Chapter Twenty #2
There was an assuredness about the man that irritated Philip. “As to my wife, I came for her.”
“She’s not here.”
He moved before the fireplace to stand in front of Lord Harewood. “What do you mean, she’s not here? When you came to me, you said this was where she was. Since she isn’t home, then she must be here.”
Lord Harewood put down his glass and shook his head. “She left while Lord Ferncroft and I came to talk to you.”
“Then where did she go?”
For the first time since meeting the lord, Philip witnessed doubt cross the man’s face. “I’m afraid I don’t know.”
Growing concerned, Philip took a step closer. “Then your wife must know. They are good friends.”
“Yes, they are, and that is my conundrum. Your wife left and I’m quite sure every Curious Lady knows exactly where she is, but none of them will reveal it.”
He opened his mouth then closed it, shocked by the information. “Can you not simply ask your wife?”
“Believe me, Lord Durham, I would if she were here. To avoid telling me, she left to spend the night at Lord Ferncroft’s with his wife.”
“This is absurd. What about your sister?”
Lord Harewood stood. “I already tried. Unfortunately, my sister and Lady Arabella are quite adept at refusing to reveal anything. I’m afraid we must hope that Ferncroft can discover where Lady Durham is and put an end to this tomfoolery.
I don’t like that I’m inconvenienced by your troubles.
But that, I’ve discovered, is part of marrying a Curious Lady. Now, would you like a drink?”
Philip shook his head, completely stymied. “No. What I’d like is my wife.”
Lord Harewood moved to his desk and lifted a sealed note. “Do you have any idea why your wife may not wish to speak to you?”
Philip did, but he didn’t wish to reveal his idiocy. “Possibly.”
“I’m hoping this note she left for you will help put an end to this. For all our sakes.”
“You had this and didn’t give it to me straightaway?”
“You did not ask if your wife left you anything?”
Beyond frustrated, he ripped open the seal and read:
Dear Lord Durham,
I do not wish to punish you any longer. I refuse to be your torture device for wrongs you feel you have committed. I shall remove myself from your life so that you may live freely. I believe an annulment would be best to avoid hurting your family’s reputation.
Lady Durham.
He groaned, sitting in the vacated chair as he stared at the short note.
Lord Harewood handed him a glass. “Here.”
Without thinking, Philip took a sip. The burn of the scotch did little to relieve him.
“I’m guessing it’s not good?”
He looked up at the man and crumpled the note in his hand. “No. It appears in my initial anger that I may have said some things that have hurt her worse than what Ashfield said.”
“Then I suggest you beg her forgiveness. Where is she?”
He shook his head. “I have no idea.”
Harewood leaned against the fireplace and gestured with his glass. “Then I suggest we look at this logically. Can you do that?”
Philip rubbed the back of his neck, trying to ignore the fiery ball that seemed to be growing his stomach.
It seemed as if she no longer wanted to see him.
Nor should she. He’d been selfish once again.
A man who could not learn from his mistakes was a fool, ever fated to repeat them.
He’d been so concerned about his family’s reputation that he’d struck out at the one person who mattered more to him than his reputation.
As the thought solidified, his heart confirmed it. She was more important than anything else in his life.
Did that mean she no longer loved him?
In that very second, a pain sliced through his chest, doubling him over.
“Durham!”
He took shallow breaths as he waited for the pain to subside to a dull thud. He forced himself to straighten somewhat. “Tell me your ideas about my wife’s whereabouts. Quick.”
“Very well. I don’t think she’d stay with any of the Curious Ladies, since she knows that’s where you’d look first.”
At the sense Harewood made, Philip found his breathing calming and tried to ignore the fear in his heart. “I agree.”
“Would she go back to her parents?”
“No, she’d never return to them. They never wanted her and wouldn’t take her in. She was anxious to wed to escape them.”
Harewood sniffed as if he expected no less of the Edgertons. “Where else could she go?”
Philip felt his mind take over. “There are only two places I can think of—Lord and Lady Northwick’s, since they are a safe haven for her, or possibly, maybe, my mother’s.”
Harewood shook his head. “The duke and duchess are in the country for one of the Curious Ladies who is with child.”
“Then she must be with my mother!” Philip rose quickly. “I will go to her forthwith.”
Harewood set his hand on Philip’s shoulder. “No, not yet. First, you will need a strategy. I suggest a good night’s rest and a plan.”
Philip almost grumbled that of course Harewood would think that, but a part of him recognized the wisdom of the man’s words. “I understand. I shall do as you suggest.” He started for the closed doors of the library.
“And Durham?”
He stopped to look back at Harewood, his hand on the door handle. “Yes?”
“Whatever you did, if she loves you, she’ll forgive you. Trust me on this.” The man actually smiled.
Philip nodded then continued out to his waiting coach.
He would have felt more reassured by Harewood’s final words if he were absolutely sure Georgina loved him, but her love had been based on a man who’d married her to save his family’s home and reputation, not on one who had married her to castigate himself.
He groaned again. All Georgina had ever wished for was to be wanted. But not to be someone’s torture. Of all the people undeserving of such hurt, his wife deserved it the least, and he was the last who should have served it to her. He would give everything up just to have her love again.
He stilled as an idea started to form.