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Anthony's stomach clenched. Although he could see the anticipation and excitement on the other man's face, he couldn't help wanting to shake the information out of him. Hiding his hands beneath the table, he pinched his inner thigh to stop himself. If Penelope had taught him anything, it was that he needed to take a step back and allow himself the chance to get all the information.
Patterson continued to smirk at him as he picked up the papers he had taken from his pocketbook and handed them over the table to the duke. "I do believe, Your Grace, that even your wife does not know the true extent of who she is."
With a furrowed brow, Anthony turned his attention to the documents now in his hand. Seeing that it was, in fact, a copy of the late Comte's will, Anthony barely managed to stop his eyes from bulging right out of his head.
"Why would he do this?" Anthony asked, looking up at the solicitor.
"Having found this, I knew you would wish to have all the information before going to find her," Patterson explained, his smile only growing, "so I did a little more digging, and I have found everything you need to know."
Again he passed further paperwork over the table, and Anthony's surprise grew to astonishment. Suddenly so many questions had been answered, not only about Penelope but also about why and how he had got the money to pay off his debts so easily. With all the information suddenly dropped into his hands, Anthony knew there was only one thing left to do.
"Innkeeper, Mr Patterson's room is paid for as long as he wishes to say. As are his meals and any other thing he might require," he explained to the man behind the bar as he pushed himself to his feet, folding up the paperwork and shoving it into the inner pocket of his jacket. He then turned to Patterson and added, "It is the least I can do."
Brushing back his dark hair, Anthony placed his hat upon his head and tipped it to Patterson before making his way to the door.
"Your Grace," Patterson called after him, and Anthony stopped dead in his tracks, wondering whether the solicitor might have yet more information for him. Turning back, he waited silently for the man to speak again. "Am I to assume you do not wish to take Miss Dupont's advice on filing for an annulment?"
Anthony did not deem the question worthy of an answer and instead announced, "I have a trip to Scotland to plan."
Chapter 35
Lady Mary Argyll was elderly, perhaps a little senile, lonely, and quite wealthy. Although it had taken Penelope a few weeks to find the woman, it had not taken her long at all to fall into work as the lady's companion, receiving a fair wage for doing whatever she could to help the lady in her loneliness. In truth, the widow helped Penelope in her own.
It helped that Scotland was quite beautiful. Though the weather was even more unpredictable than it had been in England and more often than not, it was cold or raining, Penelope found that she actually liked the storms that rolled over during the night.
It was after one such storm when she and Lady Argyll had spent much of their night in the library, unable to sleep due to the loud thunder and striking lightning, that Penelope awoke later than usual to find it was still raining.
Knowing that Lady Argyll was likely not up yet either, she was in no rush to be anywhere and drew back the drapes at her bedroom windows leisurely. She enjoyed looking out over the rolling hillside every morning with its dark green grass, ferns, and sprinkling of purple heather. She could practically smell it all in the mist, having committed all of Scotland's beauty to memory.
What she did not ordinarily see of a morning was the carriage hounding up the lane towards the large manor house, which she now shared with only her mistress and a handful of servants.
Rarely did visitors come calling to see the elderly lady, most of her family having already passed. Though the lady had a few friends who came to visit, Penelope was sure that none of them were due to do so and would they ever be comfortable with their coachman driving their carriage in such a manner. In the mud and the rain, Penelope feared the entire thing might well skid into the ditch at the edge of the lane.
Knowing that her lady was not one for accepting unexpected guests, being awfully set in her ways, Penelope was determined not to see her mistress upset.
Dressing as quickly as she could, in a plain yet quite pretty grey-purple gown that reminded her a little of the heather, she tied her hair back with a ribbon and shoved her feet into her stockings and boots before hurrying down the stairs.
Already the butler had answered the door, and although said door was being held, blocking her view of the visitor, Penelope realised she felt a tingling sensation at the presence of whoever had arrived.
"Forgive the intrusion so early," came an oddly familiar voice, and Penelope paused on the bottom step of the staircase to listen, "but I have come with important news for a Miss Penelope Dupont."
"And whom may I ask is speaking?" The old butler, who was almost as old as Lady Argyll herself, was a most protective man, and Penelope could imagine the way he was examining the man before him, a man who, just by his accent, Penelope could tell was English.
It couldn't be!she told herself, determined not to get her hopes up, her grip tightening on the bannister as she sucked in a deep breath and held it firmly in her lungs.
"Please inform Miss Penelope that her husband is hoping for an audience," came the response, and a whirlwind of questions threatened to overwhelm Penelope.
"Mr Finn, please allow the duke in," Penelope called. As if he realised she was there for the first time, the butler looked around the door at her, a questioning expression upon his face. Then he quickly turned back towards the doorway and bowed.
"Forgive me, Your Grace. I did not recognise you," he informed the man, stepping out of the way and gesturing him inside. Knowing that the butler was not the kind of man who liked to be caught unawares, Penelope was certain that he would likely play along for now, though he was certain to have many questions for her later on.
I must get the answers for myself first!she thought as the very last person she ever expected to see again stepped into the hallway and turned to look at her.
Though it had only been a short distance from his carriage to the front door, he was drenched through by the heavy Scottish downpour, and Penelope found herself rushing to him to help remove his jacket. It was instinctual, and as soon as she realised she was doing it, she quickly pulled back, taking a step away and bowing her head.
"Forgive me, Your Grace, please allow me to take your jacket," she said, keeping her gaze averted.
"Penelope, is that any way to greet your husband?" the duke insisted, and she was surprised when he closed the distance between them and pulled her into his arms, spinning her in his embrace as though he couldn't quite bring her close enough. "Oh, Penelope, you could never understand how worried I have been."
