The Land Steward's Daughter by Becky Michaels

Author:Becky Michaels [Michaels, Becky]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Mildred Press

* * *

“Have you seen Miss Walker this morning?”

Graham had popped into his mother’s sitting room, where the older woman was reading a book. She closed it, leaving her thumb in between the pages to save her spot, a concerned look on her face.

“I haven’t, actually. Why do you ask?”

“I’ve been looking for her, but none of the servants have seen her. She’s not even in her room.”

The duchess frowned, standing up. “Have you spoken to her father?”

Graham shook his head. “He’s out with Father looking at some of the farms.”

“You don’t think—”

Graham shook his head, effectively silencing her. He would not believe that she ran away to be with his brother. He could not. She would not be so irrational. That was not the Elaina he knew. “Will you wait with me downstairs for them?”

The duchess nodded, following Graham downstairs to one of the drawing rooms. His mother sat while he paced. It was already late afternoon, so he knew they would be home soon. Surely she wouldn’t have left without speaking to her father. Mr. Walker must know where she went.

It was another fifteen minutes before the duke and Mr. Walker arrived. “Has something happened?” Blackmore asked, looking between his wife and son.

“Miss Walker is missing,” Graham said, his gaze focused on Mr. Walker instead of his father.

“What do you mean she’s missing?” Blackmore glanced at his land steward. “Did you know about this?”

Mr. Walker sighed, taking a seat in one of the empty armchairs. He used his index finger to adjust the bridge of his spectacles. “Elaina left last night. She intends to elope with Lord William.”

Graham felt as if the wind had been knocked out of him. How could she have been so foolish? And how could she have not told him? He spent six years protecting her, defending her honor to anyone who dared to even mention the names of her cousins on her mother’s side of the family.

“And you didn’t think to mention it?” Blackmore asked while Graham remained speechless. His father’s face had turned red.

“I trust my daughter to make her own decisions.”

Blackmore made a sound of disbelief, and the duchess let out a sob. “Another scandal! I should’ve known. She’s too much like her mother.”

Graham had to think. There was a way to fix this. He would go over after them and prevent the whole thing from happening. He’d be able to talk some sense into her, even if his brother was being senseless. “Do you know where they went?” he asked Mr. Walker.

The older man shrugged. “I assumed they were going to Scotland.”

“Yes, but they must’ve chosen a place to meet not far from here so they could make the journey together.”

“I don’t know. I did not ask.”

Graham could have strangled the man. How could he be so careless with his own daughter’s reputation and safety? He turned to his father. “I will go to London. Perhaps they met there.”

Blackmore shook his head. “No. You won’t go anywhere. You will stay here and allow your brother to make his own mistakes.

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