Page 195 of His Illegitimate Duchess
“Thank you, I’ll pass it along,” Lizzie replied.
*
“He did so well today,” Colin told her later, as they were playing with Thunder in the garden. “A few more hunts, and there won’t be a dog like him in England.”
Lizzie’s heart swelled with irrational pride. “I’ve missed him so much.”
“What did you think of Basingstoke?” Colin asked after Lizzie had finished petting Thunder, and they started walking.
“As much as I hate to admit it, you were right,” she said with a dramatic sigh. “Norwichisthe superior estate.”
Colin’s bright smile told her that he had detected the truth inside her joke.
“Is something bothering you?” He asked, and she wondered how he always seemed to know.
The sigh was sincere this time, deep and heavy.
“I cannot get Lady Genevieve’s smug face out of my mind. I hope I’m wrong, but if I’m not, then there’s a good chance that someone’s husband was with her, under the same roof as his wife!” Lizzie was close to tears.
“Perhaps it was one of the unmarried men. And perhaps it was no one, and she truly did just sleep well.”
“I don’t know. I hope I’m wrong. I just hate the thought so much. If I hadn’t been with you last night…” she said, but Colin immediately stopped walking.
“No. Elizabeth. I’ve already promised you my fidelity, and, as of this morning, you know that I love you. So don’t even dare finish that sentence.”
They were both silent for several moments, and then Lizzie simply replied, “I believe you.”
“Truly?” Colin asked in a thick voice.
Elizabeth nodded, not trusting her own. Colin looked heavenwards, and she could see that his eyes were full of tears.
“I never even dared to hope…” she heard him mutter. “Thank you,” he said as his gaze returned to her face. “Thank you,” he repeated, and Elizabeth just reached for his hand in response.
That night, after dinner, everyone spent a pleasant evening together. Lady Genevieve was almost friendly to Elizabeth, which only strengthened Lizzie’s belief that the other woman had focused her attentions on a new target.
However, despite her carefully observing the other men, she was unable to detect any changed or suspicious behaviour in any of them. And Lady Genevieve wasn’t being nasty to any of the women, which gave Elizabeth hope that the paramour was unattached.
“That is most likely because you don’t know enough about them,” Elinor, whom she had told her suspicions earlier, mused.
“You are probably right,” Lizzie concurred with a sigh. “Who do you think it is?”
“I hope it’s Pratt. Or the Baron. They are the only ones who wouldn’t be betraying anyone by being with her.”
Elizabeth gave her an incredulous look. “What about Lady Louisa?”
“What about her?” Elinor asked.
“Sometimes you truly make me wonder, Elinor. What have you been looking at these past few days?”
“To be honest, at the food, mostly,” Elinor laughed, and Elizabeth soon joined her.
Later that night, Elizabeth slept in her husband’s bed again. And the night after that.
On the morning of their sixth day at Basingstoke, they heard a great commotion right before joining everyone for breakfast. Once in the dining room, they were informed that Lady Louisa and the Baron were newly engaged to be married.
Elizabeth’s eyes immediately sought out Elinor, and she lifted her eyebrows at her victoriously. Both Frederick and Isabella looked like they had been crying.
“Please accept our most heartfelt congratulations,” Talbot told the happy couple in a very strained voice.
