Page 57 of The Wise Daughter
“I could never forget. That’s why your newfound secrecy upsets me. Since when have you kept secrets from me?”
Ruthers spoke as if he hadn’t heard this last question, musing to himself. “You know, I was wondering what that meeting Miss Lacy called was all about. She must have seen something. Am I right?”
Aaron smacked Ruthers’s arm with the pistol, a reminder it was still pointed at him. “Someone just tried to kill my betrothed tonight, and here you are, scavenging through her things. Don’t think I didn’t notice that bulging pocket of yours. I believed you dropped this.” He held up the pearls as Ruthers flinched. “I despise even the possibility that you could have a hand in this, but you must tell me everything. You don’t have many options right now.”
Ruthers eyed the pistol again. “This is a lot of worry and suspicion for nothing, Derricott.”
“Then you won’t mind clearing the matter for me. If you’re truly my friend, you’ll tell me everything. You’ve never lied to me before. It would be dreadfully unwise to start now.”
Ruthers looked as if he were about to deny it, then slumped his shoulders. “Fine, Derricott, but you won’t like it.”
Chapter 21
The late duke’s letters spread across Nora’s thick blankets like fallen leaves. They gave her something to focus on beyond the emotions swirling in her chest, but her attention was slippery.
Someone had tried to kill her, a fact terrifying enough on its own, but what had shaken her most was seeing how much the fire had scared Aaron. He should have known her better by now than to think she could agree, in such a state, to marry him right away. His fear combined with hers had numbed her to any feeling she could trust. He wanted to keep her where he could watch her and hide her away until everything was safe.
What if circumstances were never safe? She had just told Aaron she wouldn’t marry him unless they caught the thieves, but what if they never caught them? Had she just sealed her fate with an impossible promise?
But she had meant what she said. She couldn’t marry him knowing he had given her everything while she had given him nothing. She hadn’t known how to explain it to him, with that intensity radiating off him, but it was because she wanted to marry him with a clear conscience that she insisted on helping him solve this.
The temptation to hide behind her locked door while others handled problems was undeniable, but one thought gave her courage. The thieves wanted her gone. They saw her as a threat.
She was getting closer.
The rising sun pushed back the darkness with its pale yellow light, the sky fading from deep violet to silvery-blue. The extra light eased the burning strain on her eyes as she read and reread letters until a soft but urgent knock sounded on her door.
“Miss Lacy? Are you in there?”
Nora recognized Janie’s voice. She quickly gathered up the letters and shoved them under her pillow before unlocking the door.
Janie’s eyes darted to both sides of the corridor before stepping in. “Oh, Miss Lacy! I’m so glad you’re all right. The duke talked to me himself this morning. Can you believe it? Theduketalked tome! I suppose that doesn’t sound very impressive to you since you talk with him all the time, but he pulled me aside as if I were one of his trusted men and told me where I might find you.” She held a small tray of food and a rose pink gown draped over her arm, another lovely selection from the old duchess’s wardrobe. “Will this do for you today?”
Nora was touched to see Janie’s concern for her, which made her request even more difficult. “Thank you, Janie, but no. I don’t mean to be a bother, but today I must have my old gown, the pale lavender one I wore when I first arrived. Can you find it for me?”
Janie answered slowly as she laid the tray down. “I’m afraid it has several stains from the mud.”
“I understand, but I would like it anyway.”
“It might take some time to find it, but I’ll try.” Janie’s brows pressed together over her ever expressive, wide eyes.
“Thank you, Janie.”
Even if Nora’s old gown wasn’t as fine as the duchess’s, even if it was splotchy from the mud and faded from the extra laundering itmust have endured, Nora wanted something familiar today. She was tired of wearing clothes that belonged to someone else.
And roaming a castle that wasn’t hers.
And wasting time worrying about her father who suspiciously stayed out of her way.
She was tired of murderous thieves and of guessing at all the things Aaron wasn’t telling her.
After nearly half an hour, Janie finally returned with the lavender gown. “You’re fortunate, Miss Lacy.” Though Janie didn’t look very happy to have found it. “I thought the gown might have been lost in the fire, but it was still in the washhouse.”
After helping Nora into the gown, Janie took extra time arranging her hair as if to make up for the mud stains. The end result was a very flattering pattern of twists and curls. When she finished, Nora released a restless sigh. She didn’t think she could sit still a minute longer.
She seized Janie’s hand. “Janie, run to your room and fetch your bonnet. I’d like you to accompany me into the village today.”
“Me?” Janie’s eyes lit up. “Like a real lady’s maid?”
