Page 54 of The Artisan and the Duke
Gregory breathed in deeply to calm his frayed nerves. He had come here to get Jules, not to leave her here. Yet that was exactly what he was expected to do, what he had to do. “Please, hurry, Dulock,” Gregory said tightly. “I will go to the House of Lords with this if I must.”
The walk outside was a long one, and when they finally emerged, Thompson and the brothers looked at them expectantly. The men’s faces fell as they noticed the Duchess was not with the Duke and his brother. “The young miss?” Talbert asked warily.
“They cannot find her,” Fredrick said as he knew his brother did not wish to speak any more of it.
Talbert balked, “How do you lose a Duchess?”
“Apparently, it happens all the time,” Gregory sneered. “They will find her, or they will all pay the price for it.”
Olly nudged his brother and jerked his head for the boy to shut up and get on his horse. The ride to the manor house was quiet as no one wanted to draw Gregory’s ire again. They all exchanged glances of worry as they rode behind the enraged nobleman.
***
“This is an outrage! It is a pure slight against our family!” Lady St Claire howled after Gregory had told her of all that had happened. “My son gets accosted, and now your wife has been falsely accused of such horrible things. Someone is out to destroy us, Gregory.”
Gregory nodded. “Do you think Uncle had anything to do with it?”
“The man is obsessed, but to do such things. You really think he would have had your brother killed?” Lady St Claire shook her head as if she did not want to think about it.
Gregory tapped the dining room table that they sat around. “He very much intended me to go to war and die so that he could take my place. It is not that much of a leap, Mother,” Gregory said in irritation. “Besides we all know that he killed Father. Refusing to say it aloud does not change that.”
Lady St Claire bowed her head. “I don’t know what to do, Gregory.”
“There is precious little we can do, except to stick to our story about the Duchess’ origins,” Gregory said in dissatisfaction. “I have to go see the constable about the highwaymen that attacked Fredrick.”
Lady St Claire asked, “Have they been apprehended? I would like very much to look at them.”
“I got word sent to me this morning that they are being held outside the city until I can come and confirm they are the men who had Fredrick,” Gregory said. He gave his mother a nod and continued, “Mother, I really do not think that you wish to speak with the men who abducted Fredrick. Fred himself is not going for fear that he might try to attack them.”
Lady St Claire sat back in her chair and sighed, “Perhaps you are right. I might forget my raising and hurt one of them.”
Gregory smiled. “I can think of worse things to have to happen than one of those scoundrels getting hurt, Mother, but it would be best to preserve your reputation,” Gregory agreed.
Fredrick happened into the room, the clink-clank of his new cane on the floor announcing his arrival loud and clear. “Morning, Mother, Gregory,” Fredrick said solemnly. He looked at Gregory. “You are heading out to the country then?”
“I am indeed,” Gregory said. “I would be appreciative if you would stay close by the manor in case Barrister Dulock makes any headway. I want one of us to be at the ready to go retrieve the Duchess.”
Fredrick dipped his head in acceptance of this. “I swear I will be waiting at the ready for any word on her Lady’s whereabouts.”
Gregory stood up and walked over to his brother. He put his hand on Fredrick’s shoulder. “No one blames you for what happened. I would, however, like a few words with Mr Larkin,” Gregory said.
Fredrick nodded. “No one blames me except for perhaps myself,” he said quietly. “Go swiftly and get those rogues sent to jail. Perhaps they will tell you who set them on me in the first place.”
***
Jules sat against a damp brick wall. She had no idea where she was and was only vaguely aware of the passing of day and night. Wherever she was, there were other women, but the women seemed to shun her due to her clothes. Jules just kept her head down and tried to avoid attracting attention to herself.
As much as she wanted to scream out to be released, was that really fair to the other women here? Had she not done as much or worse than most of them? Jules resigned herself to this being her punishment. Surely if Gregory intended to come for her then he would have by now. No doubt whatever story David had concocted had already reached Gregory causing him to shed the very notion of her from his heart.
“Are you really a Duchess?” a woman named Ruby asked as they sat resting from a morning of working.
Jules shrugged, “I used to be. I guess I am probably not anymore. I didn’t start out as one. I started out as a mason.”
“A mason?” Ruby asked as she wrinkled up her nose.
Jules smiled and nodded. “My father was a mason, and he didn’t have any sons,” she said with pride. She felt better telling someone who she was. So often since she had been here, people just heard her title and thought they knew her life.
“I had a friend growing up that learned to be a baker from her father,” Ruby said. They exchanged a smile and then fell into silence. At least it was not the heavy, uncomfortable silence as it had been before, Jules thought.
