Page 50 of Lady of Charade
“I have an acquaintance who had mentioned knowing the woman. Told me she was from the area, and I thought perhaps you might have come across her.”
“She was a healer,” Torrington said gruffly. “We couldn’t summon the physician in time for my mother, and therefore she came to help.”
“I see,” David said, his heart now pumping hard as he realized he had likely found the man Sarah was searching for. “Did you come to know her well?”
The Earl shifted uncomfortably in his seat. “Well enough I suppose. She was a village girl. Why do you want to know?” He looked up suddenly, his countenance changed from one of dismissal to one of interest. “Do you happen to know where she is?”
David shook his head slowly. He hadn’t thought of this side of things. He had always assumed that the love was on Sarah’s mother’s side, that the Earl’s interest would have been a fleeting one. And yet… he was in nearly the same position, and his interest in Sarah certainly didn’t seem to be waning.
The only heart he had thought might be broken was Sarah’s, but what if the Earl was still searching for his lost love?
“She, ah…” he cleared his throat when he noted Torrington’s expectant expression. “She passed away a few years ago, I’m sorry to say.”
“I see,” Torrington said, dropping his eyes and hiding any further emotion. “Do you know anything about what happened to her?” He paused for a moment, as though realizing that he was showing far too much interest. “I ask as I’m sure her family would like to know. She had a sister. Though…”
He looked off into the distance, retreating into memories rather than remaining focused on David’s presence. David took a deep breath. Did he tell the Earl? Or did he allow Sarah to meet the man first, and have her tell him herself?
He recalled her plan to meet him, to determine what kind of person her father was before revealing the truth. David drummed his fingertips on the table, for once thinking through every possible outcome of this situation. He longed to tell Torrington, to ensure that Sarah’s news would be welcomed… and yet, he had made a promise, one he knew he must keep.
He took a deep breath.
“I shall tell my friend that indeed, you knew of Mary Jones. I, ah, heard she was rather lovely.”
A faraway smile crossed Torrington’s face.
“That she was. More than lovely,” Torrington said, looking down at his hands now. “She was beautiful, to be sure, but she was also gentle and kind. And yet she possessed a strength unlike any I had ever seen before. The tallest and burliest of men did not have the inner strength my— Miss Jones did.”
Miss Jones. David thought of his own Miss Jones and knew of what the man spoke, that was for sure.
He opened his mouth to thank Torrington, to ask if perhaps he might call upon him the next day, but just then a hand clamped over his shoulder.
“Redmond!” He turned to find an old acquaintance, Lord Hartley, standing behind him. “Good to see you, man. It’s been a time, hasn’t it? I was beginning to worry about you.”
Not worried enough, however, to seek him out. There were few who would do such a thing.
David looked back to introduce Torrington to Hartley, but only then did he notice the man had disappeared. Strange.
“Not to worry,” Hartley said, taking Torrington’s seat. “Your secret is safe with me.”
“My secret?”
“Of course! The fact you are here in this club when you are engaged to my cousin.”
“Your cousin? But—”
“Were you not aware that Lady Georgina and I were cousins? Through our mothers, as it were. She has long been out of London, of course, as they spend most of their time in Bath. Not to worry, Redmond, I didn’t say anything to the family of your… ah, preferences. You’re a good man and was there ever another who would understand, it would be me.”
“Yes, but,” David desperately cut in, “We arenotbetrothed. Not at all! Our families had one dinner together. I know my parents would like to see me with her, but I… my affections are otherwise engaged.”
Hartley’s eyebrows shot up to nearly his hairline. “Well, well, that is an interesting tidbit of information. The reason, perhaps, I have not seen you around here? Tell me, Redmond, do any of these beauties catch your eye?”
David looked around. Truth be told, for once, he hadn’t noticed any of the women who served both drinks as well as pleasures. He couldn’t very well explain that to Hartley, however.
He sighed. He was well and truly sunk.
“Carolina over there — you know, the redhead? Well, of course, you know her — or have, a time or two before,” Hartley chuckled. “She’s been staring at you since the moment you walked in here. If you want one last chance to take her for a ride, determine if marriage is really what you want, your secret is safe with me.”
David glanced over to where Lord Hartley pointed. Sure enough, there was Carolina, leaning over another gentleman to serve his drink, but her eyes were on David. She was a beauty, though in an entirely different way than Sarah. For so long, David had scoffed at his friends for deciding to spend the rest of their lives with one woman, and now here he was, contemplating very much the same. Could he do it as well? At the moment he was sure, but would that change? He was well aware of how fickle he was — one only needed to ask his parents, or even Hartley himself across the table here. He cursed as he tried to determine what it was he should be doing with his life. At the very least, there was one first step he must make.
