Chapter 34
Why did London summers have to be so hot?
Thomas was covered in dirt from his hands to his elbows and likely across his brow as well.
But he’d chosen the garden over the horse’s stalls again.
He could only take that amount of ribbing by his fellow servants once.
He’d attacked each garden bed in turn, pulling any stray weeds.
There weren’t enough to keep him truly occupied.
He was far too efficient at this point of his gardening career.
So he’d decided to work the soil around the plants, mixing it up and spreading it out evenly once again.
His back ached like he’d been pulling a cart all day.
But still it did not outweigh the pain in his chest.
If today ended up being his last day under Samuel’s employ, he wanted to leave on good terms. Nothing would be said implying he hadn’t learned to work.
But that was an understatement. He’d learned far more than that.
He’d learned friendship and humor from Jack, trust and loyalty from Samuel, patience and gratitude from Miriam, compassion from the dowager, and sacrifice and love from Lady Lavender.
All of that learning needed to come to an end so that he might apply the knowledge.
He was going to leave Samuel’s employ and the Duke of Fenleigh was going to turn up again, for better or for worse.
He had to stop running from the fear of what might happen and face Lord Chilcott’s rumors head on.
It was no longer an option after that kiss.
He’d risk his own neck just for another chance to hold Lady Lavender in his arms again.
“Tom,” the new maid, Savannah, called to him. “You’re requested in the breakfast room.” She looked him over. “You’d best wash up quick like.”
“Thank you, Savannah,” Thomas said. He winced as he straightened to stand. “Do you know the reason I am called for?”
She shook her head. “No.” She smiled. “But maybe it’s to finish the mountain of food that Her Grace has decided to set before herself.” She giggled and turned back down the path.
Thomas shook his head as he walked over to the pump.
He washed as quickly as he could and then used one of cook’s towels to dry himself once he stepped inside the back kitchen door.
The moment settled over him. To believe that a few months ago he would have considered it degrading to enter through the kitchens—now it was the most natural thing in the world.
It was no wonder the butler had looked at him as if he’d grown an extra limb when he’d asked for work at the front door. He bit back a smile.
Mrs. Bitters shook her head at him. “Keep that smile hidden when you’re in the breakfast room, we don’t want anyone in there swooning.”
Thomas put a hand to his heart. “Mrs. Bitters, I’ve not seen you swoon once yet although I’ve done my level best to accomplish the feat. What makes you think something will be different in there?”
She raised an eyebrow at him. “Lady Lavender is in there. And you best hurry up. I don’t know what bee is in Her Grace’s bonnet this morning, but something is not as it seems. Her plate has enough food on it to feed five men.”
Lady Lavender was there? He looked down at his dirty shirt. “Ought I change into my livery?”
She shook her head. “No, the ladies are in a bit of a rush . . . supposedly. They requested you immediately.”
He dipped his head. This might very well be the last he saw of Lady Lavender, and he looked like he’d been rolling around in the mud like a pig.
Fitting. He was more out of breath walking to the breakfast room than he had been all morning sweating and laboring in the earth.
He wiped his forehead with the back of his arm before he entered the room with his head down.
“Oh, Tom, lovely to see you,” Miriam said. “You’ve been busy this morning.” She smiled at seeing the state of him. “Would you please ready yourself to escort us all to Lord Chilcott’s townhouse?”
Thomas fisted his hands at his side. Why would she want him to go straight to the home of the person who wanted to have him sent to the gallows?
He allowed his eyes to raise enough to see the other ladies.
Lady Lavender was looking studiously into her teacup, but the duchess and the dowager were looking at him as if he were an insect beneath a magnifying glass.
“I’m afraid it might take me some time to present myself. ”
Miriam scrunched her nose. “Yes, what have you been doing?”
“Working in the gardens, Your Grace,” Thomas said as he looked at her plate spilling over with food. “But I might be able to manage cleaning up before you’ve finished your breakfast.”
Lady Lavender coughed, but Thomas knew it was from her trying to hold back a laugh.
Miriam, however, was unphased. “I’ll race you, Tom. And have Jack prepare himself as well.”
