Page 52 of His Duchess' Wicked List

Suddenly, in the far distance, he saw a carriage circling to the front of the house. It pulled up. He waited to see who would emerge out of it, but no one did.

And that was when it dawned on him that the carriage was waiting for someone.

His heart seized. It was waiting for Maddie.

Instinctively, he started running through the gardens, surprising Lord and Lady Carruthers, who were taking a morning stroll. He veered around them, too intent on his task to even greet them. The lady almost dropped her parasol.

He kept running. His breathing was ragged, but he pushed on, skirting the side of the house, reaching the front just as Maddie was stepping into the carriage. To his dismay, Christopher was there, helping her climb into it.

He stopped abruptly. His hands balled into fists.

She was leaving Stansgate. She was leaving the house party. She had told him she was before they made love, but he had thought she had changed her mind. He thought he had convinced her, through touch if not words, that they could work this out.

He couldn’t bear it.

He rushed forward, almost jostling Christopher out of the way.

“My apologies, Cousin,” he said through gritted teeth. “I was walking and didn’t realize Lady Madeline was leaving us. I must say farewell and wish her a safe journey.”

Christopher smiled indulgently. “Of course, Daniel. Lady Madeline has been seized by a sudden illness and needs to go home. You couldn’t have known.” He peered into the carriage, staring at Maddie. “I will be in touch, My Lady. I will call on you when I return to London. I hope you feel better soon.”

“Thank you, Lord Christopher,” she replied in a faint voice. “I look forward to it.” She smiled at him politely.

Daniel waited for his cousin to walk back into the house. But he didn’t. Christopher simply stood back, waiting for Daniel to say farewell. It was intensely frustrating, but there was nothing he could do about it.

Maddie wasn’t alone in the carriage either. Her lady’s maid was sitting opposite, looking a trifle disgruntled, probably out of sorts at the haste of the departure.

Daniel stared at Maddie. She was pale, looking like she trulywasill. Gently, he took her hand, staring into her beautiful honey-brown eyes that seemed to stir his innermost soul.

“Farewell, My Lady,” he said in a formal tone. “Thank you for coming, and I do hope that you feel better soon.”

She inclined her head politely. “Thank you, Your Grace. You have been a charming host, and Stansgate is truly magnificent. It has been a pleasure.”

There was silence. She looked down, trying to pull her hand out of his. In response, he tightened it. He couldn’t help it.

She laughed uncomfortably. “I must go, Your Grace. I feel so ill that I simplymustget home. It is a long journey.”

“Of course,” he relented in a tight voice.

From the corner of his eye, he saw that Christopher had turned away, saying something to one of the coachmen. He leaned towards her. His heart was beating fast.

“This is goodbye,” she murmured, her eyes flickering.

Daniel’s heart seized again. “This is not over,” he whispered so that the maid couldn’t hear. “I swear it.”

Maddie pulled her hand out of his sharply, rapping on the roof of the carriage. Christopher turned back to them. Daniel stepped back, closing the door. The coachman cracked the whip, and the carriage pulled away, rambling down the driveway and through the high gates.

She was gone.

Daniel watched until it vanished from sight. His heart was beating hard, and he felt slightly ill.

“How about a game of billiards, old chap?” Christopher asked casually. “We haven’t spent much time together since the horde descended on the house. What say you?”

Daniel gritted his teeth. He didn’t even want to look at his cousin.

You are claiming what is mine. You have no right.

The thought shocked him. He swallowed it down, trying to suppress the anger and jealousy, turning to his cousin. None of this was Christopher’s fault—at least, his cousin didn’t realize what was happening between him and Maddie. He didn’t know that he was stepping into his territory.

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