Total pages in book: 102
Estimated words: 95222 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 476(@200wpm)___ 381(@250wpm)___ 317(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 95222 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 476(@200wpm)___ 381(@250wpm)___ 317(@300wpm)
‘What? Why?’ That is quite possibly the most ridiculous question I have ever asked. Of course he is coming to stop me from seeing through my plan. But how does he know? I haven’t told a soul. No one! It matters not. It would take a rhinoceros to stop me. Unfortunately for me, my brother-in-law is a rhinoceros.
Mama bursts into the room too. ‘His Grace is coming, Frank!’ She snatches up my bag and grabs the sleeve of my jacket. ‘Come, you can escape to Paris through the back door.’
‘How do you know I am going to Paris?’
‘I saw the ticket.’
‘Mama!’
‘Oh, do be quiet. It’s wonderful!’
‘And you told no one, am I right? So the Duke is coming to merely visit with us? Or to congratulate me for today’s report in The London Times?’
‘Ah, well, you see …’
‘Oh, Mama.’
‘Lady Wisteria promised not to share!’
‘Well, she obviously broke that promise.’
Lady Wisteria bursts into the room, too, out of breath and quite red in the face. ‘I did not breathe a word.’
‘I neither,’ Eliza yells, following in behind her, the skirt of her dress pulled high to avoid tripping over it.
‘Or me!’ Clara sings.
‘My God,’ I breathe, dropping to my chair. ‘So if none of you broke your vow, how the flaming heck does the Duke know?’
Eliza raises her hand, and I look at her. ‘He may have come by some words I have penned, a story, for you have inspired me, about a man who journeys the world to win back the love of his life.’ Her lips straighten, and my shoulders drop. I am, confusingly, caught between despair for me and joy for Eliza.
‘You all make me want to throw up,’ Clara sighs as the front door bangs and everyone stills, throwing each other wary looks as the sound of boots pounds the wooden floor to the dining room.
‘Oh my,’ Clara whispers, sitting herself down at the table and collecting a muffin, settling in for what I expect will be quite the show.
The Duke enters, heaving like an angry gorilla. Eliza pouts and folds her arms over her chest, as does Mama, as does Wisteria, three quite steely stares pointing the Duke’s way.
‘You may all leave,’ he grunts.
He gets shaking heads in return, from all of the women.
‘Eliza, you should be in bed,’ he snaps, and I cringe. He is a brave man, it must be said.
‘Would you like to change your tone, or am I to embarrass you in front of all these people?’ she asks, unfolding her arms and motioning around the room.
His nostrils flare, he starts to pace, and I stand, rising slowly, needing to have a presence, my eyes following his strung body around our dining room, for what seems like hours. I haven’t got time for this.
‘For heaven’s sake, man, will you speak?’ I grate, my patience wearing thin. ‘I have somewhere I need to be.’
‘I forbid you to go.’
‘That is your hard luck now, isn’t it?’ I pick up my bag and walk past him. ‘Wish me luck,’ I quip, getting a chuckle from Clara, the little daredevil.
‘Melrose,’ he warns.
‘Pray do tell me what you would have done had I, or anyone else for that matter, tried to stop you from going to Eliza when she thought all hope was lost?’
He snarls.
‘Indeed,’ I say.
‘You do not deserve her.’
‘And you do? Deserve my sister, I mean?’
‘No, that is the bloody point! But I will never hurt her, and I will protect her at all costs.’
I raise my brows. ‘Yes, I know how that feels. Love of the richest kind, am I right? A sense of ill purpose without them? Yes, I feel that too. As though life is pretty damn pointless without them? Indeed.’ His eyes widen as comprehension dawns. ‘One day, Your Grace, you may thank me. You failed her. You should have protected her, not sent her away.’
His body deflates, though he tries to conceal it, maintaining his glare.
‘I will return with Taya,’ I go on. ‘And you will give us your blessing. I have cleared her name, already protected her. What did you do, I ask? What did you do, Your Grace?’
He winces.
‘Perhaps if I can convince her to love me, I might also convince her to forgive you for your cruelty.’
His head is now in his hands, shaking, and Eliza goes to him, placing a hand on his shoulder. He blindly seizes it, squeezing, his body inflating as he withdraws from his hiding place. ‘My God, what am I doing?’ he whispers, looking at me. He levels me with serious, sincere eyes. ‘If you can persuade her to show me mercy, I will, of course, be indebted to you.’
I nod and leave, but I cannot smile or be grateful for taming the beast. I still have the biggest challenge ahead of me.