On the Duke's Authority by Wendy Soliman

Author:Wendy Soliman [Soliman, Wendy]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2020-02-25T00:00:00+00:00

*

Leona had observed Frankie’s indifference towards Mrs Brooke and that lady’s thick skin in pretending not to notice how unwelcome she really was. If Leona had been made to feel so uncomfortable, she would have gone into Shawford and put up at the tavern, walking through the snow to get there if necessary. She hadn’t realised that Frankie could be so high-handed, but it didn’t take Leona long to accept that it was no less than Mrs Brooke deserved. Leona herself had become preoccupied about Mr Devonshire, unaware that he had been acquainted with her husband. Could that be where she had heard the name before? Had George mentioned him in passing?

She couldn’t be sure.

‘Shall we go to Zach’s library?’ Max Sheridan asked her as they quit the drawing room, leaving Mrs Brooke’s party in sole occupation of it. ‘I have been thinking about your situation and have a few suggestions to make.’

‘If you don’t mind, I would like Mr Conroy to join us. We are satisfied that we both face the same adversary, so it makes sense to plan our strategy together.’

‘By all means.’ Mr Sheridan smiled affably. ‘I am glad you are in accord. It will make things a great deal easier.’

They found the duke and Lord Vincent already in the library. The duke poured whisky for all the gentlemen and asked Leona if he could get anything for her.

‘Thank you, your grace, but no. I am not yet reduced to drinking whisky—during the hours of daylight, at least.’ Leona smiled at the duke to take the criticism from her words.

They all smiled back as she sat in the chair closest to the fire at the duke’s bidding. His dogs, as always, had appropriated the rug in front of the blaze but flapped their tails when she leaned over to make a fuss of them.

‘Are you acquainted with Devonshire?’ the duke asked. ‘He seemed to be very interested in you.’

‘I am sure I’ve never seen him before, and we have definitely not been introduced.’ She frowned. ‘I am still trying to recall why the name is familiar to me.’

‘He seemed very shaken by your presence, Conroy,’ the duke remarked.

‘Can’t think why. I’ve never laid eyes on the man before either.’

Mr Adler caused a hiatus in the conversation when he entered the room and handed a letter to the duke.

‘This just arrived from Lord Romsey, your grace.’

‘Ah, a response from Clarence,’ the duke explained as he broke the seal.

They all remained silent while the duke read his letter. He raised both brows as he absorbed its contents and then passed it to Leona.

‘It seems you were right to wonder about the nature of your husband’s death,’ he said. ‘You have my sympathies, Lady Marlowe. The contents of this letter are distressing, and I’m sure we would all be happy to postpone this discussion until you have had time to consider Lord Romsey’s revelations and compose yourself.’

Leona scanned the letter quickly and shook her head in bewilderment at its disclosures. ‘I don’t have the first idea what to make of this news.

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