Page 37 of The Wise Daughter
“Exactly.”
“But now I know. You have shared your secret with me.”
“Yes, Nora.” His whisper caressed her face as softly as a kiss.
“Then this is another secret we share.”
They stood in silence for several seconds as the secret settled between them. Nora already knew he trusted her, but this was different. This was his home, his safety, his freedom willingly shared. She had sometimes wondered whether he truly intended to marry her, but this moment cast all doubts aside. He was committed to her.
He released her hand and opened the door, breaking the threads. There was nothing ahead except darkness and perhaps rats. Cold air beckoned her in.
“Reach out,” he instructed her, his voice soft.
She didn’t need any more urging. She quickly took his hand.
He returned the pressure of her hold and added, “I mean reach out and touch the wall.”
“Oh.” Her face burned in the darkness. She could hear the smile in his voice, but when she tried to ease out of his hand, he tightened his grip.
“This is still a good idea.” He brought her hand to his lips and placed a kiss there before holding it comfortably at his side. “Light doesn’t reach the tunnel at all. We won’t be in complete darkness for more than a minute or two, but I find the walk less disconcerting if I keep my hand on the wall.”
Nora swallowed. “Does that mean the Duke of Ravenglass is sometimes frightened?” Her voice echoed slightly down the tunnel as she stepped in.
“Not when I’m with you.”
He shut the door behind them, its click sending another echo down the tunnel. A sweet, earthy scent filled each clammy breath. Just as he had instructed, she reached out with her free hand and let her fingers gently brush the stone walls while her other hand held fast to his. The stone was damp and rougher than the variety within the castle, making her wonder just how old the tunnel was. Their footsteps thudded softly as a far-off drip-drip marked the passing seconds.
When they reached the end of the tunnel, the duke struggled with the final door, which finally opened with a dry grating of wood on stone. So much sunlight flooded the tunnel that Nora had to squint.
“Nora, I want you to make note of the latches here and here, should you ever need to open this door by yourself.” He showed her a rusted latch at the top of the door as well as the middle. “They’re old, but as you can see, they still work.”
Nora had already noted the latches, but she couldn’t imagine ever choosing to come here by herself.
“Shall we?” He gestured to the light beyond. “If you don’t mind, I’ll lead the way this time.”
Before them rose a dozen narrow, crude stone steps with moss and grass making them almost indistinguishable from the ground. The duke tested each step, plucking at the tall grass and pushing aside smaller rocks and vines to make the way clearer for her. At the top of the small slope, she found herself in an overgrown garden less than half the size of the music room they had come from. The air smelled of so much sweet herbs and earth, she could almost taste it.
“Welcome to the castle’s hidden garden.” He gestured around, then frowned. “It was once green and blossoming, but like the other rooms, it’s been neglected.” He plucked one of the few rogue flowerswilting between clusters of leaves. “I used to come here sometimes with my mother. My father had these walls built around the tunnel to conceal its exit. It was once used as a sort of escape in centuries past, but it became my mother’s escape, her own personal refuge.”
“What was she escaping from?”
He shrugged. “The pressures of daily life. I really don’t know. My mother is one of many mysteries I am trying to solve.”
The duke grew pensive. Nora memorized the way he favored shifting his weight every few minutes as he stood, the way his wavy, auburn hair fell across his forehead before he brushed it back with his fingers.
“There used to be a bench.” He pointed to the far end of the garden, which wasn’t very far away at all. “Wait, it’s still here.”
As he went to work scattering dead leaves and lifting layers of vines, she saw the cold lines of metal. A few minutes of more work and the duke had cleared off a small wrought-iron bench.
“Sit with me,” he beckoned.
He waited for her to settle first, then slid into the space next to her. The two of them barely fit. As she adjusted her skirts, he reached his arm over and around her shoulders and rested it on the back of the bench. After being so close in the passageway, being close in the garden felt natural, and she was free to examine the complexities of his warm, spiced citrus scent and how it blended with the green scents of the garden.
“Behind that veil of ivy,” he pointed to the space behind the bench, “is another door that leads out beyond the castle grounds. The trail is gone, but it’s still an escape.” He looked away from the door. “I’ve often wondered whether my mother used this route when she made her final departure.”
Nora thought of everything Janie had confided to her about the former duchess. “I was told no one knows what became of her.”
His whole person drooped. “It’s true.” He inhaled and exhaled a shaky breath. “I don’t understand it. She loved us. I know she did. I’m told there were many who did not approve of her, the daughter of a mere merchant. I missed her so much when I was away at school. One day, I received a letter from her assuring me she would love me forever. Her letter worried me. It sounded like a goodbye. She sent a few more letters after that, but eventually, the letters stopped coming. There never was an actual goodbye.” The duke leaned forward and dropped his face into his hands.
