Page 56 of A Bride for the Forbidden Duke
He sighed graciously, looking around. “Your Grace, the manor looks delightful. It is much nicer than when the late Duke owned it. You have done admirable work.”
“Thank you,” she answered with a blush. “It is nice to have my efforts appreciated.”
Henry looked away from them, clenching his jaw.
“I have been discussing plans with the Duke,” she said. “Just this morning, we concluded that changing the study here in Westley Manor to match His Grace’s in London will be a fine idea.”
“I could not agree more,” Thomas praised. “It is nice to see that things have mellowed out between you both.”
Henry turned his glower onto his friend.
“The last I heard, Henry was not very forthcoming with information about you as his wife, Duchess. And the fact that he has not ordered me out of the manor already is quite a feat and turning point indeed. But I have been telling him that a wife is exactly what he needs in order to mellow out.”
“Well, that is hopeful,” she commented, glancing at Henry which he pretended not to notice. “Although I do not blame him for not being forthcoming.”
Both Henry and Thomas blinked at that, surprised.
“We do not have much to tell, do we?” Veronica asked him pointedly. “We have not ventured into society since we wedded, nor do we have…” She swallowed. “… children to report on. We have not traveled. And anything that is notable about me has surely been in the gossip sheets, so there is not a great deal to say.”
Henry paused. Was that truly what she thought? That he did not speak of her because he had nothing to speak about? That wounded him somewhat.
He ignored the children comment, though, for that was twice in the space of half an hour he had heard such hints about him having children. And that was entirely too much.
Especially when his wife had not chosen him but had been forced to accept his proposal.
“I am sure you both will have endless adventures in the years to come,” Thomas assured her. “The Duke is fond of travel.”
“I am sure,” Veronica agreed. “I look forward to where our travels may take us.”
“Speaking of travel.” Thomas cleared his throat, and Henry knew he had to jump in before Thomas said something that Henry would have to clean up with Veronica after Thomas’s departure.
“Yes,” he said, “speaking of, I hear that France is lovely in the autumn season.”
“Oh, Henry, I do not care for France! But they do have very nice satchels. And speaking of?—”
“Perhaps not right here, Thomas,” Henry said, flashing him a warning glare.
“What is it?” Veronica asked, interested.
“We agreed to keep our business and affairs separate, did we not?” Henry asked her tightly.
“Yes, until you decided that you could ask me everything about what I was doing, but I was not allowed to ask anything of your dealings. It is feeling awfully one-sided, Your Grace.”
“As I was saying, the French make rather lovely satchels of the best quality, and I found such a satchel belonging to our missing Earl of Grantham and?—”
Veronica, who had been listening intently, turned to Henry. “You… you are investigating my brother’s disappearance?” Her face was pale before anger twisted her features. “Your business that you tell me not to interfere with is about my brother, and youdid not think to tell me?”
Her voice raised, and Henry flinched. He shifted back but angrily wanted to stand his ground. “Duchess?—”
“Do not try to tell me otherwise,” she hissed, “and do not try to keep me out of this!”
She turned to Thomas, who idly munched on a macaron as if he was not affected in the slightest. “What clues do you have of him? Is he alive? Mr. Shawcross, how long, exactly, have you been tracking down my brother? What else do you know?”
Thomas looked alarmed, and Henry only glared at him. “You may answer the Duchess’ questions yourself.”
Thomas cleared his throat, his expression faltering for a moment before he composed himself.
“We do not know a great deal, Your Grace” he told Veronica. “But, yes, I have been searching for him.” His eyes cut to Henry, who only gestured for him to continue. “Forgive me, I did not know you were unaware of the investigation.”
