Page 51 of Not the Duke's Virgin

His footsteps faded down the corridor, and Victoria released a breath she hadn’t realized she was holding. Her mind swirled with questions.

Madeline appeared similarly aghast. “Did you hear? Lord Oliver has somehow gotten hold of the money, after all!” Her eyes were wide with disbelief.

Victoria nodded grimly. She had suspected Oliver’s ultimate goal all along, though his methods remained unclear. “His Grace does not seem surprised in the least,” she mused. “I wonder if he anticipated this.”

“Surely not!” Madeline exclaimed. “Why, it sounds as if Lord Oliver has committed some act of fraud or theft!”

Privately, Victoria thought Simon likely had the right to it. The signs of Oliver’s greed and callousness were too apparent to ignore. Aloud, however, she merely said, “We cannot know for certain. But I feel it unwise to jump to conclusions.”

Madeline looked uncertain but nodded in acquiescence. For a moment, neither of them spoke, absorbed in their turbulent thoughts.

At length, Victoria broke the heavy silence. “We should begin gathering our things. The carriages will be ready soon.”

With a sigh, Madeline assented, and they made their way upstairs to finish packing for the journey home. As Victoria neatly folded gowns and tucked slippers into her trunk, her mind continued to churn. She desperately hoped Oliver would not dare show his face again before they left. The sooner she could put distance between them, the better.

Before long, a footman arrived to carry their luggage down to the carriages. Victoria took one last sweeping look around her guest chamber, then followed Madeline out of the room.

They were near the top of the stairs when hurried footsteps approached from behind. Victoria turned to see Mr. Carter hastening toward them, face flushed.

“Pardon me, Lady Victoria, Miss Russell,” he began upon reaching them, a touch breathless. “I hope I might have a brief word before you depart.”

Victoria tensed. She had a feeling she would not like whatever he was about to say. “Of course,” she replied evenly. Madeline looked uneasy as well.

Mr. Carter dropped his voice to just above a whisper. “It is regarding the recent… developments… with Lord Oliver. I understand you are acquainted?”

Victoria stiffened. How much did this man know? She chose her next words carefully. “We got engaged recently, yes.”

Mr. Carter wrung his hands nervously. “Indeed, indeed. I do not wish to offend, but… well…” He hesitated, seeming to inwardly wrestle with how much to say. Finally, he continued in a fervent tone, “The situation is quite irregular, as I’m certain you know. While the depth of Lord Oliver’s depravity was unexpected, His Grace maintains that we ought not to act rashly.”

Here he paused, and Victoria thought she detected a note of frustration in his voice.

“However,” Mr. Carter went on, leaning closer, “If what I suspect is true, things could become very ugly, indeed. You would do well to distance yourself from him, Lady Victoria. Before it is too late.”

Victoria’s breath caught in her chest. Mr. Carter knew. She was certain of it in that instant. Her eyes darted reflexively to Madeline, who appeared equally startled.

When Victoria found her voice, it came out low but firm. “I appreciate your concern, Mr. Carter, misplaced though it may be. I do not take such counsel lightly. However, I understand my circumstances better than you ever could.” She held his gaze meaningfully. “Some things are more complicated than they appear.”

Mr. Carter looked briefly taken aback by her forceful reply. Then his shoulders slumped in resignation. “Forgive my boldness. You are quite right, it is not my place.” He sighed heavily. “I wish you the very best, Lady Victoria. Truly.”

Unsure how to respond, Victoria simply nodded. After a beat, Mr. Carter bowed his farewell and continued on his way.

She watched his retreating figure, heart pounding. Once he was out of earshot, Madeline seized her arm. “He knows!” she whispered frantically. “He must know of the blackmail!”

Victoria exhaled unsteadily, shaken by the encounter. “So it would seem. Though thankfully, he did not raise the issue directly.”

Madeline’s forehead creased in distress. “Oh, Victoria, what if he knows and tells His Grace? This could spell utter ruin!”

“He will not tell him,” Victoria said, wishing she felt as confident as she sounded. Lowering her voice, she continued, “You heard him. He knows His Grace wants discretion in the matter.”

Madeline still appeared fretful but gave a jerky nod. Victoria squeezed her hand reassuringly, and they resumed their descent.

They reached the front hall, where servants bustled about, assisting the departing guests. Victoria scanned the entryway for any sign of Oliver, muscles tensed. Not seeing his face among the crowd, she allowed herself to breathe normally again.

Perhaps he truly had fled for good. The notion should have relieved her, yet dread coiled in the pit of her stomach. Where had he gone with such a vast sum of money? And what trouble might he cause in his greed-fueled recklessness?

* * *

Moments later, Victoria couldn’t help but feel a spark of admiration for Simon and the way he had handled his deceitful brother. Though Oliver had fled after his misdeeds came to light, Simon remained composed and unruffled through it all.

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