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“Lady Chester.”She stood, her fingers entwined.“Rose has been a dear friend for years.A very dear friend.She sent me an invitation to tea.Along with others.I understood immediately her concern.I couldn’t wait until tomorrow.I was right to come, but I regret that I wasn’t here sooner.”
“And you know Rose is not home at the moment?”
“There’s no need to hide your concern, but rest assured she will be found.Once she realizes she’s lost her way, she’ll stay put until she’s located.”Lady Chester took a step toward him and stared hard.“Please make sure Rose never regrets her decision to marry you.”
“It’s a little too late for that.If you will excuse me,” he said.
She nodded and returned to her chair.Matthew would only take marital advice from Alice DuPuis, the one person who understood the circumstances of their peculiar marriage.She’d at least earned the right to make small criticisms.And if he ever met the Duchess of Pelham, he suspected she, too, would offer her opinion.
Sandhurst, though!How fortunate Sandhurst was gone when Matthew returned.A pummeling with Matthew’s fists, the sort one learned on the streets, would have been in order.
How utterly foolish for Cyril Elliston to come to Highwood and threaten Matthew’s wife.Losing at Madame DuPuis’ gambling tables would be the least of his worries now that he’d trespassed into Matthew Hardy’s privileged and protected domain.
Now that his wife had had one hair of her head disturbed by that cretin, there would be hell to pay that went beyond ruin.He was dangerously close to losing his life in a back alley at Twenty Acres Dock.
Matthew’s renown had grown into that of a reputable man of business.Underneath it all, from beginning to end, top to bottom, he was a lying, cheating, deadly scoundrel.When he had to be.And he employed men who would be considered savages in Sandhurst’s circles.
Anger crawled up his spine.Was Sandhurst challenging Matthew as well as badgering Rose further?One thing was certain, Matthew did not know enough about Sandhurst.
“Mr.Hardy,” the footman said, approaching with a look of anxiety.
“Where did you go yesterday morning with my wife?Exactly?”Matthew demanded.
“The same path we took this morning.Along St.Paul’s Road to Upper Street turning back at Islington Green and strolling along Essex Road back here.”
“Raleigh, what parks are along the way?”
“St.Mary’s Churchyard, Islington Green and St.Paul’s Park.”
“Well, Mr.Hardy, she might have got herself confused in the dark and turned down Canonbury Road instead of Upper Street,” the footman said.
“Then we need to look at Canonbury Square Garden, too,” Raleigh said.
“What we know is that she isn’t so foolish to leave the road, not when she is unfamiliar with the area,” Matthew said.He forced calmness.
“Oh, don’t forget Highbury Corner,” Raleigh added.
“Islington Green is the farthest.I can travel the fastest and stop at each park along the Upper Road and return along Essex.We’ll probably cross some of the same roads, all for the good,” Matthew said, logically, trying to tamp down any worry that crept into his mind.Or voice.
“What if she’s injured?”the footman asked.
“We will find her no matter her condition.She’s going to be on a park bench, waiting for one of us to locate her.I will accept nothing less.”Matthew hurried outside and mounted his horse, the saddle creaking.“Raleigh, are we certain she didn’t come back in the house when no one was looking?Have you checked the girls’ room?”
The silence was deafening, as they say.“Um, no, Mr.Hardy.I will check quickly.”
Matthew blew out a frustrated breath then leaned on the saddle horn, head down.He saw Rose before Raleigh tried to explain such a kerfuffle.Her dainty footsteps sounded to the relief of all.
“Mr.Hardy?What has happened?”Rose asked.She tightened her grip on a shawl she was wearing and looked back and forth between him and Raleigh and the few house servants who were gathered.
“A misunderstanding, it would seem,” he said as he dismounted.
“Rose?”Lady Chester appeared in the door and his wife turned, gasping in surprise.
“Abigail!Oh, my!What are you doing here?And when did you arrive?”She wrapped her arms about her friend.
Matthew handed off the horse’s reins then took the steps two at a time and said to Rose, “Shall we retire to the drawing room?”
“Not until you’ve had dinner,” Rose said.“I’m sorry, I wasn’t sure what time you would be home, so I ate with the children.I felt a little lonely.And look!Here is my best friend, traveling all the way from Mayfair to cheer me!Matthew, did you see?”
