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Jasper nodded. “Yes—yes, of course,” he said. “You’re right, My Lord.”
“Come, Your Grace,” Lord Kirby said, with a small smile. “I’ll walk you out.”
Jasper was about a step or two behind Lord Kirby as he ushered him out of Kirby Hall.
“We all have little hiccups in married life,” he said, looking at Jasper pointedly. Jasper had the feeling that he was about to be strong armed into keeping his word.
“For what it’s worth, Lord Kirby,” he said. “I’m sorry.”
“I’m sure you are, Your Grace,” Lord Kirby said. “Don’t worry. Everything always shakes out in the end.”
Jasper had the feeling that Lord Kirby thought he was apologizing for something else, and not what he was—breaking the engagement. He mounted his horse, then rode home.
* * *
Selina had returned to her room, where she’d let herself have a good cry. Her brother had never treated her in such a shameful manner before. His words and his disdain stung. Finally, when she’d let all of her feelings out, she sat in a chair by the fireplace.
It was too warm a day for a fire, so she stared into its depths, wondering how she was going to convince her brother to change his mind. After all, her father valued Thomas’s opinion highly.
“My Lady,” Faith said, coming in. “The whole house is in an uproar!” She closed the door after her, turning the key in the lock.
“What is it?” Selina asked, knowing that Faith was coming up from the kitchen, where she took her meals with the rest of Kirby Hall’s household staff. Selina wiped at her damp cheeks, sniffing.
“Lady Leah’s found out about the Duke’s letters!” Faith said, in a very loud whisper. “The whole of the downstairs is talking over their evening meal!”
Selina felt a wave of panic wash through her—icy, cold. She ran to her writing desk. When she saw the state of the letters, she paled. They were torn to pieces, placed back inside of the drawer for Selina to discover. It was a clear message.
“Oh,” she said horrified. “Oh, dear.” She clutched the ruins of Jasper’s dear, lovely letters in her hands. Leah had been there, and in her rage, had destroyed them.
She sank down into the chair. She looked at Faith, who was equally shocked. Her hand covered her mouth. “My Lady,” she gasped. “Your poor letters.”
“She’s left all of mother’s letters untouched,” Selina said, stating the obvious. Her mind was a whirl of worry.
“Well, I suppose the cat’s out of the bag, My Lady.”
“There’s an understatement,” Selina mused. “I suppose I should go and tell Thomas. He’ll want to leave.”
“I’ll start packing,” Faith said, stoutly.
“Thank you, Faith.” Selina walked toward the door, to find both Thomas and Uncle Latimer, standing in the hallway.
“Oh,” she said. “I was just coming to find you.”
“We must be on our way,” Thomas insisted. “My sister and I shouldn’t be here.”
“No one is going anywhere,” Uncle Latimer stated firmly. “Leah’s beside herself, and she’s blaming it all on Selina.”
* * *
Jasper went straight home, where he found Reuben sitting in the parlor with a decanter of brandy.
“How did it go?” Reuben asked, smiling hopefully.
“Not at all how I expected,” he replied, getting himself a glass and joining his brother.
“Good or bad?” his brother wondered.
“Bad. Very, very bad.”
