The two of them were being ridiculous. Lady Ottersby seemed determined to protect her brother, and Penelope to protect Mercy. Mercy shrugged. “It was last week.”
Patience spun toward her. “How did she talk you into inviting her on your outing?”
“She didn’t talk us in to anything. We asked her to come.”
“Why?”
Mercy leaned forward, catching Lady Ottersby’s gaze. It might not be pleasant to hear that her brother was a philanderer, but it was time she knew. “Because I believe your brother and Miss Morgan have a much stronger connection that he and I do, and I won’t keep pursuing a relationship with him if his heart belongs elsewhere.”
Patience pressed her lips together. Her eyes went wide, andthen she covered her mouth with her gloved hand. “Nicholas and Miss Morgan?”
“Yes.”
“I have seen him flirt with her on occasion, but he has no interest in Miss Morgan or her family.”
Penelope leaned forward in her chair. “She is quiet and timid, but some men like that sort of thing. And while I agree that her mother would be an atrocious in-law, a woman should never be judged harshly because of her family.”
“Miss Morgan is neither quiet nor timid. Of that I can assure you.”
“Your brother seemed quite interested in her at the gardens.” That laughter, his voice rumbling back... “And at the risk of sounding insolent, he has not shown such attentions to me.”
“What do you mean, attentions?” Lady Ottersby asked, her face a mask of confusion. But all Mercy had to do was raise her eyebrows, and Lady Ottersby’s face cleared. “I’m sure you must be mistaken. How do I explain my brother? I don’t know that I can. I used to know him better. He wasn’t always so stoic and serious. But somewhere along the way, all that changed. A part of him died. A good part of him—the brother who would laugh and not take the world so seriously. And with you, Lady Mercy, I see it coming back. He is smiling more. He gets excited about things. Life isn’t so much a drudgery. He looks forward to attending balls and spending time with you. I promise you, Nicholas is capable of showering you with attention. He just needs time.”
Lady Ottersby was passionate in her speech, enough so that Mercy at least believed that Lady Ottersby believed this version of her brother, but if she didn’t know what had changed him, Mercy might know more about the duke than his sister did. “Did this unfortunate change correspond with your father sending him into the army?”
Lady Ottersby eyebrows furrowed. “Yes, it did. He changed drastically while under my father-in-law’s command. How did you know?”
“I’ve gotten to know your brother a little.” Perhaps in this one thing even better than his sister did. It wasn’t the army that had changed him; it was the forced loss of the woman he loved. The stunning Lady Plymton. “And how long has he known Miss Morgan?”
“Only since the time I became engaged. Two years.”
“And are you certain she is not the reason he’s been changing?”
“Heavens no. She does, however, possess knowledge of our family that Nicholas would rather keep away from the public. If he ever looks concerned when she is around, it has nothing to do with her as a person.”
That was an interesting tidbit. What was the duke hiding? “What kind of—” Mercy started, but another knock interrupted her.
Mrs. Brooksby walked in and handed Mercy another card. Mrs. and Miss Morgan. Well, this was about to get very interesting. Mercy looked up from the card. “Mrs. and Miss Morgan will be joining us.”
Penelope’s face brightened. She loved anything lively, and this morning was turning out to be very lively indeed. Lady Ottersby, on the other hand, scowled.
“Shall I invite them in?” Mrs. Brooksby asked.
Mercy looked at the two women already seated at the table. There was still room for several more, so why not? Miss Morgan should at the very least have the chance to defend herself. “Yes.”
Mrs. Brooksby left to fetch them, and Lady Ottersby grabbed Mercy’s hand. “I first met my husband when I ran away from home and pretended to be a maid in his household.” Her voice was low and fast, as if she were trying to explain as much as she could before Miss Morgan walked through the door. “He wascourting Miss Morgan at the time, and she is one of very few people who know what I did. Nicholas would rather die than have this get out among theton. I personally don’t care. But that is what Miss Morgan and her family hold over my brother. That and only that.”
Mrs. Brooksby announced Mrs. and Miss Morgan the second after Lady Ottersby finished her rushed speech, and Mercy’s open jaw clamped closed while her mind tried to process everything Lady Ottersby had said.
Despite their very different temperaments, both Miss Morgan’s and her mother’s faces registered shock in a similar fashion. At the sight of Lady Ottersby, their smiles wavered, then their eyes flashed to each other’s, then almost simultaneously, their lips curved into friendly grins.
Lady Ottersby’s story was so absolutely unprecedented that Mercy still wasn’t certain she’d heard her correctly. The stunning woman sitting opposite her working as a maid? It was preposterous. But the looks on her newest guests’ faces made Mercy think that perhaps Lady Ottersby knew exactly what these two women were about.
The five of them chatted about the weather, and Miss Morgan thanked Penelope once again for inviting her to the Zoological Garden. She practically fawned over Lady Ottersby. Where was the shy woman who could barely manage a few words the last time she was here?
Mercy finished her tea and set down her cup. “Miss Morgan, I am trying to decide which book to read next. Would you mind joining me at the bookshelf? I’d love your opinion.”
Miss Morgan looked at her mother, who gave her an almost imperceptible nod, and then she smiled and stood. The bookcase was on the other side of the room, near the chess table. Pieces from her last game with the Duke of Harrington still stood in their place, waiting for him to return so they could finish. She’dplanned her next move two days ago, but he hadn’t been here to allow her to use it.
