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Chapter Twelve
Alex stared at the woman. It was as though she had transformed right in front of his eyes. He never would have thought she would be capable of such thought. And she was the funniest combination of humble and bossy. As though she didn’t really think she was much of anything on one hand, while on the other she was fully confident in her abilities. He found himself wondering what sort of impression it would make on a young girl when her father’s heir was suddenly born into the family.
He rather suspected that Ladies Grace and Felicity might have been woefully neglected by their parents in favour of the young viscount. It seemed to have affected them each quite differently but also profoundly. Alex was becoming increasingly convinced that Grace was nothing like any Society woman he had ever encountered.
Not to say he had any intention of pursuing the attraction he felt toward her. He had every intention of allowing his line to die out. Lady Grace’s family situation just went to prove that inheritances could lead to disaster. Alex’s family situation had only ever proven that pain was its own legacy. His would end with him.
But he would enjoy working out this problem with Lady Grace. It was sure to be a challenge. Still, if Rathnelly were to return and fix it himself, which would probably be ideal, Alex ought to keep his distance from the fascinating young woman, he reminded himself, even as he had trouble keeping his eyes away from her as she leaned over her paper. The way she pulled her lips into her mouth and scrunched her nose in concentration did strange things to his insides. She glanced up at him, and their eyes met for a brief moment. Suddenly, he was a schoolboy again as his chest fluttered with unfamiliar feelings. It wasn’t completely unpleasant. She turned her attention back to her letter.
He followed her lead and set to work composing the messages that would need to be sent out to gather the required information, or rather to alert the involved personages. They couldn’t very well traipse around the country investigating for themselves. Not only would that be scandalous, it would also take far too long. They didn’t even know what Rathnelly might have already put in place nor if Griffiths were actually the one causing the trouble.
While the thought of conducting an investigation did fill him with a sense of purpose and excitement, he couldn’t see his way clear to do it. For one thing, by coming here and telling Lady Graciela what he knew, he had involved the lady and couldn’t now un-involve her. For another, if the roles were reversed, Alex would expect Rathnelly to do everything he possibly could to sort the matter for him. Upon further reflection, though, Alex feared the duke might resent his putting his nose into his affairs. He gave voice to his thoughts.
“Rathnelly might not thank us for spreading this information.”
“We aren’t spreading it. We’re seeking assistance. From family. It’s not as though we’re taking out an advertisement in the papers or telling theton’s worst gossips. Since he ought to have known this was a possibility, he ought to have left us better prepared. If he takes exception to our actions, he’ll have a tough time explaining himself to my sister, I’m certain.”
“Do you not think she might perhaps have words for us for not involving her?”
Her furrowed brow let Alex know that he had touched upon her worries. She tapped the end of her quill against her chin as she thought. Finally, she sighed.
“I don’t know, my lord.”
Her expression turned beseeching and Alex’s heart clenched as though he wished to solve the dilemma for her. It was the strangest sensation he had ever experienced.
“She will be irritated that she wasn’t included. But what are we to do? She has locked herself into the nursery with the children. We can’t very well tell her with the children there. And surely, she is worried enough about them. Ought we to add to her burdens by telling her about this? It would be ideal if your letter to Rathnelly reaches him swiftly and he returns immediately and sorts the matter for himself. If that doesn’t happen, we need to do the best we can on our own. If Her Grace leaves the nursery, we will tell her immediately.” She again looked at Alex as though she hoped he could solve the matter for her but with a little shake of her head, she carried on as she shrugged. “I just wouldn’t feel right revealing this in earshot of the children, you see.”
Alex nodded. “Yes, of course. But I still think your sister will have words for us.”
Suddenly, she grinned. “I’m certain you are quite correct.”
He really didn’t want to think she was darling. He turned his attention back to his letter writing, frowning over how to word the message, and was surprised when, from the corner of his eye, he watched as Lady Grace sanded and folded her letter before sealing it with a bit of wax.
“You’re finished already?”
His question made her blink in confusion.
“Already? I thought I had tarried needlessly,” she replied with another grin as she glanced at his half-written paper. “It would seem I am far more experienced at letter writing than you are. Do not let it trouble you. I think it is a female expertise.” She paused while her expression shifted. “It’s better that you are writing to Rathnelly, but I can message everyone else. Since they’re members of my family, at least those we are planning to contact initially, they might question matters more if it is you who writes.” She paused again and a droll expression flitted across her face as her lips twisted in wry amusement. “Except, of course, for the male impulse to question a woman’s intellect right at first.”
Alex’s cheeks warmed at her teasing expression but before he could issue an excuse or apology, she carried on as though she hadn’t even said anything.
“I think, though, that my two brothers-in-law and my father will get over that reasonably quickly and concentrate on the message rather than the messenger, so it shan’t truly be a problem. Once these are on their way, we’ll need to plan out the rest of our strategy.”
Alex couldn’t decide how he felt about her managing ways. They were equal parts amusement and irritation. He had never witnessed a woman taking charge in such a way. He wondered if it were unique to this one woman, but then shook his head as he remembered that the duchess had locked herself in the nursery with the sick children. Perhaps, it was merely a Sherton characteristic.
He tried to focus on his own paper, scratching out a few more sentences in an attempt to explain to Rathnelly what had happened with the notes and why he was sticking his nose in the other man’s affairs. Before he could finish, Lady Grace was sanding another letter, and Alex was beginning to feel uncomfortable, as though he were somehow in competition with her. It was a ridiculous thought and he tried to dismiss it, but it still interfered with his completion of his letter. With a frown, he hunched over the table and did his best. Despite his concerted efforts, he was just finishing his one letter as the interfering baggage completed her third. She stood from the table and strode briskly toward the bell pulls. Almost no time passed before the butler responded, as though he had been hovering nearby to await their summons.
Alex supposed he probably had been. The servants of a great house always knew when things were afoot.
“We will need your swiftest men experienced in taking messages, Mr. Carter,” her ladyship was explaining. “Four of them,” she added. “And one of them needs to be able to track down His Grace, as we aren’t certain of his direction at the moment.”
The butler barely blinked. “Very well, my lady, but His Grace is most likely nearly at the London townhouse by now.”
Lady Graciela nodded with a smile. “I know that was his initial destination, but we have reason to believe that he may have had to go elsewhere first, so I would prefer your most experienced man for that message.”
Alex suddenly thought of something. “There is also a possibility he might stop at my estate at some point, too. So, if your man can’t find him in London, he can leave word at Lakewood.”
“Of course, my lady, my lord, I will have the four attend you here within moments.”
