Page 81 of Married to the Forbidden Duke
“You.” He racked his brains for a memory of her. “Who are you?”
“Charlotte Norburry, Your Grace. I am—IwasAlice’s friend.”
Thatdidstrike a memory, like flint against flint.
“You are the one she accused of putting something in her drink?” he asked.
To his surprise, she burst into tears and sobbed, her frame shuddering with the force of her distress. “I did, Your Grace. I thought—well, never mind what I thought. It wasn’t my place to take her revenge for her, especially when she said she never wanted it. I am so s-sorry.” She pressed her hands to her face. “But then I came here to see her and put everything to rights, butthe servants said she has not been at the house for days now, and I don’t know where she is, but—Your Grace, you mustfind her.”
Frederick stood stock still, lost in the maelstrom of his emotions. Days. Gone fordays? How could that be? No one had said a word to him.
He whirled on the butler. “Explain,” he growled in clipped tones.
“Her Grace and her lady’s maid left the house six days prior,” the man intoned, bowing his head. “She left a note for you in her bedchamber and instructed no one to inform you, so as not to distress you when you were already distressed.”
“And you listened to her?” he demanded, already heading for the stairs.
“Your Grace,” Mrs. Norburry called from behind him. “You must—”
“As for you,” he hissed, turning back to her. “Be grateful I am not calling a constable. But be warned, you will face my wrath when I return. She tried to tell me what you did, and I—” He cut the words off, not trusting himself to speak.
Not wanting to spare her another moment of his time, he hurried upstairs into Alice’s bedchamber. The room smelled stale, as though no one had been in it for a long time. Of course, servants must have been—keeping everything spotless, the bedturned down and the sides clear of dust—but he still felt the emptiness from her lack of presence.
How had he not noticed it until now?
He felt as though the world had tipped on its side and he was the only one desperately trying to right himself. There was a pressure on his chest as he spied the note on her pillow and ripped it open.
Dear Frederick,
If you are reading this, you will have noticed my absence. I hope it brings you a sense of peace. One day, perhaps, we can find our way back together, but I see that now is not the time. You do not trust me, and I cannot blame you for that. I hope you will come to see the truth in time.
Alice
She left no endearments, no words of affection. The paper sat starkly in his hands. He had not even noticed her absence in this house, because he had been trying so hard to absent himself.
“Where did she go?” he demanded to the door, where he knew the servants would be piling outside, waiting. “To one of the estates? Where? Which one?”
“Not one of our estates,” the butler said.
“Then where?”
“To Lord and Lady Ravenshire’s estate, I believe,” the man said. “She expressed an expectation that you would not find her there.”
“To hell with that. Ready my horse!”
“Now, Your Grace?” The butler glanced at the window and the darkness outside. “It is night, sir.”
“I know damn well what time of day it is, Wilson! Do you expect me to do everything myself?” He gritted his teeth as he strode past his waiting staff and back down the stairs.
The Ravenshire estate was not too far from London; he would not take too long bringing Alice back. For that was what he would do—he could not endure another moment apart after this. All he could do was hope she forgave him.
His stomach churned, threatening to expel everything he’d eaten, but he ignored it and carried on his way. Everyone scrambled to get his horse ready. The world spun, but he ignored the sensation as he accepted the reins and clambered laboriously aboard.
“Your Grace,” his groom said, the very same that had aided Frederick in purchasing a special saddle for Alice, for what felt like years ago now. “Please reconsider.”
“Come with me, if you are so concerned for my wellbeing,” Frederick snapped.
“I intend to, sir.”
