The Duke's Divorce (The Reluctant Grooms Series Volume IV) (19 page)

Upon their arrival at Cantin House, Edwards
met them at the door.

“Your Grace, my lady, welcome home,” he
said.

“Edwards,” Robert said entering the
foyer.

Fiona noticed the crispness of his tone, as
if upon entering the city limits of London, a spell had been cast
over him and transformed her husband back into the autocrat she
despised.

“Mr. Edwards, how lovely to see you,” Fiona
said gaily. “I trust you are well?”

Robert shot her a look of admonishment.

Edwards acknowledged her query, and then
busied himself overseeing the removal of the trunks from the
carriage.

As they walked down the hall, Robert
whispered, “I do wish you would stop inquiring of the servants.
They are servants, not friends.”

“Surely you cannot mean that?” Fiona stood
aghast

“Yes, I do,” he said.

“They are
people
who are to be treated
with respect.”

“I respect them for how they do their job in
this household. They are afforded a decent bed, salary, and time
off. They
work
for me. They are not my companions, nor do I
wish to have them as such. And you, my dear, will do best to
remember that.”

As he left her standing in the hall, Fiona
wondered where the Robert she had just spent the previous weeks in
Swansea with had gone. She flounced her way up to her room,
slamming the door behind her.

Of all the indecent things to say! Treat the
servants as servants without giving a care for their health or
well-being. Oh, the man was too much!

Fiona changed out of her traveling gown,
donned a light grey day frock, and helped Merry unpack her trunks,
then sought out her mother-in-law.

“Here you are, at last,” Lady Joanna said
when Fiona stepped into the conservatory. “Robert told me of your
return, but I thought you were resting.”

Fiona kissed her cheek. “No, I only changed
my gown. How do you fare?”

“Very well, very well.” Lady Joanna pulled
off her gardening gloves. “However the larger question is, how do
you
fare, my dear? You and Robert ran off so quickly, and
with such a cryptic note, I must admit I was a little worried.”
Lady Joanna walked toward the doorway. “Shall we take tea, and you
may tell me all about your adventure.”

Fiona followed her to the small salon and
Lady Joanna pulled the bell. When James the Elder appeared, she
asked for tea and cakes, which were brought immediately.

“Now tell me how you found the seaside,” Lady
Joanna said, turning her full attention on Fiona.

Fiona gushed over the memories of her time
spent in Swansea. She knew she would never forget it as long as she
lived.

“Robert mentioned you have come to an
understanding,” Lady Joann said lightly over the rim of her
teacup.

“I’m not sure I comprehend your meaning.”
What understanding?

“He expressed you no longer growl like baited
bears while in the same room. He also mentioned he was very
impressed with the way you helped him with his business
arrangements.”

“I did nothing except to reschedule when
Robert did not feel well.”

Lady Joanna smiled. “Fiona dearest, you are
too modest by half. Robert told me of your dinner party, and the
luncheon for the Vicar. He said you entertained beautifully and
modestly, and he was very impressed with your knowledge of the
topics presented at table.”

“Robert said that?” Fiona was now certain
that somehow, the Almighty had presented Lady Joanna with twins and
one had been hiding since birth. Robert had merely thanked her for
her choice of menus for the events. Why couldn’t he have heaped his
own praise, instead of Fiona learning of it second-hand?

“He regaled me with the story of how you put
out the fire in Sir Grentham’s pocket.”

“Oh dear, yes, well, that was certainly a
sight to be sure.” The poor old man had placed his smoldering pipe
in his pocket and it had caught fire. Before anyone could react,
Fiona took her glass of wine and dumped it in his pocket.

Lady Joanna laughed. “I surely would liked to
have seen it. And what did you say? ‘Now, there is no need to carry
a flask, you only have to suck on your pocket.’ Priceless, my dear,
absolutely priceless.”

Fiona smiled. Thankfully, Sir Grentham had
also seen the humor in it. Looking back, Robert had seemed amused
as well.

“Now, my dear, lest I forget, Robert has
charged me to put together a dinner party here. He has an idea for
new legislation to put through a committee, but as you know, all
things Parliament must be discussed beforehand. I believe I shall
leave this dinner to you.”

