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If the duke could leave for weeks on end, so could she.

In the meantime, she had been occupying her time with the estate and learning more about what could be done to help the staff and villagers. Today, she’d arranged for a meeting with Mr Thompson, the duke’s former secretary.

Alaric had received several letters from a gentleman she didn’t know. The letters had begun arriving more frequently, until now he was receiving at least two each week. Charlotte hadn’t opened them at first, until it had become clear that her husband wasn’t returning soon.

The gentleman, Mr Virdon, claimed that the late duke had taken out several loans and was politely requesting immediate repayment. And while that might be true, she had read through the ledgers from the past year and had found no evidence of any loan from someone by that name.

At first, she’d considered writing back to Mr Virdon, but it had occurred to her that it would be better to consult with the duke’s former secretary. And now, he was awaiting her in the drawing room.

As soon as she entered, Mr Thompson stood. ‘Your Grace, it is a pleasure to meet you at last.’

‘And you,’ she answered graciously. Charlotte gestured for him to be seated and said, ‘I have questions about the former duke’s business affairs. Have you heard of a gentleman named Mr Virdon?’ She passed over the letters and added, ‘I have found no records of any such loans.’

The secretary’s expression tightened, but he ignored her question. ‘Your home is truly lovely, Your Grace. And the flower arrangements…quite unusual.’ He nodded towards the thorny branches in a vase.

She cleared her throat. ‘Thank you. Now, about the letters—’

‘Is His Grace at home? I would think that this would be a matter for his concern, not yours.’

Annoyance tightened within her. ‘He is not. But in his absence, it is my duty to—’

‘You needn’t concern yourself with your husband’s correspondence, Your Grace. It is better if you manage the household instead.’ He smiled at her, and his patronising tone irritated her even further.

She gripped the letters in her hand. ‘Am I to understand that you are refusing to investigate the sender of these letters?’

‘It is unnecessary,’ Mr Thompson said. ‘And since I am no longer employed as the duke’s secretary, I am sure His Grace will see to the matter upon his return.’ He paused and added, ‘In the meantime, would you care for tea, Your Grace? You seem rather upset.’

Upset was not quite the emotion she was feeling. Furious was more like it. And was he honestly offering her tea in her own home?

It took every ounce of good manners to rise from her chair. ‘I will indeed speak with my husband, Mr Thompson.’ She had previously considered rehiring him to help Alaric, but at the moment, she was strongly considering not doing so.

Before she could say another word, footsteps approached, and to her shock, her missing husband entered the drawing room. ‘Speak with me about what?’

Snowflakes dotted the duke’s dark hair and clothing, and his cheeks were red from the cold. He removed his coat and gave it over to a footman. For a moment, Charlotte could say nothing at all. He had just…returned home? With no letter at all, after all these weeks? She was torn between wanting to embrace him and wanting to blurt out all her unwanted feelings.

Her emotions were wrapped up in a tight knot of frustration, but she managed a tight smile and said, ‘Welcome back, Your Grace.’

After a slight pause, she motioned towards the pile of letters. ‘During the past few weeks, you’ve been receiving letters from a Mr Virdon, asking for loan repayments. But there are no records of any such loan in your father’s ledgers. I asked Mr Thompson to investigate the matter, but he is refusing to do so.’

At that, the secretary balked. ‘Now, Your Grace, that isn’t entirely true—’

‘Are you calling me a liar?’ she asked, staring back at the man. She made no effort to hide her annoyance and added, ‘I asked you to come here today, and I had intended to hire you to find out answers. But now, I don’t know that I want a secretary working for us who refuses to engage in his duties.’

The duke’s expression tightened. With a nod towards Mr Thompson, he said, ‘Do as the duchess says. And bring back a report of your findings.’

Her anger towards Alaric hadn’t diminished, but at least he’d defended her wishes.

The secretary stood. ‘Very good, Your Grace.’ With a glance back at her, he added, ‘I really must be going. I regret that I cannot stay for tea.’

She stared at him and folded her arms across her chest, suppressing the desire to say: You weren’t invited to tea.

After he had gone, she turned back to Alaric. ‘I don’t like that man.’

Her husband moved closer to stand by the fireplace. ‘He worked for my father for a number of years. I haven’t had many interactions with him.’

‘I regret asking him to come,’ she admitted. ‘He didn’t listen to any of my concerns. I only wanted him to find out more about those letters.’

‘Why did you open them?’