Page 30 of The Penitent Duke
Rosalind blinked, looked to Lady Eleanor and saw the very same astonishment in her friend’s face as she felt in her own heart. The Duke was speaking in great defense of her, though she was not quite certain she appreciated the threat he intended to bring. “As I mentioned, I am unsure of what happened; however, I am certain that it was an unfortunate accident. They did not intend for my injury.”
“That is a relief, I am sure. “The Duke of Strathmore sniffed and turned his head away. “How long until you recover completely?”
“A sennight, the physician has said,” Rosalind answered, a little surprised at the dispassionate way in with the Duke had spoken. “I shall soon be standing by your side, just as you expect, Your Grace.”
He turned to her again, his eyes a little wide. “That is not in the least what I meant, Lady Rosalind.” There was an astonishment in his voice, a clear look of surprise in his eyes which immediately made Rosalind flush. “I want only for your recovery, I assure you.”
“That… that is very kind of you, then.” Feeling a little lost, Rosalind swallowed hard. “I appreciate your concern, both of you. Might I ask how you came to know of my accident, Your Grace?”
He gestured to Lady Eleanor. “News came to Lady Eleanor and, given that we were all attending the same wedding, I heard of it also. Naturally, I wanted to come to make certain you were going to recover. I am sorry that you have experienced pain and trouble due to someone’s thoughtlessness.” The moment those words left his lips, the Duke of Strathmore winced and then dropped his head, perhaps realizing just how much of a fool he was speaking in such a way. After all, it was rather ironic that he expressed such a thing to her when he himself had caused her pain and trouble, albeit in a different way.
“Lord Radcliffe told the Duke and we all came here at once though, Your Grace,” Lady Eleanor continued, looking to him, “are you not in danger of missing the wedding breakfast?”
The Duke blinked, clearly expressing that he had forgotten such a thing but Rosalind was sure she could see concern in his eyes. “I – well, yes, I suppose I am but I did want to make certain that Lady Rosalind was well. That was my only thought.”
Silence wrapped around the room for a few moments as Rosalind stared at the Duke, trying to comprehend what it was he had just said. And, in that one moment, Rosalind realized that she did not understand nor know this man in the least.
He had upset her, confused her, confounded her, manipulated her and turned her world upside down and yet now, here he was, making it appear as thoughshewas of importance to him! She already knew that she could not truly be of any particular interest, for he had practically told her as much in stating that this marriage between them was for the sole requirement of producing the required heir and that she should not expect anything more from him. Why, then, was he now expressing such a thing to her? Why had she been of such importance to him that he had wanted to push aside his cousin’s wedding breakfast and, instead, come to see her?
“I am, as you can see, recovering well,” she answered, speaking to him in a gentle manner, wanting to encourage him to see that all was well so that some of the concern would leave his expression. “It was an accident, that is all.”
“Mayhap you ought not to have been out walking alone.” A hardness entered his tone and Rosalind blinked in surprise, seeing the way his jaw tightened and wondering at it. “I am sure that someone suggested that you did not do such a thing and –”
“Might I interrupt you, Strathmore?” It was the first time that Rosalind had ever let herself speak to the Duke in such an intimate manner but shehadto stop him speaking. What made him believe that he could speak to her in that manner? She did not understand him! One moment, he was expressing concern, leaving a wedding party to come and find her to make sure she was well and then the next moment, speaking to her as though she had done something wrong in bringing about this injury!
The Duke only scowled.
“I have often taken short walks about the grounds or the gardens,” she continued, speaking as loudly as she dared albeit with a slow throb beginning to spread through her head. “I expressed my desire to do so to my mother and she was more than contented for me to do so. I had my maid with me and took the carriage and, quite frankly, I have no interest in listening to your attempt to scold me. I think it would be best if you took your leave, Your Grace.”
Yet another expression altered the Duke’s face. His eyes widened and he blinked furiously, only to then look away and rub one hand over his chin, as though a little confused at her request. He harrumphed, shuffled his feet, looked at her and then bowed sharply before turning on his heel and taking his leave of her.
Rosalind let out a breath, looking, wide-eyed, at Lady Eleanor.
“How very rude of him!” Lady Eleanor exclaimed, even before the door had closed. “Ofcourseyou ought to be permitted to take a walk through the park with your maid! It is not your fault that this happened.”
Closing her eyes, Rosalind felt tiredness sweep over her. The conversation with the Duke as well as the throbbing in her head which grew all the steadier was making her utterly weary. “I think I should like to sleep for a time, Eleanor.”
“Of course.” Her friend squeezed her hand. “I will make sure the Duke knows that how he spoke was most inappropriate.”
Rosalind tried to nod, tried to say something but her eyes were already closing, her body softening into sleep. The last thing she remembered was the sound of the door closing as Lady Eleanor left the room.
Chapter Thirteen
Whatever were you thinking, berating her like that? She was in pain, suffering with a deep wound and you thought to make it worse by scolding her? What right have you to tell her what she should or should not do?
Lucian winced as Lady Eleanor’s sharp words spun around his mind, reminding him of just how foolish he had been in how he had spoken to Lady Rosalind. He glanced at his reflection in the looking glass and then turned from it, seeing the dark shadows in his expression and the heaviness about his eyes.
It had been a sennight since Lady Rosalind’s accident and she was well enough recovered to be back in society but Lucian had not spent a single moment with her since the day he had gone to her father’s townhouse. He had been so full of mixed emotions in the time thereafter that he had not known what to do with himself, struggling to find any joy or even smidgen of enjoyment in any activity whatsoever. The desire to be away from society had been all the greater and thus, he had spent the last few days in his own company, either in his townhouse or in Whites.
It had been a rather trying time for a heaviness of guilt had settled upon his shoulders with an even greater weight than usual and he had not fully understood why.
“I must go,” he told himself, standing at the top of the staircase and looking down to the hallway, down to where his carriage would be waiting. The ball was being hosted by Lord Radcliffe and Lucian had promised he would attend but, even now, he was struggling with the thought of being in company. Quite why that might be, he did not know but it was a difficulty for him all the same.
With a sigh, he gripped the banister and forced himself to walk down each and every step, a little surprised that his heart suddenly leapt with the thought of seeing Lady Rosalind again. While he had not gone to see her again, he had made sure to send notes and some small gifts to her in lieu of his presence. She had often been in his thoughts, however, and that had been troubling enough.
You are aware that your concern for her comes from your guilt, are you not?
Lucian scowled as he sat back in his carriage, Lord Radcliffe’s quiet words coming back to him as they had done every day for the last sennight.
