Page 13 of A Lady's Past
Jacques stared at the chessboard and had no idea what his next move should be. He’d been playing these matches against his best friend, Preston Knowles, the Duke of Middleton, for most of their lives. He’d even won his fair share, yet today it was as if he was in a fog.
Preston frowned. “Tell me again how you met this woman?”
“What woman? You’ve met a lady, Jacques?” Millicent Knowles fluffed her skirt as she sat on the divan near the windows where they were playing.
“The question of whether she is a lady is yet to be answered,” Preston said.
“I would like to hear about this woman, Jacques. Also, I regret to inform you that Pres has you in checkmate in six moves.” She leaned forward, chin on her fist, blond hair spilling around her face where it had come loose from her bun.
“Millicent, you ruined my fun.” Preston’s frown couldn’t hide the pride in his eyes when he looked at his clever wife.
“Oh stop,” she said. “Clearly, his mind is not on the game. Let’s order tea and Jacques can tell me all about his newest distraction.”
With no reason to go on with the game, they followed her to a sitting area near the fire, where it would be more comfortable to chat and enjoy their tea. Jacques had always liked the parlor at the Middleton town house. The house was full of cozy niches and hidden passageways. Preston’s ancestors had had a passion for clever hiding places and tunnels. “I don’t have much I can tell you. She is a mystery.”
Millie’s eyes widened, and she raised her eyebrows comically. “How fun. What is the mystery woman’s name?”
“Diana St. Cloud, though I am not convinced that is her real name.”
All amusement fled her pretty face. “Why would she lie about her name?”
“Because she’s in some kind of trouble,” Preston answered before Jacques could. “And as a Frenchman living in England, you don’t need trouble, Jacques. You had enough of that in France. What if she’s a spy working for the French?” Preston pointed, but quickly lowered his hand. “I’m just concerned.”
It was good to have people who cared about him. Jacques never let himself become complacent about good friends. “I know, though I cannot imagine she is a spy. If I could get her out of my mind, believe me, I would. It is clear she is not interested in a courtship. She has said as much. It is also clear she is in trouble of some kind. If I knew what her problem was, perhaps I could help, but she is not willing to divulge the information. At least, not to me.”
“How did you meet Diana?” Millie asked.
“She was hiding on the side of the road into London when I was on my way back from my parents’ arrival party. At first, I thought she was a highwaywoman, and that was intriguing enough. Once she spoke, it was obvious she had a formal education among your English ton. I couldn’t leave her in the cold with snow coming, so I took her with me.” Jacques left out the story of holding her through the night at the inn. He wanted that memory for himself, and wouldn’t share her that way.
“So, you brought her to London and left her?”
“She asked me to leave her in Piccadilly Square or at Parliament. I assumed she wanted some public place where she could hide in a crowd. That kind of hiding does not last long. Whoever she is running from would have found her. If they know her well, they would have found her quite easily. I took her to Lady Jane.”
Millie’s mouth dropped open. “She’s at Everton’s?”
“Wait, it gets better.” Preston crossed his arms over his chest. “Go ahead. Tell her.”
“Yesterday, when I went to see your uncle about some projects I have funded, she was there working as his assistant. It seems she is accomplished in several scientific fields, though how that is possible, I do not know.”
Like a fish out of water, Millie opened and closed her mouth several times and blinked her eyes. “She’s with Uncle Francis? Uncle Francis hired an Everton lady? Good gracious, I should not have missed our appointment for tea last week.” A sweet giggle escaped her, and she covered her mouth with her hand.
“You think this is funny?” Preston raised his voice. “Our dearest friend is fumbling over a woman who may be a spy, murderer, or who knows what.”
She patted Preston’s knee. “If Jane Everton trusts this Diana, then you can rest assured she is worthy of that trust. I agree with Jacques.”
It was true that Lady Jane and Lord Rupert had a good record for hiring their Everton ladies. Though Jacques had never taken any stock in Preston’s dire worries. If Diana had wanted to harm him, she could have done so at the inn. “On which point do you agree with me, Millie? I didn’t actually know I had made one.”
Frowning, she shook her head. “We need to find out what trouble Diana is in, so we can help her. Of course, Jane likely knows, but she’ll never tell me. Well, it doesn’t matter. I shall see if Diana and I can be friends, and the lady will tell me herself or she will tell you, Jacques, as you are already her friend.”
“She hardly considers me a friend.” The fact sent an ache through him. Never had any woman affected him so strangely or strongly.
Millie shrugged. “That doesn’t matter. It is clear you consider her a friend, and will go to any lengths to help her.”
The tea arrived.
“How is that clear?”
A slow smile spread across her face. “Your eyes light up when you say her name. I’ve never seen you worry about anyone besides your parents and Preston the way you are fretting over Diana, and you let Preston trounce you at chess. If that’s not telling, I don’t know what is.”
