Page 41 of Loving a Dowager
Bertha’s accusations railed to the forefront of her mind. Henrietta replied, “I’ve already led a full life.”
“You’re not dead yet.” Archbroke gave her one of his most serious stares. “You are a Hadfield—don’t fail the legacy now. Hadfields are proponents of love, are they not?”
“George always said ‘to love is to live.’”
With a nod, Archbroke declared, “Then it is settled.”
“What is?” Conversing with a mastermind that expected everyone around him to keep up was exhausting.
Archbroke shrugged. “You are assigned to overseeing the matter of Lord Weathersbee.”
Blaming it on her lack of sleep, she blinked at her austere-looking nephew-in-law. “I beg your pardon.”
“You shall ensure Weathersbee’s continued silence regarding our existence. In doing so, I expect you to allow him the honor of loving you as you love him.” He returned to the entrance of the secret passageway. “Unless you choose to decline the assignment, and then I shall have to see to it he…”
“Heavens, no! I accept.”
“Grand. Best keep the man close.” With a wink, Archbroke disappeared into the dark passage.
She’d never failed to fulfill her duties as a PORF and guard the family secrets, and she wasn’t about to fail now.
Instead of the door sliding to a close, it flung open. With a clever retort to Archbroke’s parting comment on the tip of her tongue, Henrietta gasped when Walter instead of Archbroke appeared. “How did you get past Archbroke without detection? Never mind that; why are you here?”
Ignoring her question, Walter sealed the door closed and strode to the window to peek out from behind the curtains. She tapped her toe softly as she counted to ten.
On the count of twelve, Walter left his post by the window and came to stand inches away from her. His actions told her he’d been trained by someone as to how to go about undetected. George! Walter’s actions mirrored her own, the same precautions her deceased husband had insisted she master. Slowly, she tilted her head up to meet his gaze. A flash of admission in his warm brown eyes.
Walter opened his mouth and then shut it. He repeated the action twice before he said, “I’ve come to set matters straight.”
She really needed to get some sleep. Twice in the span of an hour, she found herself unable to follow another’s thoughts.
Walter took her hand and guided her over to the settee in front of the dying fire. His grip was light, not his usual warm clasp that engulfed her hand and made her feel safe. She fiddled with the creases of material that gathered at her waist while he stoked the flames. Walter rubbed his back as if it was aching. Henrietta was not alone in feeling the effects of their age. She halted her anxious movements and pressed her hand flat against her stomach to settle the fluttering inside that had begun as soon as Walter had entered her chamber.
When he turned to face her, she was about to inquire as to what ailed him, but the sadness in his eyes had her holding her tongue. Her hands began to sweat as her mind played out several scenarios of how Walter spent the evening with Bertha. The fluttering in her stomach was now a dull ache. He sat alongside Henrietta and his knee brushed up against hers. Henrietta held her breath in anticipation of the learning what caused Walter such torment. After all, he had said he was here to set matters between them straight. Gathering every ounce of patience, she clasped her hands tightly in her lap.
Walter reached over and rested one of his large hands over hers. His thumb stroked the back of her hand. “For years, I’ve suspected Lady Bertha may have held an affection for me…”
She didn’t want to hear the rest. Henrietta took his hand in hers and said, “There is no need to explain anything to me.”
Before she could utter another word, he kissed her. His tongue sought entrance and she granted it. The flicker of his tongue reminded her of the exquisite night of pleasure he had given her. She wanted to return the favor and give him the same sexual gratification. She slid her lips over his jaw and up to nip at his ear.
Walter pulled her lips back to his, and then when she was left breathless and wanting, he leaned back and said, “We are going to have a long discussion, you and I. I need you to agree to hold your tongue. At least long enough for me to explain everything.”
A little dazed from his kisses, she simply nodded. He kissed her like a passionate lover, not someone who was about to crush her hopes of experiencing the love of a man a second time.
“I have loved you every day since you entered my life.” Walter ran his hands down her arms and held her hands in his. “When we came to London the year of your coming out, I had an extravagant plan for you to remain unwed until I came of age. But then George hunted me down the same day he laid eyes upon you.” Face-to-face with her, he paused and searched her features, for what she wasn’t sure.
He inhaled deeply. “George kindly exploited the faults of my scheme and painted for me a different life for you. A life he could provide for you that I couldn’t. Your husband was extremely persuasive, but it wasn’t his arguments that made me trust him, it was the way he wore his emotions upon his sleeve and left me with no doubt that he’d love and cherish you.” Walter smiled.
It wasn’t a smile for her benefit. Walter clearly had admired and cared for George.
Walter patted her hand. “George quizzed me for hours upon hours during our first meeting on all sort of various topics, but none specifically about you. At the time I hadn’t realized his true intent. It was only years later, after knowing him, that I understood his purpose. He was studying me. My reactions to the questions combined with my responses told him exactly how best to approach and converse with you.”
George always conducted his affairs with multiple purposes, but why question Walter? Brows creased, she admitted, “I don’t understand.”
Walter chuckled. “I see I’m not explaining very well. George was a PORF, a descendent from the Hadfield line trained to obtain valuable information about others without being noticed. Unconsciously, each of my responses always alluded to your preferences.” He smiled. “Let me provide you an example. He had inquired as to my thoughts upon returning to Eton for another semester. Inevitably, my answer incorporated your feelings upon the inequity of education for girls versus boys, and the fact I hated to be away from you.”
“That’s not what I meant. I comprehend how he gained insight into me, but George was a master at multitasking. For what other purpose were his inquiries made? You were fourteen at the time.” She turned her hand over to interlace their fingers.