“Yes, Your Grace.” Thomas bowed himself from the room.
Thomas had planned to leave today, but there was no way he was sending Lady Lavender to Lord Chilcott’s home without him. All sorts of unspeakable things could happen there. The man could propose for all he knew.
Tom found Jack in the stable, sitting on a barrel and laughing at something the stablemaster had said. “We’re needed in our livery, Jack.”
Jack bit back a smile. “For all the pig’s mittens. That’s going to be a near impossible task by the looks of you.” He jumped down and circled Thomas like he was an animal on display.
Thomas shook his head. “I’m going to wash. I’ll meet you as soon as I’m done.” He headed to the back of the house once again.
Jack followed at his heels like a puppy. “What is our task?”
“We are needed to accompany Her Grace, the dowager, and Lady Lavender to Lord Chilcott’s home,” Thomas ground out through clenched teeth.
“You can’t go there. It’s a death wish,” Jack said as he reached out and held fast to Thomas’s shoulder.
“I don’t rightly care that it is. I’m not having her go without me.”
Jack let go of his shoulder, his young, freckled face in deep thought. “I can keep the attention from you. Don’t you worry, I could randomly break out in song at any time.”
A lump formed in Thomas’s throat. If only Jack could keep him from worrying—but the opposite was true—Thomas would worry over the young man as well. “Thank you, Jack.”
The pair of them were dressed in their maroon and gold livery and stationed at the waiting carriage a quarter of an hour before the ladies of the house stepped outside.
Miriam was a little pale but wore a smile as if today was the first time she’d been given sunshine.
Jack helped the dowager and Lady Lavender into the conveyance, and Thomas took Miriam’s hand. “Are you well, Your Grace?”
She put her gloved fingers over her lips and swallowed. “I did my best to give Lavender time to change her mind about this, but I fear my plan was not sufficient. She still intends to—” she looked sideways at Thomas. “Well, she intends to do something abominably stupid.”
“How can I help?”
“You can’t. Not while we are there; you are entering into the lion’s den.
But listening might give you some insight on how to win your lady later.
It might not seem like it, but I am cheering for you and Lady Lavender to find a way through this mess.
” The duchess situated herself in the carriage, and Jack and Thomas hopped on the back.
Miriam’s assertion that there was nothing he could do while at Chilcott’s home didn’t sit right with Thomas.
He knew that the situation was precarious, but if anything untoward happened while they were there, he intended to intervene, no matter the consequences.
He was tired of hiding and running from his cousin.
The baron’s townhouse was far too close for Thomas’s comfort. To know that his devious cousin had been only a five-minute drive all these weeks was frightening. Jack helped all the ladies down and followed the carriage to the back of the house. Thomas followed the ladies up the steps.
The butler opened the door and Thomas put his head down.
“Is Lord Chilcott at home? I wish to speak with him,” Lady Lavender said.
“He is. Please follow me.”
The group was led inside the house and into the parlor on the right.
The ladies took seats on the sofa and chairs and Thomas tucked himself into the corner of the room keeping his gaze affixed to the floor.
His nerves were taut with energy. Would this be the moment he revealed his disguise to Lady Lavender?
He prayed it was not. There was too much left unsaid between them, and all of it on his part.
Lady Lavender had made her feelings and wishes known quite clearly.
Thomas had felt like she knew, he’d told her weeks ago the way he felt for her.
But last night, he’d been so distracted by that kiss, he had forgotten to tell her who he was.
Lord Chilcott entered the room, with Miss Dalrymple behind him, and Thomas dropped his head again, hoping with all his might he would not be recognized.
Anger swelled in his chest. It would be easy enough to simply challenge him to a duel or pummel him in fisticuffs.
But Miss Dalrymple’s presence meant there would be a witness, so he stood his ground . . . for now.
“Lady Lavender,” Lord Chilcott said. “What a lovely surprise.” He walked over to Lady Lavender and kissed the back of her hand. “And both of the Lady Gilfordshires. To what do I owe the honor?”
