A knock rattled the door. Mercy took a deep breath, and then another. She must have missed the first knock by her servant, unlike Randall. She glanced at him, but he had turned his back to her and wouldn’t meet her gaze.
“Come in,” she called nervously, but she wished that servant to the very devil for disturbing what could have been the best kiss of her life.
Chapter Seven
Leopold was in hell and unlikely to ever return. He hadn’t meant to kiss the duchess, or hurt her feelings by avoiding her first attempt. But the desire simmering behind her gaze proved impossible to ignore. He was only human, fallible, and fast losing his mind. She was the Duchess of Romsey, his superior, and a relation by marriage to boot, even if the connection was far enough removed not to be improper. He should not be having such lustful thoughts about her, especially when the child was in the room.
But in all fairness, she’d started it.
Only he was aware of how unwise it truly was.
Waiting for the tea tray to be settled helped to douse his lust because the duchess stopped gazing at him with such wanting eyes. Did she know that men would fight to the death for such warm appraisal, for the touch of her hand upon their sleeves? Given her heightened color, she was affected by that kiss so at least he wasn’t alone with his impossible thoughts. But he had to ensure such a lapse never occurred again. He could not become any further involved in her life. He was merely passing through on his way to make his own future. He could not act on his desires again without the risk of discovery.
When the duchess passed over his teacup, he was very careful not to touch her fingers. Another brush of her skin, coming so close on the heels of their kiss, would be unwise. He didn’t trust himself in her presence, and he wasn’t certain whether to trust her either. The fact that she had initiated a kiss of her own made him wonder just how she’d been spending the year since his cousin’s death. The gossip could be wrong. Had she taken lovers already?
The thought made him sick to his stomach.
After a few hasty sips, he put the cup down. Better to get his inquiries over and done with and be on his way before he did something stupid. There was no cause for him to linger.
He cleared his throat. “The reason I returned to Romsey was to make enquiries about the location of my three younger siblings; Oliver, Rosemary, and Tobias. They have been lost to me for many years. I’d like to know what’s become of them.”
The duchess’ cup rattled to the table between them. “You mean you don’t know where they are? But you sound for all the world like a man who’s seen them every day of his life.”
The last decade had been unbearably empty without his family. He’d noticed their absence more with each passing day. He touched his head, and then his heart. “All I have of them reside here.”
“Oh. That is so sad” The duchess dabbed at her eyes as they turned glassy bright with unshed tears. “But why come here looking for them? We have no guests staying at the abbey.”
Here was the gamble. Was she as innocent as she seemed? There was no way to be completely sure, unless you were like Oliver and could make a rapid calculation. He had to take the chance and trust her with the truth. “The old duke, your father-in-law, knew what became of them.”
“Really,” she squeaked. “How extraordinary. But I promise you I knew nothing of their existence, or yours, before yesterday. What did he say of them?”
Acid curled in Leopold’s stomach as he recalled the old duke’s words. He had turned the phrases over and over in his mind, searching for clues to their location. He had found none. “That they would be well cared for if I did as he requested, no matter how distasteful the task he demanded, or the risks I faced in my business dealings away from England. All he cared about was his own needs, and that of the duchy. I had to protect my family in any way I could. I did as he asked, even avoided England when he demanded I stay away. Now he’s dead, I want to find my family. I will not rest until I discover their fate.”
The duchess’ skin blazed a fiery red. “Of course you want them back. How can I help?”
He had not expected that kind of response. From the start, he’d assumed the duchess would be a cold woman. How indignant she seemed right now on his behalf.
Leopold sat forward, praying her expression remained that way after he made his next request. “Perhaps you might allow me to see some of the duke’s papers. He may have left clues as to their whereabouts in a journal perhaps.”
A frown line appeared on her brow. She bit her lip as she considered his request. Asking for this, to invade the sanctity of the ducal domain, was a risk. But if the duchess had no knowledge of his family then his only hope was to find a reference written down somewhere in the old duke’s papers. And perhaps in her husband’s papers, too. He doubted the details about Oliver, Rosemary, and Tobias would be in an obvious place.
The duchess sat in silence for a long time and Leopold feared she would refuse. But then her gaze refocused on him. “The old duke was not an avid diarist, so it may be difficult to find any information you seek quickly. Perhaps a room by room search would be best. If we start in his former bedchamber, which has stood untouched since his death, we might have some luck.”
Leopold sat back, stunned. “We, Your Grace?”
The duchess stood. “Of course, I am going to do everything I can to help you find my son’s cousins. It is positively scandalous that the duke has removed them. Come this way.”
She had bustled to the door before Leopold realized she meant to start the search now. He glanced at the sleeping child, so small and innocent and defenseless. A wave of protectiveness swamped him. At least the boy was free of the old duke’s evil. He would grow up safe and secure and happy. The duchess’ obvious love proved that.
Her Grace directed a maid to stay with her son and then gestured for Leopold to follow her out of the room. “The apartment is largely unchanged. Aside from closing it up when the duke died, I’ve not been there since. Perhaps he kept the information closest to him. He spent the last year of his life giving orders and writing his correspondence from his bed.”
“If you think that the best place to start then I am grateful.”
As they headed for the main staircase, the butler rounded the corner and approached. “Excuse me, Your Grace,” Wilcox said. “You have a gentleman caller.” Given that Wilcox’s lips twisted over the word gentleman, Leopold’s curiosity increased. Wilcox pushed a silver salver toward the duchess. It held a single calling card. Discreetly, Leopold inched closer and scanned it over her shoulder. Lord Shaw. Leopold revolted at the notion of that man calling on the duchess, too, but he held his tongue while the du
chess decided what to do about the interruption.
She pushed the salver back at Wilcox and said softly, “Would you please thank Lord Shaw for his visit, but inform him that I am otherwise engaged today?”