“Oh no, Lady Joanna, I could not. The dinner
in Swansea was merely a small party. I should not know how to
assemble a larger gathering.”

“Pish, my dear, ‘tis the same thing. The only
change is the menu. Robert fancies the full board for one of these
and Edwards, I assure you, will do all of the work. Your only
requirement is to discuss the menu with Cook. Robert will give you
the guest list.” Lady Joanna placed her teacup on its saucer.

Fiona bit her bottom lip. A dinner party for
members of Parliament seemed a great undertaking, although if
Edwards shouldered most of the responsibility, Fiona would only
have to be gay and entertaining on her side of the dinner table.
That did not seem so hard.

“Very well,” Fiona said. “I shall try.
However, I will still need your help.”

“I shall have Edwards give you the books and
you may look them over.”

“Books?”

“Yes, of course dearest. Every great house
has a book in which all major events are recorded, balls, dinners,
teas, any kind of celebration really. You will find all you need in
it, from the invitations, guest lists, and menus, right down to the
seating arrangements, which you really must pay attention to,
precedence and all that, you know. I shall have Edwards bring them
up.” She glanced at the clock. “I’m delighted you are returned my
dear, but I must dash. I promised Olivia I would join her for
luncheon.” Lady Joanna rose, kissed Fiona good-bye, and
departed.

Fiona finished her tea, and then walked to
the library where she knew she would find Robert.

“Your mother mentioned you wished to have a
dinner party,” she said from the open doorway.

Robert glanced up from his desk, impatience
on his face. “Yes.”

“Have you the guest list ready?”

“Edwards has it. Why do you ask? My mother is
taking care of it.”

“Your mother gave me the responsibility,”
Fiona said and turned to walk away.

“What? No.” Robert stood. “Where is she? I
shall speak with her directly.”

“She has gone to luncheon with Lady Olivia.,”
she said, petulance tingeing her voice. “Tell me, my lord, do you
think I could not handle the task? I was dependable enough for you
in Swansea.”

“That was different, ‘twas just the vicar and
a few of the local villagers. This is very important to me, Fiona.
I do not wish to have any misgivings about the evening.”

“I see. So you only wish to use my abilities
as duchess when it suits you.”

“Fiona, that is not what I meant.”

“Yes, my lord,” she said and then sighed. “It
is.” With that, she walked away and up to her room.

*****

What a mess he’d made, again. Robert sat back
down in his chair and looked at the paperwork he had yet to do.
There must be an easier way to get along with the chit. Perhaps
she’d been right all along. If he had just sent her off to the
Continent the day they had married, no one would have been the
wiser and he wouldn’t be feeling like such a cad.

He had to give her credit. Fiona had done
extremely well in Swansea meeting the local Society. There wasn’t
much to it, only Sir Grentham and his wife, along with Billinscord,
Viscount Douglas, and the Vicar and his wife. However, this dinner
was something different. This was a dinner for the conservative
members of Parliament whom he needed on his side. It would only
take five votes to pass the bill and Robert needed every one. In
asking his mother to oversee the evening, as he had done for so
long, Robert was assured of those five votes. His mother could
charm the snakes in India. He had completely forgotten Fiona would
be his hostess.

He bellowed for Edwards who took a few
minutes to appear, which was in itself, extremely unusual.

“Your Grace.”

Edwards’ cheeky tone drew Robert’s eye.
“Edwards, it seems my mother has foisted the dinner party off on
Fiona. Could you see to it there are no mistakes?”

Edwards wrinkled his nose. “Forgive me, Your
Grace. I believe there has been a misunderstanding.”

“I beg your pardon. What kind of
misunderstanding?”

“Lady Joanna instructed me to bring the
household books to Lady Fiona. In trying to give them to her just
now, she told me she had no need of them, that you forbid her to
plan the party. She asked me to return the books to my office.”

Insolence in his butler’s tone along with a
look of disappointment in his eye was not to be borne. Good Lord,
the woman had usurped his entire staff.

“Where is she?” Robert stood. He would take
care of this right now.

