Page 67 of Claiming His Lost Duchess
Nothing of recent would warrant such an action — especially when it would be much easier to simply confront them with their transgressions.
“I can’t think of anyone,” Graham said honestly, his thoughts wandering to his wife.
Joan was so distraught and scared for their daughter, he was worried the worry might make her sick. She had requested for some time alone and he had granted it, seeing as that was all he could do.
But now he wanted to seek her out and hold her, to reassure her that Sophia would be found soon, despite what the fear trying to take root within him was saying.
“Are you certain? I heard about the altercation with a few men at the club a while ago. Are you sure none of those men could be behind this?”
Graham snorted, feeling frustrated. “I doubt any of those spineless cowards could’ve managed to cook up such an elaborate ploy to get back at me for humiliating them among their peers. They would have to —”
He trailed off, a face coming to mind for a moment.
Could it be?
“Have to what? Why did you stop speaking?” Julian queried, confused.
Graham shook his head, “No, it’s nothing. I just thought?—”
But the longer the idea stayed in his head, the deeper its roots dug into his head.
There had been someone — someone who had enough contempt for Graham that it bled over into their feelings about Joan.
“Joan’s cousin… Georgina. She did not approve of our marriage, and she ensured her distaste was expressed vocally, even before my family members. She seemed particularly aggrieved when last we saw her a few days ago, and my wife sent her away shortly after that,” Graham recalled, still feeling proud of Joan for standing up for herself and him.
There had never been a moment of doubt of his feelings for her within him, and her actions then had only made him love her more. Graham felt a surge of desperation well up within him. Heneeded to do whatever it took, to bring Sophia back. He must save his family from whatever peril was poised to strike.
“And you are certain she could not have done this?” Lysander pressed, seemingly unconvinced.
“The wholetondisapproves our marriage, because they disapprove of me even more. Taking my daughter is a step too far in the name of that,” Graham responded.
Still... something within him felt as though it would be worth it to at least speak to Georgina.
“We should talk with her,” he proposed, picking up his coat from the back of a settee where he had deposited it. “You and I, while the others are still doing what they can to search around the area.”
Lysander nodded. “All right.”
,
“I’ll keep an eye on things here, and I will send word of anything I think you need to hear as soon as possible,” Julian announced as they left the study.
“Thank you,” Graham told him sincerely, before hesitating, speaking to Lysander a moment later. “I need to inform Joan of where I am going, so she does not worry. I will meet you outside in a moment.”
Lysander nodded and they parted ways, heading in opposite directions. Graham rushed to her room, slowing down his pace at her door, so as not to barge in and wake her up if she had fallen asleep.
He raised his hand to knock but felt himself stop before he made contact with the surface of the door. The guilt he had tried to keep away surfaced, threatening to consume him whole.
Since they received word of Sophia’s disappearance, he had felt as though he was responsible somehow. It had been hard, reassuring Joan when he had no way of knowing for certain that things would be fine. Graham felt reluctant to face her, unsure of his overwhelming affection for her could even be stated at this time.
Still, he wanted to hold her and remind her that he was not going to stop until Sophia was back home with them.
“Joan?” he called softly, rapping his knuckles against the door.
He waited, but received no response.
Assuming that she had fallen asleep after all, he walked into the room quietly, frowning when he was greeted by an empty space. He stepped further into the room, thinking that she had perhaps tucked herself into a corner or was keeping herself busy, out of sight.
But a few minutes of inspection told him that she was indeed not in the room.
