The Irish Duchess by Patricia Rice

Author:Patricia Rice [Rice, Patricia]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Tags: Adventure, England, regency romance, Book View Cafe, Regency Nobles, aristocrats, Ireland, Irish romance
ISBN: 9781611382044
Amazon: B00A1PVHOW
Publisher: Book View Cafe
Published: 2012-11-02T22:00:00+00:00

Twenty-one

“William, what the divil do ye do here when they’re after burnin’ your house down back home!”

The portly man striding anxiously up and down Dublin’s dock turned on his heels at the cry, his face taking on a deeper flush of fear. “Eamon! Don’t frighten an old man like that.”

The younger, lankier man hurried toward him. “I’ve notified the army, but the bastards are sitting on their rumps. You need to get back there now, warn them Lord Aberdare will have their heads if they let the castle burn.”

“My genealogy! I can’t let them burn my genealogy. If it’s lyin’ you are, Eamon O’Connor, it’s your head that will roll.” William hastened down the dock toward the cobbled street leading into the city.

“It’s McGonigle stirring up the trouble. The earl has asked me to look after the matter of Burke’s murder, but all I’ve seen are the English conniving with every blackguard in the county. It’s after the earl, they are, and no mistake.”

“Don’t be ridiculous,” William replied, already huffing at the pace the younger man set. “Michael never harmed a soul in his life. It’s the duke they want, I’ll be bound. Have you seen our Fiona?”

O’Connor jerked to a halt and stared at Fiona’s uncle. “Our Fiona? Is she not on her honeymoon with the blasted duke?”

Gasping for breath, William willingly halted. “She ran away the night before the wedding. Michael’s scouring the isles in search of her now.”

O’Connor swore vividly and inventively in three languages. “The brat was born with greased heels, I swear.” He suddenly looked alarmed. “She would not have gone back to Aberdare, would she? There’s something afoot, and I’d not have her in the middle of it.”

“We don’t know where she’s gone!” William exclaimed in exasperation. “Michael thinks she sailed from Portsmouth, and a ship arrived from there a day or so ago, but no one on board claims to have seen her.” His expression became even more alarmed. “The duke’s gone to Aberdare in search of her. If there’s something afoot...”

O’Connor resumed hurrying up the street. “That explains it then,” he said grimly. “That explains it all. The bastards think to kill the emancipation and crime bills with a single blow.”

“Don’t be foolish,” William huffed, hurrying to keep up. “Michael does naught but vote yay or nay, then wander off with his head in the clouds. There’s naught to harm him for.”

O’Connor grimaced. “Not Michael by himself, nor the duke, nor the marquess, but together, they’re an unholy triumvirate. Michael has his wife’s wealth, the marquess has his way with words and manner of twisting arms, and the duke has power and experience. The duke would never have signed those bills if Michael had not persuaded the marquess to sponsor them and the marquess had not twisted the duke’s arm. That’s the way of it, William, and if I know it, so do those who oppose them. You’ve sent your niece into a viper’s nest.”

“Fiona sent herself,” William grumbled. “I don’t have a blamed thing to do with anything she does.

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