Page 14 of A Lady's Heart Deceived
“You will be back from your own travels before we all head off to Scotland, won’t you?” asked Caroline.
“Where did you say you were going?” asked Millie.
Maggie took a deep breath and steadied her nerves; her cousin’s wife had been busy getting settled in her chair earlier and had obviously missed that part of the conversation. “I am heading to Coventry tomorrow morning with Captain Denford of the Grenadier Guards. He is helping me with my search for more information on my late fiancé, Robert.”
Alex turned from fussing over his wife. “Did you say Captain Denford? Piers Denford. I think I know him from school. Nice chap. Quiet, but studious. More than I ever was.”
Millie chuckled. “You are also nice, but yes, there is never a dull moment with you, Lord Brooke.” She rubbed her hand on her belly. “This child is in for an interesting life with you as its papa. And a blessed one.”
Alex smiled lovingly at his wife. “And with you as its mother, it will have the best role model possible.”
Could these two be any sweeter?
He turned to Maggie. “And your trip sounds like it will also be a success if you have Piers Denford at the helm.”
“What can you tell me about him?” replied Maggie. Everyone seemed to know her captain. A warm sensation slipped down her spine at the thought. He wasn’t her captain, but still, it was nice to hear about him from other members of her family. It helped to settle her worries about travelling with a man she herself barely knew.
“What can you tell me about him?” asked Maggie.
Alex pursed his lips. “He was very good at cricket. An absolute crack of a batsman, especially strong on the off side, and straight down the pitch. I was usually lurking on the boundary, contemplating what might be on the menu for supper when my team was fielding. I wasn’t all that interested in what was happening out in the middle. But not when Denford was taking strike. He had me running all over the place, chasing the ball.”
It was nice to hear kind words about Captain Denford. Their connection had begun on a misstep, but Maggie was now privately hoping that the trip to Coventry would see them find a way to becoming more than just cordial acquaintances. Perhaps even friends. There was something intriguing about him—an inexplicable attraction which drew her in.
“Oh, and he is the only man I have ever met who can rival David for putting away a full roast in one sitting. Talk about a bottomless pit. If you are travelling with Denford, just make sure not to get in between him and a plate of food. You might lose a hand,” added Alex.
Everyone at the table laughed. Ewan and Caroline both shook their heads. David’s ability to down his own weight in food was legendary in the extended family. Whenever he was in residence at Strathmore Castle, the servants were sure to have a large boar roasting on the spit.
The door of the dining room opened, and all heads turned. Francis Saunders strode into the room, huffing and puffing. “Sorry I am late. Some sea captains just don’t seem able to grasp the simple concept that in order to eat, shipping agents need to actually make a profit.”
Maggie grinned at the tall white-haired Francis; her favorite cousin was the spitting image of a Viking. He was full of mischief but also someone she had always been able to rely upon. Many a night, the two of them had sat up, whisky glass in hand, warming themselves in front of the massive fireplace in the grand hall of Strathmore Castle, talking until the wee hours of the morning and solving the world’s problems.
Francis bowed to the duke and duchess, then to Alex and Millie. His mother, Adelaide, was one of Hugh and Ewan Radley’s sisters. They might be family, but Francis still observed the social graces of recognizing their noble status.
When his gaze landed on Maggie, he hurried over. “Maggie! Oh, my goodness. I haven’t seen you in ages. How are you, cuz?”
She rose from her chair and accepted yet another family embrace. With Francis being over six feet, six inches, Maggie’s head was buried in his chest.I swear he gets taller every time I see him.
“I am well, thank you,” she said, smiling up at him.
Francis glanced around the room, then scowled. “Are you here on your own? Where is the rest of the Fulham Palace crowd?”
There was a definite hint of expectation in his tone. Before Robert, Maggie had regularly stayed at Strathmore House, accompanying her siblings and cousins to the theater and parties. She could understand Francis’s reasons for asking; he likely missed those days too.
As do I.
“Maggie is travelling north in the morning with a Captain Denford. They are going to follow up on some information regarding Robert Taylor,” said Ewan.
“Ah, that makes sense. So, you are still set on having a statue of him commissioned?” asked Francis.
She reflected on her reply for a moment, choosing her words carefully. If Francis had asked that question of her only a matter of a month ago, her answer would have been a firm yes. Now, she wasn’t so sure. “The trip is to discover some more information about Robert, then a decision will be made.”
Francis, bless him, merely gave a nod, and moved on. His gaze roamed over the table and the various platters of food. “What is on the menu for supper? Please tell me there is some roast beef; I am utterly famished. A ship arrived at the docks this morning laden with flax. Most of it had gone bad in the sea voyage. My stomach has been queasy all day and I haven’t been able to face food. A spot of fresh air and now I am ready to do battle with a plate.”
“Tonight’s offerings are pork and salted herring. There was a little beef, but Alex and I polished that off this afternoon, washed down with a solid Shiraz,” replied Ewan.
The look of utter disappointment on Francis’s face was priceless. Maggie bit her bottom lip to stop from laughing. A snort escaped.
“You poor thing,” she said.
