Page 20 of No Duke of Mine

“Nothing,” the fellow hedged, looking around guiltily. As he turned his head, Algernon noticed small bite marks on his throat.

Algernon’s skin prickled with distaste. “Are you in any difficulty, sir?”

“No, of course not,” the fellow whispered, though he sounded horrified by the question.

Dear God, he was just a boy and out of his depth.

Algernon struggled to keep the revulsion off his face for what Lady Kent might have done with him, and not just in her carriage. He’d seen this before, but usually it was a young maid imposed upon by a male employer, not a footman or groom unwillingly seduced by the lady of the house. They fell silent for a while as Algernon considered what he should do or could say to the young man. Getting involved with an employer, was not bound to help him succeed in the end. He finished his ale, watching the young man sip and hide a grimace at the taste his own. All the young man sank deeper into his chair.

After twenty minutes of silence, Algernon tapped his finger to get his attention. “Were you serious about finding new employment?”

“No. Not really.” The fellow quickly ran a hand through his hair, discreetly checking his clothing, too. “It was just an idle fancy of mine to seek a more challenging position.”

Algernon’s curiosity was utterly piqued now.

The fellow glanced out the window, suddenly grew pale, and shrank down in his chair so he could not be seen easily. He buried his nose in his tankard again.

Algernon glanced outside, too, and spied Lady Kent’s carriage standing directly out front of the inn again. He did not bother to hide himself when the lady he had intended to marry returned for her young lover.

Eventually, the young man sighed and stood up. Clearly, he thought he had no choice but to continue to please Lady Kent.

“A pleasant day to you, sir,” he mumbled, sounding defeated.

“One moment,” Algernon murmured. “I tend to trust my instincts, and if I were you, I would seek a new position sooner rather than later.”

The fellow agreed and headed for the door. Algernon stood up and then turned to go upstairs to his chambers, deep in thought. How often did Lady Kent engage in affairs with her servants? He would have to look into that before he proposed.

He let himself into his chamber, needing to be alone with his troubling discovery. He would have to confront her about his suspicions. If he found further evidence of such dalliances, he could not marry a woman prone to sleeping with just anyone. He required his heir to be his own offspring, and for there to be no doubts in his mind about that.

Suddenly, Maggie was rushing toward him. “Where have you been? I was worried sick about you!”

“Only in the taproom,” he said, blinking in surprise at her complaint. He captured her hands when she drew close enough, humbled by her concern.

She had worried for him? Of all the people in the world, it was Maggie who missed him, and that touched him deeply.

He kissed the back of her hands, and then tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “There was no reason to be worried.”

“I thought you had abandoned me. We’ve only just married,” she complained.

Algernon started to apologize—and then remembered they were not married at all. He laughed, understanding that he’d been forgiven in his absence, and for the pretense of being a married couple. Her teasing was good for him. She turned his mind from his problems so easily. Even as children, Maggie had always tried to soothe him.

It was a quality he desired in a wife.

Maggie stared up at him, and then her smile slowly slipped away. “Something happened while we were apart. What?”

She could read his moods, too.

So he told her about meeting the young man in the taproom, and his obvious reluctance to return to his employer’s carriage, along with his suspicions of a scandalous affair taking place.

But he kept back that he was on his way to meet the same woman with a view to making her his wife.

“It does sound suspicious, indeed. I do hope the young man takes your advice and finds a new position soon,” she murmured.