Page 83 of The Lady Was Lying
“Perhaps we were too busy fraternizing to consider your whereabouts at all,” she responded rather tartly.
Both brothers winced, and the last thing James wanted was for Belinda to expound on their fraternization, so he smoothly interjected, “Lady Belinda and I have come to an understanding about our future.”
“I should hope so,” Edward responded. “Otherwise, the conversation we need to have is going to be uncomfortable for all of us.”
“Perhaps, we should continue in private,” Greydon said, gesturing in the direction of the stairs and giving no indication of his feelings on the matter. “The innkeeper offered a room below where we can talk without being interrupted.”
“Our bedchamber is just there.” Belinda raised her hand and pointed down the hallway.
“Downstairs would be lovely,” James stated.
“Is it truly necessary for you to provoke them?” he whispered into her hair before releasing her so he could follow her down the stairs.
“Probably.” Glancing over her shoulder, she raised her eyebrows and shrugged while her grin remained as wide as ever.
A corresponding grin formed on his face as they silently filed into the private dining room. Instead of taking a seat, Greydon and Edward both remained standing, arms crossed, expressions serious.
Belinda squared off in front of them like she was a fierce warrior ready to stake her claim, and after closing the door, James slid into the space next to her.
Greydon spoke first. “We have a problem.”
“No, we don’t. Belinda has agreed to come with me to my estate,” James refuted, determined to make his intentions clear and indisputable. “We will?—”
“We have a problem,” Greydon interrupted, rubbing his hand over his eyes. “Don’t get me wrong. Belinda should absolutely accompany you to your estate. Whatever plans you already made should proceed accordingly. Kidnapping was perhaps not the path I would have taken, but after what we witnessed upstairs, it appears to have been effective. Violet is following in one of my carriages. She should be here within the hour. Once she arrives, you can continue the rest of the way with both Edward and Violet serving as Belinda’s chaperones.”
Belinda’s hands flew to her hips. “I do not require a chaperone any more than I require your permission to leave London.”
Greydon continued speaking as if she hadn’t interrupted. “The problem is unrelated to your disappearance. As far as we could tell before we left, there was no gossip about your departure. It’s possible that no one beyond Jane even witnessed you leaving.”
“You should have waited to follow us until this morning,” Belinda said. “Then you could have checked the gossip rags.”
“Even if there was a witness, it won’t be in the scandal sheets,” Greydon replied, rubbing the back of his neck and looking at the ground.
“Whyever not?” James asked.
“I’m paying a man quite handsomely to keep Belinda’s name out of the papers.”
“You what?” Belinda sputtered.
“You don’t like attention,” Greydon argued, a slight flush to his cheeks. “It was the least I could do.”
“Why would you—” Belinda stopped. “Thank you,” she whispered.
Greydon nodded. “If only I could take care of this problem in the same manner. Speculation and gossip are harder to control than the papers.” He paused, his gaze settling on James. “Unfortunately, the gossip I refer to is centered around your paternity.”
“What?” James fumbled through space, pulling Belinda’s arm off her hip so he could latch onto her hand. Somewhere along the way, he’d stopped worrying whether society discovered that the duke was not his father. Not because he didn’t care, but because he’d been too focused on Belinda to dedicate any energy to anything else.
The worry he’d neglected returned with vengeance. “How?”
“Before I explain, please know that you have my sincerest apologies,” Greydon replied, his face lined with misery. “I promised you that we’d keep your secret, but I didn’t think to consider our mother. I don’t know how she discovered it. I’ve only seen her twice since she’s been in London, and it never occurred to me that I needed to explain your connection to our family. She’s usually too oblivious to notice anything that doesn’t directly impact her.” As if realizing he was rambling, he shook his head once. “Our mother announced to a room full of people that Emmeline is your sister. Em is going to try to smooth things over, but once gossip has started, it’s impossible to quell it completely. If anyone realizes your mother grew up close to Danford Manor, it won’t be difficult for them to accept the gossip as true. We will stand beside you, of course, but?—”
“My mother is still in London,” James interjected. “I must return.”
It was the worst time for him to be absent. She would be completely desolate when the gossip reached her ears. There was no telling what she might do, and while the last thing James wanted to do was go back, he couldn’t abandon her at a time like this.
“You don’t need to return. Your mother is being attended to,” Greydon assured him. “I sent my mother and her husband Charles to call on her. They will explain what happened and convince her to return to your estate as soon as possible. Charles has already secured a post chaise and an appropriate traveling companion so she can depart as soon as she is ready.”
“You sent your mother to see my mother?” James sputtered, unable to imagine his mother coming face-to-face with the arbitrator of her doom.
