Duchess by Chance (25 page)

“If I remember correctly, you vowed to honor and obey me,” Daniel muttered.

“Lord Kelkirk, your Grace,” Wernham said, opening the door.

Eva smiled as Simon strolled into the breakfast parlor. As usual, his face wore a calm, unruffled expression and he was dressed in the height of fashion. “Simon. How lovely to see you. Would you like something to eat?”

“He has his own home. Can he not eat there?” Daniel retrieved his newspaper.

“I was reading that.” Eva frowned as he pulled it from her hands.

Daniel looked at Simon, who in turn looked at Eva.

“If ever there was a reason to re-enforce my current unmarried state, having to share my morning newspaper would be it.” Simon said, lifting a silver lid on the sideboard and peering beneath. “May I suggest you read it in your study? Surely in there you will be safe.”

“Now there’s a thought.” Daniel once again buried his head in the newsprint.

“Lord Lucien has four greys that he is selling, Daniel, and I want to be the first to see them.” Simon stole the last muffin and slathered it in honey.
 

“And this concerns me because…?”
 

Simon placed one hand on top of the paper and pushed it down. “Because, and I say this reluctantly, you are a very fine judge of horse flesh and I value your opinion.”

 
Eva noted that Simon looked like he’d sucked on a lemon as he spoke.

“I’m flattered.” Daniel folded the newspaper and passed it across the table to his wife. “And as you have begged so nicely, I will, of course, accompany you.”

“I did not beg - I asked. There is a subtle difference,” Simon said.

“Will Claire be here shortly, Eva?” Daniel enquired.

“Yes, we are to visit the bazaar - it is for the orphans and widows.”
 

“My God! Come, let us leave, Stratton, before that virago arrives.” Simon shuddered.

“Claire is not a virago!” Eva declared.

“Methinks the man protests too much,” Daniel said with a sly smile. “Have a nice morning, Duchess, and be sure to kept Molly at your side. I will instruct two of the footman to accompany you at all times also, he added, kissing the top of Eva’s head. Eva lifted her face so he kissed that, too.

“I protest too much about what?” Simon demanded as he and Daniel left the room.
 

…
         

“I always attend the bazaar during the season.” Claire slipped her arm through Eva’s as they began to stroll through the stalls. “I like to support the widows but in all honesty there is always a wonderful array of things on display.”

Eva felt a flush of warmth. She had still not gotten used to the fact that this woman actually liked her. Her life seemed to be filled with moments of extreme happiness and dark despair. Happiness when she was with Claire or Daniel - especially Daniel. He made her forget about her father and the terrible thing she had done. He made her laugh and sigh, but most of all he made her believe in the future, a future for them.
   

Her father had approached her twice more and she had given him the spending money Daniel had given her the first time, and the small pearl pendant, which he had gifted her recently, the second time. It had nearly broken her heart to hand it over. Spencer Winchcomb had simply laughed at her distress and said there would be plenty more where that came from and surely keeping her husband’s health intact was more important than a few baubles. Eva had realized then that unless she took a stand, they would never leave her alone. She had brought herself some time when her father had approached her again, telling him she had nothing else to give at that moment and if he wanted her to continue supplying him things he would have to wait awhile. So far, he had kept his distance. Lord Huxley had not approached her again, either, but wherever she and Daniel went at night, she could feel his eyes on her. Watching and waiting, but for what she was not sure. She was terrified of the threat against Daniel, terrified Huxley would challenge him, but she also knew she had to find a way to break all ties with both her father and Lord Huxley or she would never be free to live her life.

Her next letter to Reggie had contained the truth. She had told him everything and warned him of their father’s threats and begged him to be vigilant. That was all she could do for now. She had told him that Daniel did not know and pleaded with him not to tell him until she was ready to do so herself.

“Do look at this blanket, Eva.”

Inspecting the soft, white wool, Eva pushed her dark thoughts aside. “I received a letter from Reggie this morning and he is settled and very happy. His studies are keeping him busy, as are his new friends.”

“Even though you miss him, you must be relieved, Eva.”

“Yes, I am happy for him and yes, I miss him but I have…”

“Daniel,” Claire filled the gap when Eva hesitated.

Blushing, she nodded.
 

“Oh, look! Is that toffee? I have always wanted to try it.” Eva cried as they passed another stall.

“You haven’t tried toffee?” Claire’s face was a picture of horror as she dragged her closer.

“No.” Eva eyed the small squares of confection eagerly.

“Sacrilege!” Claire signaled to the lady who was running the stall that they would take several pieces.

After handing several pieces of toffee to Molly and the two footmen, Eva and Claire continued to wander with their mouths full of the delicious sweet. Claire studied knitted shawls while Eva, still chewing her toffee, stood a little to one side. She smiled to several passersby and then a noise drew her eyes behind the tent to where three young men seemed to be handling something, throwing it backwards and forwards between them, and when she heard a yelp, she knew it was an animal of some kind.

“Hold these!” Eva thrust her parcels and toffee into Claire’s hands.

“Where are you going?”
 

“Stop that at once!”

The boys turned to look at Eva as she yelled at them. All wore identical expressions of surprise when they saw who had spoken.

“How would you like me to throw you around?” Eva glared at the boy who held the wriggling puppy.
 

“How about we throw you around, love, and then we could all have some fun,” one of the boys said, moving closer to Eva. His fingers wrapped around her wrist and he tried to pull her nearer.

“Unhand her at once!”

