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Chapter Nineteen
It had been a late night. Staying out of sight in the shadows had been easy enough, but nothing of interest had occurred. This time, the Duke of Winnett didn’t go off to see his mistress. Byron stayed at his residence until four in the morning when it became clear the duke wasn’t going anywhere for a while.
All through the night, Byron cursed himself for not getting to those chairs before the servants burned them. He shouldn’t have wasted that time talking to the duke. If he had gotten to even one of those chairs, he could have gone to Eleanor’s father and convinced him that the duke had sabotaged them. But now, as things were, Byron was the one who had lost credibility with him, and it was likely her father would agree to a marriage between Eleanor and the duke.
That last thought kept Byron up well past dawn. He couldn’t recall the last time he tossed and turned in bed. He wasn’t prone to letting an investigation keep him up like this. There was no point in denying his feelings for Eleanor anymore. He was in love with her, though he could never marry her. She was the daughter of a wealthy duke while he was a Runner who was doing good to make ends meet. He could be content with living a life wondering what might have been if there wasn’t that risk Eleanor’s father would force her to marry the Duke of Winnett. If he had to lose her, he’d rather lose her to a gentleman deserving of her.
He finally drifted off to sleep as the people outside his small home went about their day. The noise never bothered him, and on this particular morning, he found an odd sense of comfort in it. People talking, children laughing, and horses passing by reminded him that, though he had no wife and children, he wasn’t alone in the world.
***
Eleanor was walking down the stairs when she saw the footman talking with the Duke of Winnett. She retreated to the top of the stairs and hugged the side of the wall that would prevent them from seeing her.
“May I have a word with the Duke of Dormondton?” the Duke of Winnett asked. “I have something important I wish to discuss with him.”
“Wait here, and I’ll see if His Grace is up to receiving visitors,” the footman replied.
The duke nodded as the footman headed for the library.
She debated whether or not she should retreat back to her bedchamber. The last thing she wanted to do was see the Duke of Winnett, especially after what Byron had told her and her father last night.
After a tense minute, the footman returned to the duke. “His Grace will see you.”
Her gut tightened in dread. This couldn’t be good. She was sure the duke was here to ask for her father’s hand in marriage, and given how things had transpired at the ball, she didn’t think her father would refuse him this time.
The footman led him to the library. She waited until the two were gone before emerging from her hiding spot. She tiptoed down the stairs, and, after making sure, no one was around, she made her way to the library. The door was closed, as she had expected. She pressed her ear to the door so she could hear what her father and the duke were saying.
“I know it’s not your fault that the incident occurred,” her father said.
“I still feel bad about it,” the duke replied. “I should have known better than to leave old chairs in the ballroom. I want to assure you that I have gotten rid of every old chair in the place, and I have tested the other chairs to make sure nothing like this will ever happen again.”
“I appreciate that. And really, that’s all you can do.” Her father let out a heavy sigh. “I just don’t know what to do now. I’m not sure I can let my daughter go out in public after this. I’m tempted to send her back to the country.”
Her eyes grew wide. Her father hadn’t said anything about that when they ate in the drawing room that morning. She didn’t want to go back to the country. She’d just gotten to the point where she felt comfortable being in London, and better yet, she’d finally made some friends.
“I don’t think that’s necessary,” the duke told her father. “People will understand she was the victim of an unfortunate accident.”
She was surprised to hear this. She didn’t know why, but she thought the duke might agree with him then suggest he marry her and take her tohiscountry estate.
“Perhaps, but it was still scandalous that so much of her legs were exposed,” her father argued. “That will dissuade any reputable gentleman from wanting to go near her. This has ruined her.”
“While embarrassing, it hasn’t ruined her. There’s no need to give up on finding her a husband. She’s still attractive. She can produce children, and gentlemen will like the dowry you will provide to the marriage.”
“It’s not enough. If it was enough, I would have received offers for her hand by now.”
“I don’t mean to speak out of turn, but I did ask for her hand in marriage.”
Eleanor could swear her heart stopped beating in that moment. So that was what the duke was getting at. He wasn’t here to smooth things over with her father. He was here to get her father to agree to the marriage he’d been wanting. And why would her father deny him this time? Her father didn’t believe a better prospect was bound to come along—not after last night.
As she feared, her father said, “Yes, you did. I didn’t forget, but I was sure you wouldn’t be interested anymore.”
“I am still interested. I’ll be happy to marry your daughter. She can stay in London, and I’m sure I can speak with Lord and Lady Cadwalader and explain the whole thing was my fault for not being careful about the chairs. That will ensure your daughter doesn’t lose her standing withLadies of Grace. You will still have a chance to meet with Lord Cadwalader. I only recently made his acquaintance, and he’s a fine gentleman. You’ll like him.”
“You’d be willing to introduce me to him?”
“Of course. It would be the least I can do for my friend and father-in-law.”
Eleanor cringed as the two laughed.