The dowager cleared her throat. “Forgive me, would you remind me who is this young lady you have with you?”
All attention was turned toward Miss Dalrymple.
Thomas knew the dowager was making a point of Miss Dalrymple’s sudden disappearance from their acquaintance.
Lady Lavender had believed her to be a friend early on this Season, after all.
Her presence here only made the entire visit smell like trouble.
Lord Chilcott extended his arm out to the woman in introduction. “Lady Gilfordshire, you know Miss Meredith Dalrymple; she is a good friend of mine.”
“Hello, Miss Dalrymple,” said Lady Lavender. “It’s been quite some time since we’ve been in company. How is your family?”
The look on Miss Dalrymple’s face was not of the friendly sort.
“My family is well. We always are. And how have you enjoyed the diversions of London? I recall you being quite worn thin from the pressures of society not long ago.” She turned to Lord Chilcott.
“Lavender always has been more comfortable living in the shadows. When we were children, I usually forgot she was even in the room.” She laughed and it made Thomas want to march across the room and remove the woman forcefully from Lady Lavender’s presence.
Though some of what she said might be true, her motives were clearly not benevolent. He fisted his hands at his side.
“How could anyone possibly forget the presence of someone so guileless?” Miriam asked Miss Dalrymple.
“Lady Lavender has been nothing short of miraculous to have in my home this Season. I fear, Miss Dalrymple, that your years of experience about London may be the reason you don’t understand her quiet strength. Pray, how many seasons have you had?”
Miss Dalrymple’s cheeks bloomed with bright red spots. “Four, Your Grace.”
Four seasons and no offer of marriage. No wonder she was embarrassed. Thomas did a quick comparison between her and Lady Lavender and was unsurprised at how things had turned out. This lady was too cruel to be sought after.
Miss Dalrymple rolled her shoulders back and turned to face Lord Chilcott. “I will just fetch my things from your library and then I need to be off.” She curtseyed to the room in general. “It was a pleasure.”
“Tell your mother hello for me,” Lady Lavender said as Miss Dalrymple swept from the room.
Thomas noticed the lady forgot to return to the library and instead let herself out the front door. He itched to locate the library and see just what she’d left behind.
The dowager sniffed. “What is your relationship with Miss Dalrymple?”
Lord Chilcott laughed. “As she said, she has been a part of the Season for years. We have found some common interests. We like to spar about politics at times. It’s a little uncouth for a woman to be so involved—thus the private meetings.”
“I did not see a chaperone leave with her.” The dowager lifted her chin an inch higher. “These private meetings have put you both in an incredibly vulnerable situation. Are politics worth ruining a woman?”
Lord Chilcott laughed, but it was forced. “You wouldn’t force me to marry her, would you? Not when our families have become so close.”
Thomas clenched his teeth, but otherwise remained frozen in the corner of the room. It was all he could do to remain invisible. Lord Chilcott didn’t give servants a second glance, and in this instance, Thomas was glad of it.
Miriam sighed dramatically. “That all depends on how things play out today, I would think.” She let the power of her words settle in until Lord Chilcott began shifting uncomfortably in his seat. “Have you made any headway on your case against Fenleigh?” she asked.
Lord Chilcott huffed out a breath. “I’ve convinced a few members of the Privy Council to hear me, but until I can produce evidence, they refuse to take me seriously.
They don’t want to cross a duke if they don’t have to, and since a search of his home has proved unfruitful, they are suggesting letting the rumors die.
” The frustration in his voice made Thomas giddy.
“But they will have their evidence soon enough.”
The room went quiet, all waiting for Lord Chilcott to elaborate, but he did not.
“Let’s speak of happier things.” He turned toward Lady Lavender. “I admit that your visit has brightened my day. What can I do for you?”
“I . . .” Lady Lavender took a shaky breath. “I came here to ask you of your intentions toward me, my lord.”
Thomas blinked hard and fisted his hands at his sides. Was this what he got for keeping his mouth shut last night? She was going to pursue Lord Chilcott? Thomas felt bile rise up in his throat. It was no wonder Miriam said Lady Lavender was going to be doing something stupid.