave while the men investigated the duke’s study.
Some of the official personnel were looking through ledgers with the help of the steward.
Others were wandering the large house like Lavender was, looking for any evidence of treason.
To be completely honest, she didn’t know what evidence would even look like, but she permitted herself to linger in the library at the large windows and look across the beautiful rolling hills that carved the countryside.
The rest of the party moved on, but she remained where she was.
An older woman walked into the room but turned around when she saw Lavender.
“Oh, please stay,” Lavender asked her. “Are you the housekeeper?”
“I am. Mrs. Howard at your service, my lady.” She curtseyed to Lavender.
“Would you please take a seat and talk with me for just a few minutes?”
Mrs. Howard adjusted the white cap atop her head. “You are here on official business, I presume. Of course I’ll answer your questions.”
“Oh, I don’t wish to misrepresent my reason for coming.
I am here to help, of course, but right now, I am simply enjoying this incredible room.
” Lavender opened her arms wide and took in a deep breath of peace.
“I’ve heard wonderful things about this library, and I assure you it lives up to its reputation and more. ”
Mrs. Howard visibly relaxed. “It is the work of many generations, and hopefully many more to come as soon as His Grace decides to settle down and have a family.”
Lavender motioned for the housekeeper to sit beside her, and the elderly woman complied. “You seem confident he will return.” Lavender smiled at that. She hoped the man would come back. It would be impossible to see if the two of them would suit otherwise.
“He’s a man of his word, and he said he’d be back.” Mrs. Howard nodded as if to settle the issue.
“When was the last time you saw the duke?” Lavender asked.
“Just the night before he disappeared. He was bright eyed, and alert. A rare thing as of late. He’d not taken a drink of anything but water for a week. It was almost like I was seeing the man he’d been before his father passed on.” The older lady smiled.
“Is that when he started drinking?”
Mrs. Howard nodded. “It was his way of coping, among other things. He tried gambling for a while, but he had fantastic luck, and only got himself richer. I think he was hoping for something to shake him from his grief.” She sank further into the chair with a heavy sadness in her countenance.
“You obviously care for your master.” Lavender smiled.
“He’s like a son to me. I’ve known him since he was but six years old.”
Lavender followed the housekeeper’s lead and relaxed into her chair. “Would you tell me about him? Everyone else seems so concerned about his treason and his disappearance, but I find myself drawn to who he was.”
“Who he is,” Mrs. Howard corrected. “I refuse to believe he isn’t coming back. His letter made that quite clear.”
“Of course. I apologize for suggesting otherwise.”
“Thomas was raised by his father—an exacting man and not friendly. His mother died giving birth to him, so he is an only child.”
“That’s terrible.”
“It is the way of things. But the deceased duke was glad to have a legacy to pass on to his posterity. He trained Thomas himself in the workings of the estate long before he needed to understand the intricacies of being a landowner. The older duke was not well liked by his peers or his staff. When he passed, Thomas let go a good many of the existing staff and hired everyone himself without the help of a steward.”
“Thomas? Is that the duke’s name?” It was a common enough name, but close enough to remind her of her Tom.
“It is. Forgive my slip, sometimes I still think of him as a boy.”
“Hmm. How old was he when his father died? And why didn’t he ask for help from his steward?”
Mrs. Howard bit her bottom lip for a moment. “I thought you weren’t here for information, but for the library.”
Lavender dipped her head in acknowledgment. “I admit, I am here about the library, and the man behind it. But not for the reasons everyone else is here. Forgive my interrogation.”
“There’s nothing to apologize for. I wish the men in the study would ask questions like these. They would finally get some answers. But they have their noses in the books like they hold the answers to the universe.”
“It is quite official, isn’t it?”
Mrs. Howard nodded. “Yes, but if there is one thing I know about our duke, it is that he cares about his staff. When his father died, the steward was the first member of the staff he let go. I don’t know why, but I was pleased with the change myself.”
“Why was that?”
“Have you ever met someone who changes? They can be one person when they talk to you, but seem like someone else entirely with someone else?”
Lavender nodded. There were far too many people like that in her opinion. Lord Chilcott among them.
“Well, the steward was like that. He acted kind and gracious to the duke but was selfish and hateful to the rest of us. It was gratifying to see that Thomas saw past his facade where his father never had.”
“Mrs. Howard,” Lavender leaned closer to the housekeeper. “Why do you think the duke left the way he did?”
She chuckled. “I have no idea. I’m just happy to know he left after cleansing his mind from the drink. He’s a little misguided at times, but he has a good heart.”
“Do you believe he could be guilty of his charges?”
She shook her head. “I don’t know how he could have done it, or that he would have cared enough at the time. He was so lost in the drink and in taking care of his estate, he didn’t care enough about the war to make enemies.”
“I never knew him. But I’ve only heard things that support your claim.”
Mrs. Howard stood. “If you don’t mind my asking . . . why have you come to snoop around?”
Lavender felt her face lift into a smile. “Honestly, because one of my friends think we would make a good match. But it’s a hard thing to manage if I can’t ever meet him. I admit to curiosity about the man others think would suit me.”
Mrs. Howard smiled as well. “For all our sakes, I hope he comes home and marries someone with a clear head on their shoulders like yourself. Please let me know if there is anything else I can assist you with, my lady.”
“Thank you, Mrs. Howard.”
Lavender sank into the chair as her thoughts swirled around her. She wanted nothing more than to prove the lost duke’s innocence, but she didn’t think that evidence would be here.
“Asleep in the library?” Lord Chilcott shook Lavender awake.
“It was a very comfortable chair,” she replied as she took a deep breath. “I apologize for not being more helpful in your search.”
A flash of annoyance crossed Lord Chilcott’s face.
Samuel stepped up beside him. “Well, if he is guilty, Fenleigh must have hidden his tracks quite thoroughly. We’ve come across nothing all day.”
“Maybe he is innocent,” Lavender suggested.
Lord Chilcott scoffed. “Don’t tell me that you too believe that he is not to blame.”
Lavender had her opinions but didn’t feel safe sharing them with the baron.
“Blame for what?” Samuel asked, filling in her silence. “All I know is that there was a rumor and that you have taken it upon yourself to see it proven true.” He reached his hand down to Lavender, helping her to her feet. “We ought to get back. We have a day’s ride ahead of us.”
Traveling with the Duke of Gilfordshire had its benefits. They stayed in the best inn, and Lavender had a room all to herself. But she was anxious to return to London and check in on Tom; she hoped he was feeling better by the time they returned.
When they finally pulled up to the duke’s townhouse the next day, it was Tom who helped Lavender down from the carriage. He kept his eyes downcast, but seeing him up and about gave her reason to rejoice.
“It is good to see you again, Tom.”
“You as well, Lady Lavender. I trust you had safe travels.” Tom refused to meet her eye.
“We did, thank you.” She followed the Duke of Gilfordshire inside, all the while wishing the reunion she had with Tom looked and felt far different.
The duke invited Lavender to his study. “Lady Lavender, would you be so kind as to come discuss our findings together?”
“Of course, Your Grace.”
She entered the space and found Miriam already seated in her husband’s chair. “Do tell me what happened while you were gone,” she said.
Samuel leaned against the wall. “I admit that what I found surprised me, but nothing that would implicate Fenleigh to be guilty. His ledgers and books were meticulous. I gave my approval to the steward for all he’d done, but the man was insistent that Fenleigh himself was hands on in the process each week to make sure his tenants were cared for in the ways they needed.
Every book was balanced. I couldn’t find a farthing of misplaced funds over the past five years. ”
“And why does that surprise you?” Lavender asked.