Page 95 of A Torn Allegiance
Hayes pulled back the covers and sat up. The dizziness was gone. “I think I am much improved indeed. I will wait in the carriage and use the time to further improve. Are we packed?”
Kristoff shouldered a satchel. “The servants have worked miracles. Bartholomew arrived and then left again. He has offered his finest carriage and horses and regrets he is unable to go with us.”
“We owe him much on this journey, including the plants I will bring back for our tenant farmers.” Hayes stood and then sat again. “Would you call for my man? I’ll redress, and then we will be off.”
Once they were loaded, and Hayes was settled in the carriage, they left, the horses going as swiftly as the driver dared urge them in the city, and as soon as they hit open roads, the driver pushed the horses swifter still.
Marc leaned out the window and then closed it once he was back inside. “We are several hours behind Lamoreaux, but we will push through until we arrive at the inn where he will stay the night. I do believe we are departing in enough time to discover their meeting and the identities of all involved. We will be revealing ourselves as the ones bringing an end to their efforts, but since we have finished with the spying we planned to do, that should be acceptable.”
“We must learn as much as we can about their goals.” Hayes would, of course, simply pass along all the information, but it would be of great value to him as he attempted to counter the group’s efforts in his own country. He tried to keep his mind active in working out these kinds of questions so as not to allow his thoughts to drift to Elsie, but he was plagued every moment with questions. “Do you suppose she really thought me a risk to England? That her father believes as much?”
Marc shook his head. “I think they may have had questions in the beginning, but why they asked their daughter to do the job of a spy is something I cannot fathom.”
“Consider as well that Duncan’s father was out of sorts when he spewed that nonsense. He may have said more than he ought,” Kristoff said.
“Though, all of it true, most likely,” Hayes pointed out. “We just pushed him to that point. What was it about the flag?”
“It flew up into the air, unfurled, and landed back in Lamoreaux’s hands. It looked as though we had perfectly orchestrated a takeover of the race Duncan was meant to win and celebrated Napoleon while we were at it.” Kristoff shook his head.
“And I’ve since learned that the Duke of Shelby bet a considerable fortune on his son,” Marc added.
Hayes closed his eyes. “It really is unfortunate that Duncan was not winning.” He opened them again. “But I can only be grateful.”
“Grateful?” Kristoff crossed his ankle over his knee.
“Yes, for now the true intentions of the Shelby household have been revealed. What if I had been daft enough to propose or to bring the duke’s family to Oldenburg? How long would they have allowed the charade to continue?” He thought of himself married to her, to a woman he thought loved him but in truth had married him in fraud. His heart tightened, and he rubbed it with his fist.
“I think what we need is a good book to read.” Kristoff pulled from his satchel one he’d borrowed from Bartholomew’s library.
Hayes settled back, focusing on Kristoff’s voice as he read from Shake-speare. Though he couldn’t see how he might ever be happy again, he knew he could at least feel well again. He hoped.
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Elsie paced, beyond frantic. Everytime Lady Sophie attempted some form of comfort or suggestion, she felt worse.
“There is nothing to be done.” Hayes was hurt. She’d seen him clutch at his heart.
And he hated her. She wouldn’t be surprised if he never talked to her again.
The footman announced the Duke of Sumter into Lady Sophie’s front room. He bowed, and Lady Sophie ran to him and placed her hand on his arm. The look they shared suggested Elsie would get no further assistance from her best friend. But the duke turned to her. “I have news.”
She raised a hand to her heart. Somehow, she knew it was news of the prince. “Is he well?”
“Not totally, no. They say it is his heart.”
She wrung her hands together.
“But the doctor cleared him to leave.”
Elsie ran forward. “Leave?” Her arms wrapped around her stomach while she tried not to double over. “No.” She had hoped he’d come calling, that her father would come around, that she would see Hayes again. She had hoped she would be able to explain... what? That she’d deceived him in friendship and spied on his activities, that she’d suspected him of the most despicable treason? She tried to swallow, but the lump in her throat had grown too large. She reached for the back of her chair to steady herself. “I cannot bear it. Has he really gone?”
“Yes. And you will be most interested inwherehe has gone.” His Grace continued speaking as though Elsie were not about to fall into the earth in her misery.
“Where?” Had he not gone home?
“To Scotland.”
Her mind cleared. “What? How can that be?” A great feeling of hope filled her, which she knew rationally was unfounded. But the simple fact that Hayes was on his way to Scotland seemed to indicate all would be well.
