Page 54 of His Accidental Duchess

“Before I forget, Mama, I have something for you.”

She took out the envelope with the money Mrs. Haunt had given her and handed it to her mother.

Octavia studied her, a muscle in her jaw ticking. “Is this money, Anna?”

Anna felt uncomfortable. “Yes, Mama. To pay the servants. I know we owe them a great deal. His Grace is going to give me a generous allowance, and I intend to ask him to help fund repairs to the house, and set aside dowries for the twins.”

Octavia said nothing, her gaze still fixed on the envelope of money. For one awful moment, Anna thought that her mother was about to hand it back. And then what would all of this have been for?

“What a wonderful thing it is,” Octavia murmured instead, “to have enough money to smooth out problems like a wrinkle in clean linen. Never take it for granted, my dear.”

“No, Mama,” Anna said, a little taken aback. “I won’t.”

With a sigh, Octavia slid the envelope up her sleeve. “I have something for you, too. It arrived yesterday, as I imagine this is the only address he has.”

“He?” Anna echoed, a shiver running down her spine.

Octavia nodded. “I’m sure you can guess who I’m referring to.”

She withdrew a small envelope from her other sleeve and handed it to Anna.

Anna recognized Henry’s handwriting immediately. Her name—her maiden name, of course, but Henry wouldn’t know that—was scrawled across the front, as well as directions to St. Maur Manor.

It occurred to her then that Henry did not know that she’d married his brother.Shehadn’t told him, and nobody had the address of his lodgings.

Of course, if any of the gossips in London knew where Henry was staying, not only would it become public knowledge within a day, but he would be bombarded with letters demanding an explanation from people who were not entitled to an explanation. Doubtless, many of his so-called friends would break their necks in their eagerness to be the first to tell the shocking Lord Henry Stanley that his infamous brother had married his jilted bride.

It was all so lurid.

Shuddering, Anna dropped the letter into her pocket. She longed to read it, of course, but now was not the time. Who knew what it might say? Henry was always so indiscreet, and he might say something that should not be commonly known. If Emily or Daphne got a hold of the letter—or heaven forbid, Kitty—who knew where the information would end up?

Anna met her mother’s eyes. “You didn’t read it?”

Octavia raised an eyebrow. “You see the seal is unbroken. I’m not in the habit of violating my daughters’ privacy.”

Anna flushed. “It’s just that… I know you’re angry with Henry, and I don’t want you to try to get him into trouble.”

Her mother folded her hands in front of her waist, with the same cool, unflappable air Anna had seen in Mrs. Haunt only a few hours ago.

“I don’t deny it. If Lord Henry Stanley returns to England, he’ll have me to answer to.”

Anna shook her head. “He won’t return.”

“And does that upset you? Tell me truthfully, Anna, are you nursing a broken heart?”

To her horror, Anna found herself conjuring up an image not of Henry, her old friend, but ofTheo. That wretched, infuriating man with a perfect face and that irritating smugness about him. She was never sure whether she wanted to slap him or kiss him.

Both, ideally.

Unfortunately, with their visit to the opera that very night, Anna was going to have to spend a good few hours in his presence.

She looked up, meeting her mother’s eyes squarely. “No,” she said, with perfect sincerity. “No, Mama, I am not.”

CHAPTER 15

Tonight was the night. Of the Fairhavens’ ball, that is.

Theodore inspected his reflection in the mirror morosely. He looked immaculate, of course. He generally did. His deep green velvet suit was not exactlytraditionalsoirée wear, and would certainly cause a genteel stir among the other guests, and likely in the Society papers the next day. Still, that hardly mattered. He was going to attract attention regardless of what he wore, as a new groom with his shocking bride.

---