Page 7 of The Duke's Carriage Window
Meredith gaped at him. Tiverton met her look of shock with a gentle firmness as he straightened up.
“Fear not. You have a home here, Miss Montague. It is only the details that remain to be seen.”
She let out a tight breath, her chest relaxing.
“I loved my uncle and will honor his wish to care for you and see you settled in marriage to a good man.”
“Thank you, Your Grace.”
He ushered her inside where an older gentleman, presumably the butler, met them at the door. Tiverton handed the man his cane.
“Your Grace?” the man inquired. “Back so soon?”
“Ahh, Chelsea, I’ve had a bit of a delay. This is Miss Meredith Montague…my new ward. She was the ward to my uncle, who I’ve just learned has died. I need to discuss certain things with Miss Montague, but cannot miss Lady Kentwell’s play, so I’ve decided to have Miss Montague accompany me. We haven’t much time. Please fetch an upstairs maid and have her help Miss Montague with her evening gown.”
“Er…yes, Your Grace.” Mr. Chelsea called out to a passing maid. “Nell, take Miss Montague upstairs to the Seaside Room. She’ll need some assistance changing. Please make haste, as she is to accompany His Grace to the play this evening.”
She glanced around the beautiful house as the maid ushered her hastily up a grand staircase.
“In here, miss.” The maid opened a door and gestured Meredith into a bedchamber room.
Meredith had but a moment to take in the lovely walls painted a rich blue like the ocean with frothing seascapes painted on the walls. It made her think of home, of the little cottage near the beach where she and her mother had lived for so many years.
Then she dropped her valise on the bed, digging hastily through its contents with the maid helping her until she found her favorite dark green evening gown. It was plain, though not unattractive, with embroidered tulips on the hem and sleeves. Nell began undoing the buttons of her evening gown while Meredith unfastened the front laces of her day gown. Soon, Meredith was wearing her evening gown and her travel boots had been replaced with slippers. The maid assisted her with her evening gloves, but when they looked at her hair in the mirror, she winced.
“Not much I can do if you’re in a hurry, miss.”
“I know, but it will be all right for tonight. Thank you ever so much, Nell.”
The maid dipped into a light curtsy. “Yes, miss.”
Meredith followed the maid back downstairs, her reticule in her hands. Tiverton watched her approach, and she swore his eyes darkened into a midnight blue with interest.
“Right…well, let’s be off. My friend, Kit Hollingsworth, the Earl of Kentwell, is waiting on us.” He offered her his arm, and Meredith gratefully accepted it. She felt a bit light-headed after having barely slept in days.
As she curled her fingers around his forearm, she felt the hard muscles beneath his coat sleeve. A flush of heat crept into her neck and face. She had never been this close to a gentleman that she didn’t know.
You mustn’t think of that. He isn’t the man you will marry. He is more like a cousin…a brother. He is family.
But he wasn’t. Not really. And a very persuasive part of her mind kept pointing out that annoying fact every time she caught a hint of the light cologne he wore.
A string of coaches waited across the street and Meredith’s eyes widened as Tiverton led her toward a group of dashing gentlemen clustered around the first coach.
“Kit, my apologies for the delay.” Tiverton addressed the man who was by far the largest and the most intimidating of the group, even though he was well dressed. So this was his friend, the Earl of Kentwell? The man looked as though he had been raised carrying boulders up the side of the mountain, not born to a life of leisure.
“It is no trouble, Darius.” The man’s eyes then slid to Meredith, who still clutched Tiverton’s sleeve.
Her mouth ran dry. Would Darius be judged by these men for having to take her along? There were no other ladies present. She knew all too well that she was a burden in most cases. Uncle Ben tried to pretend it wasn’t true, but she was used to people crossing the street to avoid her, or women gossiping behind their fans at the local dances in Burton Agnes. She was a bastard child, a woman with no determined future, and now she was hanging onto a duke’s arm like her life depended upon it.
“This is Miss Montague…my uncle’s ward,” said Tiverton. “She is now my ward, it seems. She’s just arrived from Burton Agnes in Yorkshire.”
“Your ward, you say?” Kit replied, amusement flashing in his dark brown eyes as he bowed to her. “It is a pleasure to meet you, Miss Montague.”
“It is a pleasure to meet you, Lord Kentwell.”
One of the of the others in the group spoke up. “Do we all get introductions?” he asked with a charming grin as he stepped forward.
“Yes, but not right now,” Tiverton gave a warning look at the other gentleman, who was smiling at Meredith. “We shall be late if we don’t leave it once.”
