Page 20 of The Uncouth Duke of Longford
“How very generous!” Lady Carmichael exclaimed. “To wish to be with family is a strong blessing indeed.”
“Yes it is.” Lord Chiddick passed a look to the Duke but the gentleman’s expression barely changed. In fact, there was only a momentary flicker in his eyes rather than any sort of appreciation or joy. The dark demeanor had returned. Why,Rachel wondered, had these two gentlemen come to call? It was not as though the Duke appeared to be at all glad to be in their company, which made her wonder if Lord Chiddick had practically forced his cousin to come with him. Her heart twisted a little at the thought, as though she had somehow eagerly desired the Duke of Longford towantto call upon her, though that idea was entirely preposterous.
“We are very good friends as well as relatives,” Lord Chiddick stated, picking up his tea cup and taking a small sip from it before he put it back down on the table again. “Is that not so, Your Grace?”
The Duke of Longford grunted. “I suppose so.”
“When were you last in company with each other?” Lady Carmichael asked, as Rachel sipped her tea. “Has it been recent?”
The two gentlemen looked at each other and Rachel was sure she caught the Duke of Longford give a small shake of his head.
Lord Chiddick, however, did not appear to see it.
“It was at a sad event,” he said, slowly, “at the passing of the Duke’s late father under most troubling circumstances.”
The Duke of Longford immediately cleared his throat and then let his gaze bounce around the room. “That was a difficult time.”
“And under troubling circumstances?” Lady Carmichael asked, sounding a little surprised though Rachel caught the way that the Duke’s eyebrows fell low over his eyes. “I am sorry to hear that. Might I ask what happened?”
Silence fell around the room and Rachel closed her eyes, her face growing hot with embarrassment. Her mother ought not to have asked that question. It was not something that even ought to be considered and yet, Lady Carmichael had spoken of it without even a seeming moment of hesitation. Rachel did notknow what to do or what to say as the silence began to overpower the room.
“I think we must take our leave.”
Rachel’s eyes shot open as the Duke of Longford got to his feet, leaving his full tea cup sitting on the table in front of him.
“Chiddick?” His gaze once more swept the room. “Thank you for your company. Good afternoon.”
Without so much as another word and without waiting to see if his cousin would follow him, the Duke of Longford marched to the other end of the room, opened the door and stepped out. Rachel rose to her feet, as did her mother and sister, though it was now much too late.
“Idoapologise for our hasty departure.” Lord Chiddick too got to his feet, though his face was a little flushed. “Thank you for your company and for the tea.” With a bow, he opened his mouth to say something more, seemed to think better of it and then made his way from the room.
Rachel sank back down into her chair, looking at no-one in particular and finding herself quite astonished by all that had just taken place.
“Goodness,” Lady Carmichael murmured, herself resuming her seat. “I do not know what to make of that.”
“It is quite clear that the Duke of Longford is a gentleman who cares very little for the thoughts or the attention of others,” Bettina stated, sending a sharp look towards Rachel. “He hardly spoke to anyone and then left incredibly abruptly – which is the most displeasing thing. You had asked him a perfectly decent question, Mama, and then he left without even considering them – without even considering you!”
“It may be that he did not want to answer,” Rachel replied, feeling the urge to come to the Duke’s defense. “It was a rather personal question and –”
“He did not need to be so abrupt!” Bettina exclaimed, interrupting Rachel. “That was utterly disgraceful. I cannot imagine what made him think he could behave in such a way.”
“He is a Duke,” Lady Carmichael sighed, shaking her head. “I suppose, in that way, he is very well used to doing what he pleases without much consideration to others.”
Rachel closed her mouth and chose not to say anything further. There was truth in what her mother said, she considered, for the Duke of Longfordhadbeen rather rude in the way that he had walked away from them all and in saying nothing to her mother but, at the same time, she recognized that there had been a rudeness in her own mother’s manner in pursuing what was, she was sure, a very tender subject for the Duke.
Frowning, Rachel sat back in her chair, her tea cup in her hand. Despite her mother’s rudeness and the comments made by her sister, Rachel had to admit that she was wondering exactly what it was that had made the Duke hurry away from them all in such an abrupt manner. What was it about his father’s passing that had been so troubling? And why was it that his cousin was willing to speak of it but the Duke was not?
Chapter Ten
“You ought not to have spoken of it.”
Andrew scowled as Lord Chiddick frowned. “I am sorry, cousin, but I did not – ”
“You did notthink!” Andrew exclaimed, the carriage rattling over the cobbles. “That was not something I would ever disclose to anyone and certainly not to the three ladies present there!”
Lord Chiddick lifted an eyebrow. “Not even to Miss Grifford?”
Andrew shook his head. “Certainly not.”
