Page 78 of The Odd Riddle of the Lost Duchess
He knew the feeling would probably pass by the morrow but Noah didn’t even know if his broken heart would carry him to see the next day.
“Cheers,” Noah said, and drank the whole glass in one gulp then stopped himself for laughing at the horrified gasps from the men around him. “So, what brings you by, Leverton?”
The other Duke had waved a man over and quickly a decanter of scotch was placed on the table. Leverton poured himself a drink, “Probably the same reason as you, but…” here he paused, “but I heard what Alford said, and I have read the report and…I have realized that enough is enough. We both miss her dearly and I’d give half my fortune to bring her back, but I cannot. Hostilities between us would not do that either.”
Noah sat back in his chair and watched the mélange of emotions cross Leverton’s face, while his long fingers traced the rim of the glass. He then lifted his eyes and the glass, “To Emmeline.”
Lifting his, though it was empty, Noah replied, “To Emmeline.”
It felt as though Noah was living out of his body, as for the first time, he and Leverton had a peaceful talk over drinks of Scotch whisky and when evening fell, Noah stood and stuck out his hand. The other Duke shook it without a qualm.
“Please meet me for breakfast, at my townhouse. We need to…talk–really talk.” Leverton said as they reached the foyer, “Good night, Newberry.”
“Same to you, Leverton,” Noah said steadily while retrieving his coat.
Leverton was a decent human being tonight,Noah wryly noted, as he traveled through the night back to his temporary abode,A little too late though.
* * *
Arriving at the Newberry Manor didn’t give Noah any sense of peace. A week in London, then three days of meeting with Leverton, hashing out the issues of the family hatred between them, had drawn him out. Not every issue was solved but they had started the process.
Noah had woken up that morning with a ghastly headache from overindulging last night on copious amount of Scotch whisky. He doused himself with cold water, then had the coachman stop at an apothecary for an evil-tasting ‘cure’ but Noah was not looking forward towards speaking to anyone–least of all his grandmother.
The carriage came to a stop, and after alighting, Noah entered the foyer and turned toward the staircase, with every intention of sleeping the lingering effect of his overindulgence away.,
“Noah,” his mother called from the base of the stairs when he was halfway to the top. “Would you please join me at the sitting room, please? I need to speak with you.”
Not even turning from his position on the stairs, Noah called tiredly over his shoulder. “I have a beastly headache, Mother, can this wait?”
“…Perhaps I can cure it for you.”
A musical voice that Noah hadn’t heard in months sang through the air–Emmeline’s!
That voice was Emmeline’s! Emmeline, who was dead! Noah nearly fell off the stairs but grabbed at the railing for support. Spinning in his place, his eyes lit upon the one human being his soul called out for day and night.
He had just come to terms with her death but now–now!–she was there, standing just behind his mother, in a gorgeous pale-yellow dress, with a brilliant smile on her face.
What is going on?
Chapter 30
Lazarus Resurrected
Noah’s head was reeling in circles. Standing right in front of him was Emmeline.
Emmeline!The love of his life, that he thought was dead.
Her body was a burned husk, for God’s sake. He had mourned her passing for months, had felt his soul die within him, and had grieved that his life was going to be a long stretch of bleakness as she was gone–but now she was alive!
How is this possible?
The Duke couldn’t dare trust his eyes but they were telling his mind that his long-lost love was standing right in front of him. Noah’s mind flew back the dark days of his life–days when he had felt his hope gone, and days when he had sworn that if he didn’t get revenge for Emmeline, he would never live in peace for the rest of his life. One especially-aggravating day was the one when his grandmother had fallen ill and his mother had tried to get him to move on from Emmeline.
He spun to his mother. “How is this possible?” then a thought so impossible came to him as he saw how close his mother and Emmeline were standing. “Mother…you did this?”
“I did,” The Duchess replied, with the same smile on her face, and then he remembered.
“But how?” Noah pressed.
