Page 55 of The Curious Life of the Unfortunate Duchess
“You must return home at once!” she pleaded. “Something terrible has occurred!”
“What?” he choked. “What has happened?”
“You will never forgive me,” Catherine sobbed. “Never, never, never…”
“Catherine, speak sense! What has happened?”
Yet Catherine provided him nothing more than that, her face twisted as tears pooled her eyes and she turned to gesture behind her. Frances stood at her back and the Duke gasped.
“Has something happened to Frances? To Elizabeth?”
“You must hurry, Leo! You are already too late!”
He woke with a rough start and his company jolted in surprise, both in the throes of half-sleep themselves. The light of dawn had filtered through the windows of the coach and Leonard realized he was covered in a film of light sweat over his forehead.
“Duke?” Percival asked questioningly. “Are you well?”
Slowly, Leonard looked about, attempting to grasp his bearings.
It was only a dream,he assured himself.There is no need for panic.
Yet no matter how rational he attempted to be, he could not shake the vividness of the vision. His skin still prickled at the memory of his sister’s expression, Elizabeth’s voice echoing in his mind.
“Are you ill?” David demanded, exasperation coloring his words. “What is the matter?”
“How far have we traveled in my sleep?” he heard himself ask.
“We are but an hour from Pembroke,” the Viscount offered. “You appear as if you have seen a ghost, Duke. Should we order the driver to stop?”
“Certainly not,” Leonard replied shortly. “If anything, he must travel faster. Something is amiss in Brookside.”
Father and son eyed him with curiosity although the dubiousness in David’s eyes was apparent.
“How can you know such a thing?” the boy scoffed but Leonard did not care how strange it sounded to them—he was certain his premonition was correct. With each hoofbeat, his dread mounted and he wondered what horrors might await him.
“Duke? Explain yourself,” Percival exclaimed. “You cannot simply make such an announcement without justification.”
Leonard suddenly wished he had not spoken so boldly, not without proof. If he was correct, he could do little about any matter until they arrived at Brookside and there was hardly a need to cause a panic among his companions—nor did he wish for their scorn.
“I fear I had a dream,” Leonard offered, forcing a sheepish expression upon his face. “Forgive me, Lord Gordon. My mind is unclear. Do return to sleep. It has been a busy day for us all.”
Percival eyed him speculatively but to Leonard’s relief, he did not press the matter.
“A dream,” David scoffed, settling back against the seats. “Next you will be reading tea leaves.”
“David!” Percival snapped, his face flushing with embarrassment. “Mind your tongue!”
“It is quite all right,” Leonard interrupted, not willing to put up with another round of father/son bickering, especially not when his nerves were on the verge of breaking. The Duke was growing accustomed to David’s sullenness and borderline disrespectful manner. He did not much care for it but knowing David would be returning home soon did ease his annoyance toward the Viscount’s boy.
“What did you dream?” Percival asked and again, Leonard was struck by regret for having brought forth the subject.
“It was nothing,” he assured the Viscount, smiling warmly. “I have all but forgotten it now.”
Percival opened his mouth to respond but reconsidered and returned the Duke’s grin.
“Ithasbeen a trying day,” he agreed instead. “It is a small wonder that you are finding sleep fitful.”
“I will welcome my own bedchambers,” Leonard conceded but he knew that more than that, he would feel much more at peace when he set eyes on his sister and Elizabeth. He did not wish to alert the Viscount which was why he made no mention of the dream but silently, Leonard urged the horses home with greater speed. He could not shake the foreboding which consumed him.
