Page 96 of Marigold and the Marquess
Having relayed all the information she thought important, Marigold thanked Ian and rose. “We won’t take up any more of your valuable time.”
Ian smiled and came around his desk to kiss his wife. “What have you done with our little heathens?”
She laughed. “I left them unsupervised with hatchets and knives. What can happen?”
“Well, that’s all right then.” Now also laughing, he kissed her again. “See you at home, love.” He then turned to Marigold. “Don’t fret. Your husband has a level head.”
“One would not think so by his actions,” Marigold muttered.
“I’ve known him a long time,” he said. “He irritates the hell out of me sometimes. But he will never do anything to jeopardize Lorcan’s life or our investigation. He’ll rant and rage, but when it comes down it, he will do what’s right.”
She nodded. “Thank you, Ian.”
However, she would have described Leo as possessed and possibly crazed rather than merely irritating. Yet, Ian did know Leo very well, so she had to trust his judgement.
They returned to Dillie’s carriage.
“Care to come home with me? Or do you have other plans for today? Other than tearing off after Leo, I mean,” Dillie said.
“Would you be terribly offended if you just drop me off at home? I have yet to finish my lecture, and I have not prepared for our cousins meeting tomorrow. Since I am hosting, I had better make certain there is food in the house to feed you all. I have also asked my friends, Syd and Gory, to stop by afterward. I wanted to read them my speech for the Hall of Dragons exhibit opening.”
“Oh, let them come earlier. We have nothing important to discuss among the cousins, anyway. Invite my mother and Lady Eloise, as well. I’m sure they’d love to hear it.”
Marigold smiled. “Would you mind if I included Lady Withnall, too?”
Dillie laughed heartily. “Not at all. I adore her. She has been nothing but wonderful to me and Ian. Yes, please do. Oh, what fun. I am looking forward to learning about your dragons. The entire family will be attending the ceremony and lecture, too. But it is so much more interesting to have this first peek. Oh, this was a quick trip. We are on Chipping Way already. I wonder if my mother is at home? I might stop in for a quick cup of tea with her before returning to my children. I really have nothing more to do besides kiss them before they go in for their nap.”
“Thank you for everything, Dillie.” Marigold hugged her cousin and then scampered out of the carriage with the assistance of her attentive footmen. She thanked them, too, and then hurried inside.
Her first order of business was to sit with her cook and their newly hired housekeeper, another Mayhew relative by the name of Martha Mayhew. They reviewed what was to be served during tomorrow’s cousins meeting. Afterward, Marigold went upstairs and finished a rough draft of her lecture. She would polish it after she heard her cousins’ comments.
The morale of her staff perked up when they saw she was going on about her business in Leo’s absence.
Inwardly, she was hurting terribly. However, it served no purpose to moan and despair.
Passing the night alone was hardest for her.
She and Leo had been married less than a month, and yet she could no longer remember a time when she had not been sharing a bed with him.
It seemed ridiculous that she should feel so empty without his big, warm body beside her.
The words he had written in his note whirled in her head as she lay in bed and stared into the darkness.If you choose never to forgive me and we must part, I will understand and respect your wishes.
Tears filled her eyes.
She never wanted to part from him.
Would he give her the choice?
Marigold woke early the next morning, washed, dressed, and then polished a few details of her speech. By noon, all was in readiness for her to receive her family and friends.
Dillie marched in early, which would have been considered a scandalousfaux pasin ordinary circumstances. But they were family and any of her cousins were welcome to come by whenever they wished. “Have you heard anything from Leo?” she asked, breezing into the parlor where Marigold’s staff had just finished setting out the tea, sandwiches, and cakes.
“Not a word. He is thinking only of revenge. I am inconsequential. Truly, Dillie. You needn’t soothe me. I know his quest for vengeance matters more to him than I do.”
Dillie frowned, but snapped her mouth shut.
“Hopefully, Lorcan will manage to pound sense into him. Leo has to understand Cummings needs to be brought back to London alive. This investigation appears to be moving fast. Between Ian and Mr. Barrow, they have left no stone unturned. I only hope Leo…” The words suddenly caught in her throat. “…that he does not do anything stupid to interfere.”