“She, Your Grace?”

More impertinence! “My wife, Edwards.”

“I believe Lady Fiona was to go for a walk
with her maid.”

Robert sat back down. “Fine. Ask her to step
in when she returns.” He noted Edwards’ stiff upper lip.
“
Please
, ask her to step in when she returns, Edwards, if
you would be so kind.”

“Very good, Your Grace.”

Several hours passed and still Fiona did not
appear. During a late luncheon, which Robert had waited for her
until he was practically starved, he’d asked Edwards if she was
dodging him. Edwards’ face clearly showed alarm. If Edwards was
worried, then perhaps Robert should be as well. Where could the
damn girl be? Perhaps she’d sought solace with one of her
friends.

“Edwards, send Eammon round to Fiona’s usual
haunts, see if he can round her up, would you?” Robert said as he
left the dining room

“Her usual haunts, Your Grace?”

“Yes, her friends, Lady Penny, and Mrs.
Gaines. I’m sure she must be with them.”

“As you wish, Your Grace.”

Eammon returned within the hour and reported
to Robert that neither the Duchess of Caymore, nor Mrs. Gaines had
seen Lady Fiona all day. As a matter of fact, neither of them had
even known of her return from the seaside.

Robert found himself with an uneasy feeling
in his stomach. He ordered his horse saddled. He would ride through
Town and find her himself. Damned silly chit, she was probably
sulking somewhere.

The afternoon sun slanted toward four o’clock
as he raced Zeus toward the Park and down along the Row. Perhaps
she and her maid were by the Serpentine. Instead, he found William,
whom he implored to help in the search.

Taking off in different directions, they met
back at Cantin House an hour later, where Edwards informed them
Fiona had not returned. However, his mother had and was in near
hysterics. Robert bade Edwards to round up the footman who could
ride and have them search the city as well. He needed to find her
before it became dark. London at night was no place for an
unescorted duchess and her maid.

Where could she possibly be? William had
searched the Park again and Mayfair while Robert had gone to the
shops on Bond Street and around Piccadilly. He gave the footmen
directions to spread out as far as an hour’s ride would take them
and then return to Cantin House. If she had not been found by then,
they were to set off again in different directions and expand their
search. Robert sent Eammon to scour the finer restaurants within
the city.

Robert took off again, his mother’s face pale
as she sat by the front windows in the green salon. How she’d come
to be so attached to the girl in such a short time, Robert could
not fathom, but he knew if he didn’t bring Fiona home his mother
would worry herself to death. And that was one thing Robert could
not bear.

As he rode toward Whitehall, Robert tried to
think like Fiona. Where would she go with her maid? She was angry
with him, and certainly had every right to be, but that was no
cause to run off without word. Fiona was a steady girl and knew her
limitations. Even those imposed by him. She promised always to take
her maid with her when she walked, so there was some consolation
there. If the two of them were together perhaps this was not so
dire a situation as he feared. Then again, this was London. Any
danger could have befallen them, and Robert pushed that thought
from his mind. He
would
find her.

Robert rode through the streets to Lambeth
Bridge. Certain she wouldn’t have gone over, her maid surely would
have kept her from crossing but then again, this was Fiona in a
pique. She could have bloody well walked home to Scotland for all
he knew.

A slight rain had begun, the cobblestones
slick beneath Zeus’ hooves, and the temperature had dropped
substantially. Robert grew cold beneath his damp jacket and
waistcoat. He could imagine how Fiona must feel dressed only in her
gown and pelisse. After he’d found her and brought her home, gotten
her into a warm bath and bed, then he would kill her.

He brought Zeus to rein in the middle of High
Street, Lambeth, and decided to head back. He couldn’t find her
this way. Of the hundreds of people he’d asked, no one had seen
her. He was certain this latest folly would make it into the
scandal sheets on the morrow. The headline –

Duke of Cantin’s Wife Runs Away Over
Dinner Party
.

Robert pressed Zeus home.

Upon arriving, Robert felt sure she would be
there, begging forgiveness for upsetting the household, but one
look at Edwards’s face and he knew Fiona was not within. She should
have been home by now, angry with him or not.