Page 17 of Her Runaway Duke
“Yes,” he said. “I will take care of it.”
Thornbury was clearly unsure of that idea, but it wasn’t for him to decide.
“Of course, Your Grace,” he said, passing the letter over, which Levi tucked into his jacket pocket before entering his study – alone.
He could feel the butler’s eyes on him as he continued within and shut the door behind him but paid him no mind as he took a seat behind the desk and broke the seal of the envelope.
He didn’t want to break her confidence, but he also couldn’t risk that she would tell anyone about where to find him or what he looked like.
When he opened the letter and began reading, he couldn’t help his sigh of frustration.
For that was exactly what she had done.
Dear Eliza,
I must thank you again for the risk you took in helping me to escape. It must have been greatly difficult for you to return and explain my absence. I hope you did not find yourself in any trouble on my account.
I promised to write when I was settled, and I am – somewhat. However, I did not make it to your friend’s residence.
Unfortunately, I do not possess the sense of direction that you do, and I found myself lost along the way.
Fortunately, I was welcomed to an estate near London. You will be shocked to learn of my whereabouts. I am at the home of none other than The Duke of Dunmore. Do not be concerned, for he is not nearly as frightening as all would have us believe, despite the injuries he has obviously sustained. You know how rumors are.
I am told that the estate is not far from Chiswick. Perhaps one day you can arrange to come and visit me, or we can meet there to catch up with one another.
He lives alone, but his servants are most kind and gracious. I am going to take my time to determine my next steps as I do not wish to be a burden upon your friend, and this household has proven they are adept at keeping secrets.
Sending you all of my love,
Siena
Levi took one last look at the letter, crumpled it into a ball, and then threw it in the fireplace.
Siena wonderedwhen a woman had last lived in this estate.
There were books, yes, but besides that, there wasn’t overly much for her to pass the time doing. No needlework, no watercolours, no one to take tea with.
So, she read and she wrote poetry, for which she was rather inspired by the landscapes outside of the windows, as dreary as they were.
But she became bored of even that over the day, and eventually, she decided to go exploring.
She wondered if she would see the duke. Ever since their confrontation in the study that morning, he had made himselfscarce. She guessed that he was still hiding in the room, where he was least likely to come upon her.
As she entered the drawing room, however, she saw that the door to the adjoining study was open, and she peeked inside, finding it empty. She knew she should leave and not invade his private space, but she couldn’t help wondering what he kept himself busy with inside.
Siena stepped cautiously into the study. Tall bookshelves lined the walls, filled to the brim with leather-bound volumes, their spines worn with age. The scent of old parchment and ink hung in the air, reminding her of the magnificent library she had discovered this morning, where she intended to return once she completed her perusal of this estate.
Her eyes were immediately drawn to the imposing oak desk that dominated the center of the room. It was meticulously organized, each item in its designated place. Quills stood perfectly upright in an inkwell, while stacks of paper lay neatly arranged on one corner of the desk. A golden pocket watch rested beside an ornate letter opener, its intricate design catching Siena's eye.
Curiosity got the better of her as she approached the shelves, her fingers trailing lovingly over the spines of countless books. Each volume seemed to hold a secret waitingto be unraveled. Siena's heart quickened with anticipation as she carefully pulled out a weathered leather-bound book.
The cover opened with a low crack, the pages inside revealing delicate illustrations of exotic plants, their vivid colors dancing across the pages, transporting her to far-off lands she could only dream of.
Lost in the magic of the study, Siena hardly noticed the rain drumming relentlessly against the windowpane. The dim light from outside cast long shadows across the room, giving it an air of mystery and intrigue.
As her eyes continued to wander, Siena's attention was drawn to a beautiful landscape hanging on the wall behind the desk, contrary to any study she had seen before, which always held a portrait in a place of prominence. It made her realize how devoid the house was of any personality.
She began to shiver, but it wasn’t from the empty estate. It was the cold. There was a chill in the room that had settled into her bones as she looked through the book, and she realized then what was missing – there was no fire in the grate. Instead, the fireplace remained empty, waiting to be filled. Did he ever light a fire in here? She wondered as she wandered over for closer inspection, finding that the few ashes were long cold.
