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“And yet, we all know she isn’t truly your cousin,” Caroline muttered before standing to leave.
Before Elizabeth could think of one decent retort, the couple left. It wasn’t surprising that they knew about her past. The rumors regarding her lack of inheritance had been the talk of the ton for months now. Most assumed it was due to a disagreement with her father over a suitor—a rumor she had started and encouraged.
But a few might have guessed the truth.
Silence finally filled the house as Elizabeth sat on the brocade sofa with a sigh. She couldn’t remember the last time she had felt this tired. Picking up her small glass of sherry, she took a sip, letting the fruity essence rest on her tongue a moment before swallowing. Her head lolled back against the fabric as she stared at the ornate ceiling of her small salon. She closed her eyes and listened to the sound of horses clomping past her home.
Only it wasn’t her home any longer.
She had to do something, but at this point, her options had just about run out. Tomorrow, Richard and Caroline would return. This time with a solicitor in tow, no doubt. Elizabeth understood their desire for the house—greed and position. Nevertheless, the house wasn’t theirs, and she would do everything in her power to make certain it stayed that way. She’d never trusted Caroline, and lately, Elizabeth questioned Richard’s reasonableness. In the past four months, he had been spending more time at the gaming hells, and according to the gossips, losing serious amounts of money. Money she knew he didn’t have.
Some days, she even wondered if the new duke had ever attained notice of his inheritance. Her father had died ten months ago, and she had never received one word from her distant cousin, Edward.
Of course, he wasn’t truly her cousin.
Elizabeth opened her eyes and stared at the empty fireplace. She had to find her mother’s diary before Richard and Caroline found a legal way to have her removed, or Edward arrived from Canada. Her mother had kept several diaries, and none held the information Elizabeth desired. After finding those journals in drawers, she discovered none contained anything too personal. However, one book made a mysterious reference to a hidden diary, and that was the one Elizabeth needed to find.
She had to uncover the truth.
After all this time, she wondered if the diary even existed any longer. Her father might have found the journal and burned it. Or her mother might have given the diary to a close friend to keep it away from Father. Elizabeth doubted both ideas. Her mother had died quickly following a carriage accident. She would have had no time to give the diary to a friend, and her father never seemed to care enough to look for it. Perhaps he had no need and had already learned the name of her mother’s lover.
Elizabeth had only five rooms left to recheck. It made the most sense that the diary had been stashed somewhere in this house, since her mother rarely traveled to the estates. After checking every room in the townhome, she’d performed a thorough inspection of the other estates and uncovered nothing. Not one clue to her real identity.
Furiously, she blinked away the tears welling in her eyes. She refused to cry one more tear over something as silly as her real father’s name. In the eyes of Society, she was and would always be Lady Elizabeth Kendal.
There had to be something she was missing in her search. Perhaps there was a secret compartment in a desk, or a hidden room that she had overlooked.
“Lady Elizabeth?”
She turned at the sound of the footman. “Yes?”
“Miss Reynard is here to see you.”
Why would Sophie be here at this late hour? “Send her in and bring some tea and cakes.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
Elizabeth sat up and composed herself while waiting for her dear friend.
“Elizabeth, thank goodness you are here and not at Lady Tavistock’s ball.” Sophie rushed into the room and flopped to the sofa. Black tendrils clung to her forehead as she removed her damp hat.
“Why?”
Sophie shook her head. “Lady Tavistock would never have invited me to her ball and then I wouldn’t be able to speak with you. I do apologize for the lateness of the hour, though.”
“Is something wrong?”
“I am not certain. I had a vision and needed to see you immediately.” Sophie picked up Elizabeth’s hand and clutched it tightly in her own hand. Closing her eyes, she went still. “I was right,” she whispered.
“Right about what?” Elizabeth pressed her friend for an answer.
“Something is about to happen,” Sophie started, then paused and frowned.
“What?”
“A man is going to enter your life,” she said softly.
Elizabeth smiled. Sophie had gained quite the reputation as a medium and matchmaker in the past year. She had even matched Elizabeth’s dearest friends, Avis and Jennette, with husbands. “Are you certain?”
