Page 54 of Her Runaway Duke
Eliza shrugged. “I should hope so, but the rumors are increasing. They began by suggesting you ran away with a lover but now they are turning more sinister, saying that you were captured.”
Siena nibbled her lower lip in worry. “If you are concerned that they will blame the duke if I am discovered, you should know that I have a similar fear, although he doesn’t seem to share it. He says that if I am able to refute them, then nothing will come of it.”
“One would hope. Heisa duke – and yet, there is already so much speculation about him after the death of his brother.”
“He is distraught about his brother’s death,” Siena said, swift to come to his defense. “Besides that, he has no wish to be a duke.”
“You do not have to convince me,” Eliza said, waving a hand. “It is the rest of theton.”
“Which is the very reason he hid here, away from the world,” Siena mused. “Until I discovered him.”
“Do not blame yourself for anything,” Eliza said, “except for exploring the world as you have longed to and finding a man who sees you for the person you truly are. Now, we best get dressed for dinner. I know I didn’t provide you much, so I managed to sneak a few dresses out of your house for you.”
“You… snuck into my parents’ house?” Siena said, following Eliza to the wardrobe as she pulled out familiar dresses and laid them in her arms.
“I did. I waited until I knew our parents were at an event together and then convinced a footman to accompany me and sneak in. Even my mother wouldn’t have approved.”
Ignoring the fact that her parents had gone to a social event despite a missing daughter, Siena could hardly believe what Eliza was saying.
“What if you had been caught?”
Eliza laughed. “That is far from the most daring escapade I have undertaken.”
“Well, thank you,” Siena said, somewhat bewildered by her friend, although she always had been.
“Did you like the lilac gown I packed you? It was one of my favorites.”
“I did love it. But… it is destroyed.”
That had Eliza stopping what she was doing and turning around to face her in shock. “Destroyed? How?”
Siena sighed. “It is another long story, but one that includes a fire in the stables.”
“Recently?”
“Yes.”
“My goodness, Siena, but this man has bad luck with fires. Do you think that, perhaps, there just might be something to the rumors?—”
“No,” Siena said swiftly. “Absolutely not.”
Eliza nodded, although she didn’t appear convinced. “Very well. If you say so. It just seems like quite a coincidence for one man to be struck by multiple fires, does it not?”
“I don’t know, Eliza,” Siena said softly. “I agree that there must be more to it, but I have no answers for you other than knowing that the duke had nothing to do with it.”
“If you believe it, then I do too,” Eliza said confidently.
“You are a good friend, Eliza.”
“There is none better than you.”
They shared a smile.
“Now,” Siena said, narrowing her eyes at her, “you must tell me about Lord Fitzroy.”
“Lord Fitzroy?” Eliza said, her eyes widening, although her innocence seemed somewhat feigned. “There is nothing to tell.”
“Are you sure about that? When you saw him, you seemed rather… overcome.”
