Page 63 of The Scarlet Lady's Duke of Desire
Over his shoulder he called back, “You shall have to wait and see!” but the truth was it was him who would have to see because he had absolutely no idea what he was doing.
The only thing he did know, finally, was exactly how he truly felt.
Chapter 32
“You should pack only what you might need in the first few days,” Melody’s mother instructed her as they prepared to depart their London townhouse. “The rest of our things shall be sent to Yorkshire once we are settled.”
“Yes, mama.”
Melody went about her business, packing away her things with the help of her maid, watched over by her mother who had been keeping a terribly close eye on her of late. Perhaps it was because their running away to their country house was all her fault and her parents did not wish for there to be anything else for thetonto scandalise or maybe it was simply because her mother was worried about her. Either way, it was beginning to get a little old.
“Are you certain we should leave now?” Melody asked even as she gave the last of her ribbons over to her maid to pack away in her trunk.
“Of course,” her mother insisted. “The Season is almost over and there is no point in remaining for the news to break of our…your situation.”
Melody cringed at that. Though her mother continued to insist they were not running away, she couldn’t help but feel as though that was exactly what they were doing, advancing the move to their country estate by over two weeks.
As though she sensed her feelings, Melody’s mother crossed the room and cupped her cheek. “Thetonmay talk about our quick departure for a little while but in a week or so they shall find someone else to talk about.”
Melody nodded; certain her mother was right.
She was about to point out that they would likely be the centre of some talk or other, no matter what they did when, they were both startled by the sound of raucous knocking.
“Who could be calling at this time of evening?” her mother asked, looking to the clock across the room. “It is well past supper.”
Melody opened her mouth to suggest that perhaps Petunia had popped over to wish them well on their journey. But before she could her mother instructed the maid, “Please, go down and find out who is calling at once.”
“Of course, ma’am.”
Melody watched the maid go before looking to her mother. As if sensing her intention, her mother nodded and Melody quickly hurried to the bedroom window as she had when she was a girl, whenever she heard her father’s carriage approaching the house late at night.
She had just barely pulled back the drapes to look down to the front yard below when she heard the door clicking closed below.
Too late!She thought, cursing herself for having not been quicker. For an older man, Jenkins could certainly move when it came to answering the door.
Melody turned back to her mother and silently shook her head.
“Where has that girl gotten to?” her mother demanded and though Melody felt sorry for the maid, she was just as impatient as her mother.
Unable to deny the fact, she said, “I shall go down and see what has come of her.”
She had gone no further than the door when the maid’s knuckles tapped on the door as she slipped back into the room. Dropping a quick curtsey before them, she announced, “It was the Duke of Haston, Mrs Thornton.”
Melody darted her gaze to her mother only to find that her mother had done the same to her. The shock she felt was mirrored in her mother’s gaze.
Her mother turned back to the maid. “Has he come to call upon Melody?”
The maid shook her head, her cheeks flushing as though she was a little embarrassed to speak. “No, ma’am. I overheard his asking to see the master of the house, Ma’am.”
Again, her mother turned to look at her, a hopeful glint in her eye. But even as Melody’s heart raced, she couldn’t bring herself to be hopeful. There were a hundred reasons why the duke might come to visit her father. He was after all, a businessman with his hand in so many trades it was hard to keep track.
He couldn’t possibly be here for me.
***
By the time Jenkins came to knock upon the door, Melody felt as though hours had passed. She had tried her hardest to refocus her attention on packing but with the duke so close, yet so far away, she found it hard to concentrate on anything save for the clock.
And when Jenkins escorted her—along with her mother—down the stairs, Melody felt as though her heart was racing so badly that it was making her feel lightheaded. She even feared she might trip and fall down the staircase.
