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Robert instantly stood from his desk and dropped the papers he’d been reading.
She handed the foolscap to him, then collapsed in one of the club chairs in front of his desk. “He left us.”
“Who?” Robert quickly scanned the note.
Dear Robbie and Lizzie,
I was called back to my brother’s estate. Apparently, there’s been heavy rains, and it appears this year’s crops are lost. Will write more when I arrive there.
Yours,
A.
“Ash, what have you done?” Robert murmured softly. His throat constricted at the fact their love had left them again. This felt different though. Before when Ash had returned to his brother’s home, he’d always discussed his plans with them. He’d never just left this way.
“Do you think there’s an emergency? There hasn’t been heavy rain in Wickford, or we’d have heard about it. Someone from Overton Hall would have informed us. Plus, Ash doesn’t say when or if he’ll return.” Elizabeth tapped the arm of the chair with her index finger. “I’ve never been the type to become angry at his commitment to his brother.” She stared at him. “But how could he?” Her voice rose as she stood abruptly and started to pace. “He’s just arrived back in town, and now he’s left us? Yes, I know there are rumors about an affair, but he didn’t wait to see if your efforts at going out at night together were working.”
Robert hurried to her side, took her in his arms, and held her close. Against his chest, her heart thumped a furious rhythm, matching his own. His gaze landed on Ash’s desk. His quill stand, ink, and papers were neatly organized. But all of his journals where he wrote his thoughts for his agricultural treatises were gone.
He really had left them.
Ash’s supposed emergency didn’t add up. He appeared to have left early this morning without a word. Last night, they’d slept in Robert’s bed. He was a light sleeper and never heard Ash leave the room.
“Just a moment, darling.” Robert went to the door and called for Winter.
In seconds, the butler stood inside his office. “Yes, my lord?”
By then, Elizabeth had joined him at his desk. Without a word, he slipped his hand into hers and squeezed, hoping to reassure her. They were always there for each other.
Couldn’t Ash see that as well?
“Did any posts arrive yesterday or today that I haven’t seen? Any for Mr. Hawksworth?” Robert asked.
Winter’s brow furrowed as he considered the question. “No, sir. I would have seen everything. All the posts were for you.”
“Were there any messengers who stopped by?” Elizabeth asked.
“No, my lady,” Winter answered. “But Lady Eleanor visited with him yesterday. I hope I’m not overstepping, but Mr. Hawksworth abandoned his work in the study. He seemed quiet after she left.”
“Thank you, Winter.” Elizabeth’s mournful sigh cut straight through him.
Robert said. “Will you have a footman bring the morning papers to us? We haven’t finished reading them.”
“Of course, my lord.” Winter bowed, then turned on his heel and exited the room.
She tilted her head and regarded him. “Why do you want the gossip rags? I thought you didn’t read them.”
“I don’t.” He squeezed her hand, then tugged her gently toward the sitting area next to the fireplace. “But I know someone who beats me down to breakfast every morning so he can read the papers before me.”
She came to a halt. “Ash.”
“Indeed,” he said as he pressed a kiss to her forehead. “We can see if there was anything in the London-Town Tattler that would convince him that he had to leave for our sakes.”
A footman delivered the papers, and they quickly went to work and read every article. It didn’t take long to read. There weren’t many salacious gossip articles in today’s edition. Even the London-Town Tattler was innocuously quiet.
“I don’t see anything that would cause him to leave.” Robert sighed in exasperation.
“Me either,” Elizabeth answered.
