Page 81 of The Secret of the Dashing Detective
“And also, our house is so full that I hardly have time to think about how things have changed.”
Matthew chuckled at that. He had known that Lucy would come with Juliana. What he hadn’t known was that Lucy was only the beginning. In only two weeks their family had already grown to add the big shaggy dog who Juliana called Max, two cats, one missing an ear and the other a leg, and a magpie who apparently couldn’t fend for itself in the wild. It often flew away and Matthew kept hoping it would find a home elsewhere.
But it continued to come back, often delighting Juliana with pretty stones and trinkets.
“Does your mother know we are attending tonight?” Matthew asked as he knocked and waited for Jameson to allow them entrance.
“She does,” Juliana said with a nod. “And she has promised to be on her best behaviour.”
The dowager duchess had not yet quite come around to accepting their marriage. She had no choice but to accept it when Giles had, but she had sat in the front row of their nuptials with her arms crossed over her chest and a glower on her face to make it clear she was not in favor of the match.
Juliana didn’t seem to care, so Matthew tried not to let it bother him either.
“It’s Prudence’s birthday, so she chose the guest list,” Juliana said as the door swung open. “We must all agree to it.”
Jameson’s nod tonight was one of respect, and he took their cloaks before leading them through and into the drawing room.
“Jules!” Emma and Prudence were the first to greet them, immediately taking Juliana off with them, leaving Matthew to greet the duke and the other guest who was with him.
“Dr. Lewis,” Matthew said, pleasantly shocked. “It’s good to see you.”
Lewis took his hand. “And you, Archibald. I have much to thank you for.”
“In the end, I didn’t have to do much to clear your name,” Matthew said. “It resolved on its own, although not without putting Juliana in some peril.”
“Which I was sorry to hear about,” Lewis said, his words honest. “But I do wish you my very best on your marriage. A marriage in truth this time.”
He and Matthew were able to laugh about that now, with the duke seeming somewhat chagrined.
“I have begun to make my apologies to Dr. Lewis,” the duke said, although when Matthew looked over at Lewis, he didn’t seem entirely convinced. “Now we have to determine where the true threat lies.”
The door opened behind Matthew’s shoulder, and the duke looked over with a smile of welcome. Matthew’s eyes shifted to Lewis then, and that was when he was truly surprised. For Lewis seemed… enraptured. Matthew turned to see just what – or who – had captured his attention.
“Lady Maria, how good to see you!” Matthew was distracted by Juliana, who drifted by him to greet her new friend. She led her into the room, her mother following behind with a curious expression on her face.
“I wasn’t sure if we should have come, with all that has occurred in your family as of late,” Lady Bennington was saying to the dowager duchess. “But you are such good friends of the family and all.”
The dowager duchess and Lady Hemingway, who had also been invited this evening, Matthew noted, exchanged a knowing glance. Matthew looked around for Lord Hemingway, grateful when he didn’t see him. It was not that he had anything against the man. It was just that it was rather awkward to see him after all that had happened. The fact he had been in attendance at their wedding hadn’t helped matters.
“As it happens, Lady Bennington, all is well in hand,” the duke said smoothly, even though his words were far from the truth. “Our family is safe, our house is one of the best protected in London, and we are closer to one another than we have ever been. We are pleased to welcome you and Lady Maria into our home.”
She nodded, although her eyes wandered to first Matthew and then to Lewis – making it more than obvious that she didn’t appreciate Matthew’s presence, but then she tilted her head in curiosity.
“I believe I have only seen this gentleman in passing – a few weeks ago, in this very house,” she said, with a smile for him.
“This is Dr. Lewis,” the duke said, and opened his mouth to continue, but Lewis cut in before he could.
“I am a friend of the family,” he said smoothly, which was likely the smartest decision. It would be in no one’s best interests to make known the true nature of his origin.
She paused for a moment before a polite smile crossed her face, as she likely wondered what a physician was doing here but knew she could not so question a duke.
“Pleased to meet you,” she said. “May I introduce my daughter, Lady Maria?”
Lady Maria turned at her name, and Matthew noted the way her eyes fixated on Lewis.
“We have met in passing,” she finally said. “It is wonderful to see you again, Dr. Lewis.”
“The same to you, my lady,” he said, dipping into a bow before the duke finally broke the tension.