The boy’s eyes widened as both footmen suddenly appeared at her side. He dropped her arm quickly as they scowled at him.
 

 
“Eva!” Claire arrived seconds later. “What is going on?” 
      “Give me that puppy now!” Eva demanded ignoring Claire in favor of glaring at the boy who held the dog. A little wriggling body was thrust into her arms and then the boys ran off.

“He’s very dirty, Eva.” Claire peered down at the puppy in her arms. “And he will cover you with fleas and disease.”
 

Eva didn’t care. She stroked one small ear and the puppy looked up at her, his big dark eyes seeming to study her, and then his body shuddered and he burrowed his head into her arm.

“Oh, you clever devil, he knows a soft touch when he sees one.” Claire took out one of her newly purchased shawls and wrapped it around the shivering little body.

“I want to keep him.” Eva stroked his head.
 

“Well, in that case, I think this signals the end to our shopping.” Gathering her parcels, Claire led the way with Eva following, clutching the puppy in her arms.

“Shall I take him for you, your Grace?”

“No thank you, Molly.” Eva was not letting him go.

The duke wasn’t home when Eva returned, so with the help of a reluctant Wernham and Molly, she bathed the puppy and fed him, then found a pillow to lay him and his new shawl on. Now that he was clean, she could see his fur was white and grey and he had a black ring around one eye. He was the sweetest puppy Eva had ever seen and she hoped Daniel felt the same. She was very conscious of all the things Daniel had indulged her in and she had no wish to force him into allowing her to keep the puppy just because she had never had one before.
 

“You called for me, your Grace?”
 

“Yes, thank you, Molly.” Eva looked down at her dress; it seemed she had more water on her than the puppy had. “If you will just help me undress, I wish to rest for a while before getting ready for the theatre this evening.”

Daniel had not seen his wife since breakfast and was not about to analyze why that bothered him so much. Entering her room, he found her sitting on her bed dressed in a robe.

“Hello, Daniel, how were the horses?”

“Nags with sway backs and short hocks. Simon has no idea on horse flesh.” Daniel looked down at his wife. “How was your bazaar?”

“Uh...well, it was pleasant.”

Her hesitation told him there was more to this conversation. “And did you buy anything?”
 

“Yes - and Daniel, I have to tell you something.”

“Yes?”

“I…I… Oh dear, I think I will just show you.” Eva got to her feet and went into the dressing room.
 

Perplexed, Daniel watched Eva disappear and then re-appear clutching a soft, white woolen shawl in her arms.
 

“It’s beautiful, my sweet, but hardly my color,” he teased. She was so serious, a crease had formed between her eyes as she walked toward him.

“The thing is, Daniel, you have given me more than I could ever wish for and I would never force anything upon you or use my past to coerce you into indulging me.”

“I know that.” And he did. Eva did not have a mercenary bone in her body.

“Really?”
 

“Really.”

“The thing is, Daniel, this puppy was being bullied by three boys and I saved him.” She placed the sleeping dog into Daniel’s arms.

No one made a sound for several seconds. Daniel looked down at the slumbering animal. Lifting one hand, he stroked its spine, his big hand completely covering the small body.
 

“If…if you feel you cannot tolerate having him in the house, I thought perhaps he could live with one of servants, or maybe in the garden shed or…”

“Ssssh, Eva,” Daniel reached for her, then urged her onto his lap.

“Isn’t he cute?” she whispered, laying her head on his shoulder.

“Yes, and he will chew our shoes and no doubt release his bowels on the carpet, but I think we should keep him.” Daniel kissed her cheek.

“Did you ever have a puppy, Daniel?”

“No.”

“Nor did I.”

“So what are you going to call him?”

“Furban.”

“Perfect.” Daniel laughed so hard, the puppy woke. “But I insist he sleep somewhere other than your bedroom.”

“Of course. I shall have Wernham find just the place for him.” Eva rose to take the puppy back to his bed. “I had toffee today, Daniel, and I think it may surpass a Gunther’s ice as my favorite sweet,” she said when she returned.

“Eva, Wernham tells me you have misplaced your pendant.” 
      He watched the color leech from her cheeks as she nodded. “Yes. I’m so sorry, Daniel.” Guilt was written all over her face and he felt a chill run down his spine. Why was she lying to him again?
 

“Eva, where is your necklace?” His words were harsh but he was past caring. This time he wanted the truth.

“I…I have lost it, Daniel, as Wernham told you.”

She was hiding something and he was determined to find out what. “Eva - “

“I must get Molly to take Furban outside. Excuse me, Daniel.”

He watched her go, eyes narrowed in thought. Tonight she would be in his arms in his bed and he would not let her leave until she told him everything.

CHAPTER TWELVE

“Sssh, for pity’s sake, Eva, the actors will hear you.”

“Sorry, Claire, but you must admit he looks silly,” she whispered back.

“Silly? He looks like an overripe peach,” Claire added from her seat to Eva’s left.

“Sort of all hairy and fleshy, do you mean?”

Eva looked down at the actors again. This was her first play and she could not believe what was taking place around her. Not just the performance - which was actually not all that good - but the antics going on in the stalls below. People were screeching with laughter, some even throwing things at each other. Meanwhile, the actors were taking it all in their stride.

“His head could be the pip,” Lady Dunbar said. She and the Dowager Duchess were sitting to Eva’s right and Simon and Daniel were seated at the rear. Claire had at first been nervous about sitting so close to Daniel’s grandmother but the old lady had been surprisingly pleasant so far.