Page 95 of The Curious Life of the Unfortunate Duchess
“Thank you, Beatrice but I would rather finish on my own if you do not mind.”
“Of course, Miss Elizabeth.”
Beatrice rose from her stool and ambled toward the door, wiping her damp hands on her apron as she walked.
“The household is so grateful you have returned to us unharmed, Miss Elizabeth. Every night we prayed and hoped for your safe return. We will blow out the candle we lit in wait for you.”
“I am relieved to be home.”
Beatrice’s face brightened.
“Will this be your home now, Miss Elizabeth?”
The girl blushed, realizing her phrasing too late. She had not meant to imply that Brookside was going to be her permanent residence.
“I do not know what the future holds for me, Beatrice. I am merely living each moment as God delivers it to me.”
The maidservant nodded, her smile faltering slightly.
“Forgive me, Miss Elizabeth. You already have so much on your mind. I did not mean to cause you distress with my query.”
“You did not,” Elizabeth reassured her. “I simply do not have an answer for you.”
Beatrice excused herself and left Elizabeth alone in the tub as the water cooled. She knew that Leonard anxiously waited for her in the corridor and she wondered if she did not purposely extend her bath to avoid their inevitable conversation.
He will undoubtedly ask for my hand in marriage,she thought and the idea filled her with hope and sadness simultaneously. There had been nothing she wanted more than to return to Brookside, to see Leonard again in those awful moments when she had been held captive. Yet a part of her could not wait to leave Pembroke and return home to Gordon. The idea of her family leaving her alone in another duchy was unbearable in the wake of what she had experienced.
I will need to choose between my family and the man I love, the man who has held a vigil for my safe return.
Sighing, she rose from the lukewarm bath and wrapped herself in a sheet which Beatrice had laid out for her. Padding across the floor, she stopped at the vanity to examine her reflection in the mirror. She had undeniably matured in the past three days, a deep, melancholic wisdom touching her amber eyes which had not been there before.
I have survived a ruthless man. I can certainly decide whether I will stay in Pembroke or return to Gordon with my family,she thought, shaking her head at the ludicrousness of her dilemma. Only a day earlier, she had been unsure if she would live to see dawn.
She brushed her long dark mane, remembering too late that she had promised Frances the honor but suddenly, the idea of staying in the room was more than she could bear. She had been confined for too long. Elizabeth only wished to be with those who loved her.
She dressed, the long sleeves of her gown covering the hideous red marks upon her wrists. She reminded herself they would heal in time. When she felt she was presentable, she opened the door and looked to greet Leonard but to her surprise, no one stood in the hall. A familiar sense of panic touched her chest and she paused to catch her breath and still her raw nerves.
I must not draw silly conclusions,she thought rationally although her pulse was roaring in her ears.I took quite a long while in the bath. They have simply grown tired of waiting.
Slowly, she collected her composure and continued toward the center staircase, listening for sounds within the vast house. It was not until she reached the second floor that she heard Leonard’s voice and relief seeped into her bones. She increased her strides, hurrying in the direction of the salon but as she neared, she stopped.
“How dare you make such a suggestion?” David cried indignantly. “Have you taken leave of your senses?”
“Keep your voice low, David. You would not want Elizabeth to know what you have done.”
“What have I done?” David shot back. “You are mad if you believe such a thing!”
“What has he done?” Elizabeth echoed, showing herself in the salon. Both men stood, glaring defiantly at one another but they whirled to look at her.
“Liza!” David called, rushing toward her but Leonard stood in his way.
“Leonard!” Elizabeth gasped. “Move from his path at once!”
“I will not,” Leonard growled. “Not until he confesses what he has done!”
David cast Elizabeth a look of desperation.
“Liza, he thinks I had a hand in your kidnapping!” David cried. “Tell him he is mad!”
