“Without sending any word?” Anna sounded shocked.
Lydia didn’t like that she was tarnishing the Duke’s reputation, but she was certain that it was not all that bright to begin with. Besides, she had to find out where he was, at all costs. She could apologize later and explain if need be.
“Yes,” Lydia nodded, trying on her most shocked facial expression. “No word whatsoever.”
“Well, that is rather rude,” Daniel pointed out. “Like I said, I did not see him at White’s. Perhaps he was somewhere else?”
Lydia shrugged. “I suppose it doesn’t matter. Penelope merely mentioned that her father was rather disappointed, and she wondered what could have been more important than a promise a gentleman had made prior.”
“The word of some gentlemen is as empty as their minds,” Daniel suddenly said, turning his attention to Selina and seizing the chance to take her by the hand and plant a soft kiss on it. Selina blushed immediately, her freckled cheeks taking on a poppy red hue with her eyes shining brighter than the stars at night.
Lydia wondered if that was how one looked when one was in love. She had never felt that.Love.It was a silly emotion, much like many other emotions. It provided happiness. However, it also could cause pain and misery. She would rather forego the last two and merely keep the happiness. That was why she was mostly focused on her mysteries. They brought her pleasure and joy which was exactly what she needed. Nothing else.
“I think Penelope’s father should cease handing out dinner invitations to gentlemen who do not appreciate what is being offered,” Daniel concluded, and a moment later, another one of his stories commenced. The story of the rude Duke was easily forgotten by all but Lydia.
* * *
It was late in the afternoon when Lydia was waiting for Susannah to get dressed, so the two ladies could visit the Duke. It was all in vain, everything she had done, all the people she had asked, for she did not know the Duke’s whereabouts Saturday night.
In the last several hours, Lydia had been scouring all of London in search of any information she could get her hands on. She went to the theatre and asked if the Duke had attended a play last Saturday. The nice lady working there assured her that she would know if he had because she was working that night. He had not.
Then, Lydia made a meticulous plan to go to every gentlemen’s club and inquire about the Duke. Surprisingly, no one asked her why she needed this information. They merely shook their heads at her. She wondered if there was some sort of gentlemen’s code which she was not privy to, but then, she did not say why she needed to know. She was merely asking. All she could hope for was that they would give her an honest answer.
Susannah had taken on the second part of the task. She entered every inn, every tavern they could think of, while Lydia was waiting outside. However, every time Susannah came out, Lydia knew the answer even before her friend spoke it. No one had seen the Duke of Combston. His whereabouts last Saturday were an equal mystery as they had been this morning when she set out to find out.
Lydia had even made a point of visiting one of her old friends, Lady Dougherty, who had been unofficially considered the biggest gossip of theton. If one wished to find out something, Lady Dougherty was the person to go to. Although they did spend a pleasant hour chatting about unimportant things, Lydia was disappointed to realize that even Lady Dougherty did not know where the Duke of Combston was last Saturday.
“I am ready,” Susannah appeared, dressed in one of Lydia’s old dresses which had been gifted to her.
With her hair done up somewhat and in a nice dress, she could absolutely pass for a young lady. Not that Lydia ever doubted she would. Clothes did not make a person. One’s character did. And Susannah’s character was something Lydia had always admired which was partly why she loved spending time with Susannah outside the confines of their servant master relationship. Lydia had always considered her so much more than just her lady’s maid. Susannah was her friend.
“I wish I could say the same thing,” Lydia sighed.
“You still don’t know where he was?” Susannah wondered although the answer was plainly obvious.
She had visited so many places that she lost count of them. She had asked so many faces that they all somehow blurred into one, and all they could do was shake their head, telling her that they had not seen the Duke of Combston. That was the last thing she wanted to hear.
“No,” Lydia shook her head. “And I am out of ideas.”
She started off with such confidence this morning, but as hours seemed to pass by, Lydia realized that she was getting dangerously close to admitting that the Duke was right. Perhaps she could not find out what he asked of her in such a short period of time. She hated to admit that to herself but even more to him.
“What if it was a trick question?” Susannah suddenly asked.
“A trick question?” Lydia repeated. Her mind started to churn faster and faster.
“Yes,” Susannah nodded. “I doubt he gave you a question you can’t answer. He doesn’t seem to be that sort of a gentleman to set the rules of a game and then set them so only he could win.”
“That’s true,” Lydia had to admit. He certainly did seem to be the type who enjoyed winning, but only if it was a true victory, not a false one where the odds were simply stacked in his favor. He enjoyed the thrill of the rush, just like she did. The anticipation. The game itself where one did not know what the end would be. She knew that feeling well. She had become addicted to it over the years. She recognized that same glimmer in his eyes. That was why she could not believe that he would give her a mystery that had no solution.
“You just haven’t posed that question to the right person,” Susannah said.
Immediately, upon hearing those words, Lydia had an idea. She knew exactly what she needed to do. She jumped in front of Susannah and embraced her tightly. Susannah had already gotten used to such sudden and unexpected outbursts of love on part of her friend, so she simply smiled.
“You have an idea, don’t you, My Lady?”
“I most certainly do, dear Susannah,” Lydia confirmed, once she released her friend from her grip. She was impatient now, and the visit could not come soon enough. “And I shall need your help with it.”
CHAPTER7