Page 24 of The Uncouth Duke of Longford
Miss Renfrew did not respond to this with anything other than a small smile and Rachel chuckled softly.
“He has already signed your dance card,” she continued, as though to prove to her friend that there was an interest on both sides. “And though he signed mine also, he appeared very eager indeed to write his name upon yours.”
“He is very considerate,” Miss Renfrew admitted, quietly. “Lord Chiddick was very considerate also, I must admit. He has signed both of our dance cards and was busy looking at Bettina’s dance card when we took our leave.”
Rachel considered this and then nodded. “Though I do not have any interest in furthering an acquaintance with Lord Chiddick,” she said slowly, seeing Miss Renfrew frown. “He is an excellent gentleman, I am sure, but he is a little too fervent about everything for my considerations! Much too efficacious.” She laughed and made to say more, only to catch the sight of something which made her frown. “Look.” Nudging Miss Renfrew, she directed her gaze to a footman who, for whateverreason, was tipping a few drops of something into a glass of whiskey. “Whatever is he doing?”
Miss Renfrew frowned. “I do not know. That is rather unusual.”
“Could it be something that has been requested by one of the gentlemen?” Rachel asked, wondering whether gentlemen possessed any items to augment their whiskey with an additional vigor. “Do they do such things?”
Miss Renfrew shook her head. “No, I do not think so.”
“Perhaps we should follow.” There was something about this situation, something about the covert way that the footman was now placing the vial back in his pocket and glancing about him, which gave Rachel a warning. “Just to be sure that there is nothing untoward taking place.”
“That is certainly a good idea,” Miss Renfrew agreed as they both began walking after the footman, seeing him weave this way and that. “It seems as though he has a purposeful destination.”
“Yes, he does.” Rachel frowned all the harder as she looked at her friend for a moment and then back to the footman. “I do not know what this is about but I am a little troubled.”
They continued following the footman for some minutes, seeing him step to the back of the room and, upon following him there, saw him step closer to a gentleman whom Rachel recognized immediately.
“The Duke!”
The gentleman took the whisky from the footman without a word, barely glancing at him – and Rachel found herself hurrying forward, rushing towards the Duke as he brought the whiskey to his lips. She did not know what it was about what she had seen but for some reason, the words Lord Chiddick had said about the troubling passing of the Duke’s father bit down hard into her mind.
She caught his arm but it was too late. He had taken a sip though, thankfully, not a big one. “Your Grace!”
The Duke spluttered, clearly stunned by her action and pulling out a handkerchief, coughed into it which, Rachel considered, was something of a relief if it meant that he had not drank yet more whiskey.
“Miss Grifford, whatever is the meaning of this?” he demanded, his face rather red as he stuffed his handkerchief back into his pocket and rounded on her. “I do not know what it is you think you are doing but –”
“Did you send the footman to fetch that whiskey for you?” she interrupted, relieved that the Duke of Longford was alone and therefore, had no-one who had witnessed her strange action. “Was he on hand when you asked for it?”
The Duke nodded, his gaze sliding towards Miss Renfrew before returning to her. “Yes.”
“You cannot drink the rest,” she said, firmly. “I saw – we both saw – the footman putting something from a small vial into your glass.”
Rather than throw aside that idea as nonsense or laugh at her for it, the Duke of Longford’s eyebrows lifted so very high, they almost hit his hairline. He did not say anything for some minutes, staring at her as though he was not certain that she had told him the truth and was searching her face for it.
“I witnessed it also,” Miss Renfrew said, perhaps seeing what Rachel had seen in the Duke’s face. “Though it was Rachel – that is, Miss Grifford – who insisted on following the footman to see where the drink was going.”
“And when I saw it came to you, I found myself filled with a great concern, to the point that I acted as I did,” Rachel explained, finding herself a little embarrassed at the astonishment in the Duke’s face. “Perhaps I am entirelymistaken and it is something that you yourself requested that the man put in but – ”
“I did not such thing.” The Duke ran one hand down his face and then, turning, set the whiskey glass down on the table behind him. “I do not understand. Why would –”
He stopped short as though Rachel or Miss Renfrew had interrupted him, only for his face to go very white indeed. Rachel found herself stepping closer, one hand going to his arm as she worried he might suddenly topple forward, only for the Duke of Longford to shake his head and then clear his throat.
“Thank you, Miss Grifford.” He put one hand to hers and, lifting it, bowed over it. “You have done me a great service. I confess I do not know what it is that was placed in here but given that I am feeling a trifle unwell now – no doubt from whatever was in that concoction – I have been saved from a very painful experience.”
“You are unwell?” Rachel found her hand tightening on his though he did not pull it away and she did not step back. “Your Grace, might I call someone for you? Or send for your carriage? Or for the doctor?”
The Duke shook his head. “I will be quite all right, I am sure. It is only a small feeling of illness, which, as I have said, must be solely down to your willingness to aid me. Thank you, Miss Grifford.” A small smile lifted the corner of his mouth. “Might I ask if you would be willing to consider a dance? And you also, Miss Renfrew?”
Rachel blinked in surprise and quickly released his hand. “You said a moment ago that you were feeling a trifle unwell.”
“But it is not enough to push me from the ball. I presume that whoever attempted to do such a thing was hopeful that I would quit the ballroom and return home and I should like to prove to them that they have been entirelyunsuccessful, if you gather my meaning?”
Rachel exchanged a glance with Miss Renfrew who, after a moment, shrugged both shoulders and then smiled.
