Page 16 of Christmas with the Duke
They walked up the steps of the main keep and into the great hall. Seated at the long banquet table were Alex, Millie, Lucy, Avery, and Lady Alison. Every one of them had their heads bowed. Standing with his hands on his hips at the end of the table was Charles Saunders. Lady Adelaide Saunders was marching back and forth in front of the great stone hearth. A piece of folded paper fluttered in her hand as she moved.
A horrid sense of foreboding settled over Caroline’s heart.
“What’s going on?” asked Ewan.
His sister ceased her marching. “Thank heavens. We were about to send someone up to the Key to bring you back.”
Ewan and Caroline exchanged worried looks. Something terrible must have happened, but what?
Adelaide hurried over to Caroline and handed her the letter. “Charles and I met a courier on the road from Falkirk earlier this morning. He left London two days ago on the mail coach with strict instructions to deliver this to you with all due haste. We’ve been so worried about what the letter might say that we didn’t want to have the coach unloaded just in case we have to go back to town. If you hadn’t returned now, Alex was going to be charged with the task of opening the letter in your absence.”
Caroline glanced at the sealed note. It was from Francis Saunders, and it had been marked and paid as urgent. If Francis had gone to all the expense and trouble of sending a courier with the mail coach, the matter had to be serious.
Oh God, what could it be?
She rocked back on her heels as her mind filled with a hundred possible reasons for the urgent missive. Someone within the family had died. Strathmore House had burnt to the ground. The King was dead.
No.
If it had been any one of those things, Francis would have made the journey himself, not sent a letter.
There was only one way to find out. Taking hold of the wax seal, Caroline snapped it open. She unfurled the letter and quickly read its contents. Turning to her husband, she whispered, “Dismiss the servants.”
Ewan gave a nod in the direction of the castle steward. Master Crowdie clapped his hands together, then pointed toward the bailey. The various footmen and maids followed him outside. A loud clanging echo filled the great hall as the front door was closed.
“What has happened?” asked Ewan.
Caroline passed him the letter. He was silent for a moment, then swore under his breath. She screwed her eyes shut, but the tears still came.
“The letter is signed by both Francis and Gideon. Apparently, Anne and Augusta are not returning from Italy anytime soon. If ever. Anne is going to file for a formal separation from Clifford. The Kembal family are in a state of complete and utter shock, and . . .”
Ewan’s arm dropped and he fell silent.
The shock was slowly wearing off Caroline. She could understand why Ewan couldn’t finish reading the rest of the note. He and Clifford were good friends. They had shared many things over the years. Anne’s decision to abandon her husband and family would have come as a huge blow to him.
She reached for the note, but Ewan waved her away. The letter might well have been addressed to her, but as head of the family, it was his role to announce such earth-shattering news. He cleared his throat. “Apparently, Clifford has gone all to pieces. Gideon is now effectively in control of the family.”
There was a moment of eerie silence, then everyone gathered around the table began to speak at once. Gasps. Curses. And various comments, all with the theme of “What are we going to do?” circulated among the family members.
Caroline took the letter from Ewan, and they both made their way over to the table. Lucy was in tears, being comforted by her husband, Avery. Alex sat, shaking his head; the disbelief on his face mirrored the expressions worn by his grandmother and wife.
No one had seen this coming.
“Someone has to go back to London. Gideon cannot be left to handle this disaster on his own,” said Caroline.
She turned to Ewan, in readiness to announce that she would see to arranging their departure. As head matron of the family, it was her duty to deal with such important issues.
The main door of the great hall swung open. Hugh, Mary, and Clare Radley stepped across the threshold. Each of them was carrying a small pile of wrapped parcels in their arms. It wouldn’t take a genius to discern that they had been to Dunn’s store in the nearby village. Behind them trailed the other two guests, Charles Ashton and Alex’s old school chum, Grant.
Clare was chewing on what Caroline would have guessed was a large chunk of Scottish tablet. Dunn’s store was renowned for its fudge. Mary appeared to be doing the same. Meanwhile, a huge grin crept across Hugh’s lips as his eyes locked on the returned duke and duchess.
“Ah, the newlyweds have returned. How was the Key?” The smile on his face wavered as his gaze shifted from Caroline to the rest of the family members. “What’s wrong?”
Ewan nodded toward the stragglers. “Charles and Grant, could I ask you to give the family a private moment? Something has happened that requires our attention. Master Crowdie can show you to the library, which is near the chapel. There are some excellent books and a full bottle of whisky which you may avail yourselves of with my blessing.”
Charles and Grant headed back out the door through which they had just come, closing it gently behind them.
“Well?” asked Hugh as soon as the door was closed.
