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Isadora could feel her eyes starting to well with tears. “Did he?” She tamped down her emotion and added, “Your father was very kind to me.”
“He was a good man,” Matthew returned. “Although I shall never understand his actions.”
“I’m not sure we’re meant to know,” Isadora said gently.
He pinched the bridge of his nose. “It would make things so much easier.”
She nodded. “I agree, but whatever he did was not our decision to make.”
He smiled wryly. “My father always said you were very intelligent.”
Isadora’s lips twitched. “I still am.”
Matthew laughed. “Would you care to come to the house? I would like to introduce you to my family.”
“Perhaps tomorrow?” she suggested. “I should like to bring my husband along, if that is acceptable?”
“Of course.” He walked forward and gave her an impulsive hug. “It’s good to see you, my lady. I’m glad you came to see my father.” He gestured toward the gravesite. “He would have appreciated it.”
She smiled. “I’m glad I came too.”
Chapter Twenty-Five
Remington saw Isadora heading for the neighboring estate and considered joining her, but he refrained, because sometimes, personal matters needed to be faced alone. However, he was going to ensure that he was at the house when she returned, in case she needed someone to confide in.
Until then, he decided it was time for one last, brisk ride. Being in London for the past several months while he had escorted his niece about to varioustonevents, he hadn’t realized how much he’d missed riding. The feel of the wind blowing through his hair and the sound of the horse galloping across the earth was like no other feeling in the world.
He would like to return to his estate in the country, now that Portia was engaged and he was free to do so, but would Isadora be resistant to the idea? He had no doubt that she wanted to continue her business dealings, and he fully intended to keep his word and allow her the freedom to do so, however much he might wish that they could embark on those adventures together. He wasn’t going to push her to be someone she wasn’t. For years, she had looked after herself. It would take some time for her to understand that she didn’t have to do that anymore.
Remington headed back for the manor a short time later and handed over the reins to the groom. “How was she, my lord?”
As he dismounted, Rem gave a hearty pat to the mare. “Good natured, but spirited, just as you claimed.”
As the horse was led inside the stables, Rem heard the sound of carriage wheels on the drive. He rounded a corner of the house just as a black coach paused out front. He waited while the door was opened and a thin, older woman with faded, dark hair emerged. She was wearing fashionable attire, but nothing gaudy, as to proclaim her wealth or position. However, there was no doubt this was a lady of quality as she stepped to the ground.
Rem walked forward and offered her a brief bow. “My lady. I’m the Marquess of Osgood. What brings you to Broxbourne House?”
She blinked. “You’re Osgood?”
He glanced down at his mud-spattered attire and his hair was likely quite disheveled. “I just returned from a morning ride,” he explained.
“I see.” While the lady appeared placated with his explanation, it was the pinched expression to her mouth that made him curious as to her identity, and her business for being there. His questions were soon answered. “My name is Lady Andrea Kontayne, your wife’s aunt. I should like to see my niece if she is here.”
This time, it was Rem who blinked. “Indeed.” He cleared his throat. “My wife is currently out, but I can have you await her return in the parlor.”
“That would be lovely, my lord.”
As he led her inside and instructed a nearby footman to bring a tea tray, he handed over his outerwear to the butler and soon joined the lady. He took a seat across from her in the sunny yellow room. “I admit I’m surprised you knew where to find us.”
As the tea tray arrived and they were forced into temporary silence, she spoke when they were alone again. “Lady Gracewrote to me and told me where you were headed. I thought to give you a few days to settle in before I intruded on a newly married couple’s honeymoon. I wouldn’t have come at all, except for the fact I felt compelled to do so after your aunt’s letter. I have sat in silence and been a coward for entirely too long. I thought it was time I finally spoke to my niece at long last.”
Rem decided that her presence couldn’t have come at a better time, but he wasn’t sure if Isadora would believe the same. He clasped his hands loosely before him and considered the best way to reply. “I understand that your conscience is responsible for bringing you here, Lady Kontayne, but I must insist that you not overly upset my wife.” He paused. “You should know that she is aware of the role you played in her affair with Lord Abaline.”
Her eyes widened. “She told you about him?”
His lips twisted. “We are husband and wife, my lady. We hold no secrets from one another.”
“I see.” She added sugar to her tea and stirred almost thoughtfully. “It seems you are a good match for my niece.” She lifted her gaze and regarded him shrewdly. “You can be assured I don’t say that lightly. After what I believed my sister endured after marrying the Duke of Marlington, and my own personal experiences, I’ve been rather reserved when it comes to trusting many gentlemen of the aristocracy, even though I was born into it. When I found out my sister’s death truly was accidental, I find I am still reluctant to do so.”
