Mrs. Right seemed the most pleased, the color had returned to her cheeks. “Well now,” she said, “I reckon I ought to send a tea tray in.”
“Very good notion, Mrs. Right,” the duke said. “One requires sustenance after tangling with a bishop.”
Valor laughed. “You did tangle with him, Papa. Just think, when we go home you can tell the vicar that you gave the bishop a what-for! He’ll be so mad about it.”
The duke laughed. “I suspect I will do that, Val. Nothing more brightens a day at home than confounding our vicar. Especially as that fellow was good enough to send Mr. Cremble our way.”
“Wait until he hears Mrs. Right tricked him into thinking she was friends with the devil,” Winsome said. “He’ll have steam coming from his ears!”
“Speaking of the Dales, do we have any particular plans to return home soon, Your Grace?” Mrs. Right asked.
Serenity turned to stare at their housekeeper. Why would they have plans to go home? They could not go home now! Lord Thorpe was on the verge, well he seemed as if he might be getting close to, it seemed as if something might be said. They could not go home!
“I know you miss the Dales, Mrs. Right, as do I,” the duke said. “But I feel as if I am getting nearer to unloading another of my daughters and cannot do it from there. No peace for the wicked, I imagine the bishop would say. Of course, whatIwould say is my dream of an empty house is within reach!”
As Serenity’s sisters roundly denounced their father’s idea of unloading them, Serenity watched Mrs. Right. She seemed a bit let down to hear they would not go home. Serenity supposed she’d never taken into account how much their dear housekeeper must miss her home and her friends and neighbors each time they came to Town. The dear lady had been very stoic about it.
“Let us all hope,” the duke said, “that the weather clears on the morrow and a certain gentleman might take aim and fire in my daughter’s direction at the hour of eleven.”
“Papa!” Serenity said. Though really, she was hoping just the same.
