Page 31 of The Duke's Scottish Bride
“Did you hear the latest?” one whispered. “That poor Miss Albright. Ruined, absolutely ruined! And all because of a rogue’s promises and a clandestine assignation with a local clergyman!”
Marion’s stomach clenched. Theton’sappetite for ruin was insatiable and she had no taste for it.
It made her long for the simplicity of Strathcairn and the rolling green hills of Scotland as well as the misty mountains that surrounded her home.
Her heart hummed with a bit of hope. Perhaps, after they’d finally escaped the focused attentions of theton,they would be able to visit.
A few streets away, Anselm had his own meeting. He stepped into a private room in a quiet London club. The air was thick with the familiar scents of aged leather and pipe smoke. It brought back memories: visiting this very place with his father, long before illness had stolen the man’s mind and strength.
Anselm pushed the memory aside and focused on the task at hand.
He crossed the room and greeted the man he had come to see: a sharp-eyed Bow Street Runner, dressed in plain clothes. Anselm knew him through political circles. He was renowned for his discretion.
And tonight, that was exactly what Anselm required.
“Daniels.”
“Your Grace,” Daniels nodded while offering no further pleasantries.
“I have a delicate matter, Daniels,” Anselm began. “And I think you are just the man to help me untangle it.”
He recounted the threatening notes Marion had received in Strathcairn, omitting the specifics of the wedding day drama as they seemed irrelevant to his search. He preferred Daniels to have only the facts, so that details wouldn’t color his perception.
“These notes were quite unsettling for my wife. Delivered to her before she arrived in London. Luckily, there has been no contact since she has been in my household.”
“Understood, what of it now then?”
“I want this threat removed. Permanently, discreetly, and as quickly as possible,” he said as he inconspicuously pushed a heavy purse across the table. The leather sagged under the weight of gold. “This is for your silence and swift action. And for any expenses you might incur. It should be more than worth your trouble.”
Daniels weighed the purse as a faint smile played on his lips before he shook his head.
“Understood, Your Grace. Such threats require immediate attention, and I can understand wanting certainty. A lady’s peace of mind is the key to a happy marriage…or so I am told. Never did find a lady willing to put up with the likes of me.” He paused, considering the facts he had learned and piecing them together. “Perhaps a trip to Strathcairn would yield answers? I always say the simplest answer is usually the right one.”
Anselm shook his head. “Too much time. The source of these notes must be connected to the man Marion was meant to marry, Lord Gilton. I want you to investigate him.”
“Shouldn’t be too hard.”
“Tail him. Find out about his habits and associates. Any lovers, any enemies. Whoever this vengeful mistress is, she’ll be wherever Gilton is. And he is bound to return to London eventually. He wouldn’t miss the Season for long. Not with his proclivities, which I am sure you have heard of.”
Daniels nodded and his expression turned grim. “It will be done discretely, Your Grace. I will return with a report as soon as I have something concrete. Rest assured, I am quite adept at uncovering hidden truths. I will leave no stone unturned.”
Daniels rose then, bowed, and slipped out of the room as silently as he’d entered. The drink he had ordered for appearances remained untouched.
Anselm grabbed the drink and drained it as he watched the man go and a steely resolve settled over him.
He was determined to handle this situation and protect Marion from unseen danger without burdening her with details. She did not need to know the depths of the ugliness he was willing to uncover or the sheer depravity of some men.
While he was nowhere close to what his wife deserved, that wouldn’t prevent him from protecting her. It was his duty, after all.
Yet a part of him knew that his need to protect the Duchess was more than mere duty.
But this was not the time to come face to face with such a notion.
Not yet at all.
Chapter Fourteen
“What is that?” Marion tilted her head towards her bedchamber’s door.
