Page 93 of Rescued from Betrayal
When Javenia’s laughter ceased, he said, “Can we speak about why this is truly providential?”
“No need to pout, Algenon.” Javenia grinned at him and he stuck his tongue out at her.
Everyone laughed, including Algenon. The tension in the room dissipated and conversation turned to the next evening’s event.
“If I am correct,” Nathaniel said, “Lord Caraway will be attending this musicale due to some connection with the family. And if he is going to be there, I would wager Lady Edith will be there as well. You can observe them for yourself, Melior, and perhaps speak with her.”
Melior began shaking her head before he even finished. Her heart pounded, knowing a confrontation with Edith would only divulge her own secret. “I have no wish to ask. In truth, I have been wondering if we ought not let all of this go. If she was truly the wrongdoer, perhaps no one else will be hurt. There is no use in belaboring the argument if I was her only target.”
Nathaniel rose. “But what about what she did to you?”
His agitation made the knot in her chest grow tighter, but if she wanted to keep him from the truth, no one could speak with Edith. “It does not matter anymore. It worked out for the best.” She tried to give him a flirtatious smile, but worried it looked as forced as it felt.
“Well, I cannot let it go as easily.” He walked around the desk to pace along the rug.
Algenon and Javenia glanced at one another and Javenia motioned with her head to the door. Melior caught his subtle nod of agreement and frowned. They would desert her at a time like this?
But no one had a chance to leave as the knocker on the front door rang throughout the house moments before sobbing could be heard downstairs. Heavy, quick footsteps on the stairs announced someone’s rapid approach. Melior and Nathaniel met them in the hall.
“Who is it?” Nathaniel asked the panicked footman.
“A lady, my lord. She insists on seeing Lady Stanford right away.”
Melior scurried past them and rushed down the stairs. Grabbing the banister, she swung around the end of the stairs and entered the parlor.
Her eyes widened at the woman who sat with her head in her hands, sobs wracking her body.
She did the only thing she could. She sat down and wrapped her arm around Agatha.
Chapter 31
Nathaniel waved the others away from the door knowing Melior would not want company while she spoke with Lady Agatha. He too, decided to attend to a few matters of his own. Perhaps after answering his mother’s letter and seeing to all the other invitations left over the last two days, he’d come back and check on them.
When he returned to his study he shuffled through the stack of correspondence and found a letter he’d not realized the butler had delivered. Flipping it over, he broke the Newhurst seal.
Nate,
It is with great sadness that I announce the death of your neighbor, Mrs. Wayland.
Nathaniel stopped and reread the words twice.
But they had only been gone a few days. How had she deteriorated so fast? His next thought was for his mother. Mrs. Wayland had been a dear friend to her for the last twenty years, ever since the woman had married Mr. Wayland. After his mother’s sickness had kept her homebound, Mrs. Wayland hadvisited every day. They had spent so much time together before Mrs. Wayland’s own illness, and he would be forever grateful for the woman’s kindness.
How would his mother react to her friend’s death? Should he do as Melior said and stop pursuing Lady Edith so they could return to Havencrest?
No, they needed to stay, if only for her uncle’s nuptials. What if he left Melior to attend her uncle’s marriage and had Al bring her home? He slapped the letter down on his desk. That would not work. Al and Javenia had ridden with him. He could rent a horse, but the thought of leaving Melior alone when he had no idea what she was up against rankled him.
If only he could split himself and be in two places at once. Spinning around, he marched back down to the parlor to tell Melior, only remembering their visitor at the last second. He stopped outside the doors when Lady Agatha spoke.
“I am sorry, Melior. I knew she disliked your pursuit of Lord Caraway, but I had no idea she would go this far.”
Melior’s lower tones were harder to hear, so he leaned closer. “I am only sorry that she has turned her wrath on you.”
“I should never have accepted to go for a drive through Hyde Park with him. Edith warned me away, but I thought she was merely jesting. You know how cutting her humor can be.”
“It is not humor, Agatha. We only thought it was. She is far more calculating than either of us realized.”
“No,” Lady Agatha cried.
