Page 33 of His Forsaken Duchess
“Thank you, Miss Smith,” she said brightly, rising from the vanity. “That will be all for now.”
The moment the door closed behind her maid, Audrey’s resolve solidified. She descended the staircase, her thoughts whirring as she spotted Potts sitting near the grand fireplace, his nose buried in a ledger.
“Potts,” she called, startling the butler into an upright position. “Have the newspapers arrived from London?”
He bowed, then adjusted his glasses. “The weather has been most unkind, Your Grace. We do receive them on occasion, but deliveries have been sporadic.”
Audrey nodded thoughtfully, though she couldn’t care less about the news. But she was curious about what the gossip sheets had to say about Lilianna.
“How disappointing. Well, do let me know if they arrive. Oh, and I believe I’m ready for breakfast now.”
Potts hesitated for a fraction of a second before saying, “Breakfast has been served in the morning room, Your Grace.”
Audrey cursed inwardly.
Of course, breakfast is an informal affair. Why didn’t I think of that?
Still, she smiled graciously. “Very good. I shall go there.”
How do I get him to leave the foyer?
Potts returned his attention to his ledger, and Audrey retreated to the morning room, berating herself for the misstep. She forced herself to eat slowly, even as her mind raced. Then, just as she wiped her mouth with her napkin, a voice rang out in the hallway.
“Mr. Potts! Come quick!” Mrs. Potts called, her tone uncharacteristically urgent. “You must see this—Cook’s marmalade jars are glowing like fireflies under the morning sun! I’ve never seen anything so peculiar!”
Audrey’s ears perked up, and she stilled, listening for the butler’s hurried footsteps. When she heard him leave, she rose calmly, smoothing her skirts as she exited the morning room. Her pace quickened as she ascended the staircase, and by the time she reached the first landing, she glanced over her shoulder to ensure the coast was clear. Satisfied, she gathered her skirts and made for the west wing at a near run.
The hallway stretched before her, eerily silent. At first, it looked unremarkable—identical to the east wing in every way. The same polished floors, the same ornate sconces. But the air was different. Heavier. Colder.
Audrey began testing the doors, her heart pounding in her chest. Linen closets, storage rooms, nothing of note. Her excitement began to wane until she opened a door at the end of the hall and froze.
It was a bedroom. Feminine. Delicate. And utterly untouched.
The air in the room felt as though it had not been disturbed in years. A book lay open on the nightstand, its pages yellowed with time. A hairbrush rested on the vanity, golden strands still caught in its bristles. Clothes were neatly folded on a chair, ready to be worn.
Audrey stepped inside, her slippered feet barely making a sound on the carpeted floor.
Cecilia.The name echoed in her mind like a ghost.
She lingered, taking in every detail, her heart aching for the sister-in-law she’d never met. After a long moment, she forced herself to leave, quietly shutting the door behind her.
“Why would he want to hide his sister’s room?”
She moved further down the hall and came to another door, this one larger, more ornate.
Inside, the room was grand, befitting a duke and duchess. But it, too, felt frozen in time. The bed, with its heavy curtains, was perfectly made, though dust lingered in the air. On the desk near the window, scattered papers lay untouched. The faint scent of lavender hung in the air, clinging stubbornly to the space.
“This makes no sense.”
Audrey stepped cautiously into the room. Her foot brushed against something near the nightstand, and she looked down. An empty glass bottle rolled lazily across the wood. She crouched down to retrieve it, noticing several more tucked beneath the bed.
Her chest tightened as she rose, holding the bottle in her hands.
What happened here?
The question echoed in her mind, heavy and unrelenting.
She set the bottle down and turned toward the desk. Perhaps it held answers. But just as she took a step forward, a voice rang out behind her.
