Page 51 of The Phantom Duke
He seated himself against the black, cushioned seat, and his thoughts turned to Maria. Damien dug his nails into the palms of his hands. He had done something kind for her.
Two kindnesses, in fact. She ought to be pleased. His wife did not detest him, which he supposed was better than he might have anticipated from her. Damien could not say for certain why he cared that she was pleased, but he did. A small, shameful part of him roared to life, wondering if Maria might feel gratitude enough to express her delight in a mutually satisfying way.
The footman shut the door to the carriage, which jolted into a sharp and sudden motion. They were not a great distance from Willow Street, so he turned his head towards the curtained window and tried not to think at all.
CHAPTER 15
“Lady Maria! I mean, my apologies, Your Grace,” Doctor Drayford called out to Maria from the door of his study.
Maria had arrived at the orphanage to collect Gilbert for his visit to Winterleigh. She stopped in the corridor as the doctor hurried to her. His normally morose face was illuminated from within, and he walked with a new energy. He clutched a piece of paper; in fact, he was waving it with a somewhat uncomely amount of enthusiasm.
“I must thank you most sincerely and…well, there are no words. Simply no words!”
Maria did not think she had ever seen the man so animated. She frowned, confused as to what she might have done to merit such gratitude. Her own mood was ambivalent. Excitement at seeing Gilbert was tempered by Damien’s detonation into their conversation over dinner the previous evening. Namely, that Gilbert would not be coming to live at Winterleigh.
We shall see about that. I will not simply lie down and allow my boy to be without a home or anywhere that is not by my side.
“You are a godsend, Your Grace!” Doctor Drayford continued, his words pulling Maria from her thoughts.
“Doctor Drayford, whatever do you mean? You look distinctly overjoyed about something, and I cannot imagine what I might have done to merit such praise.”
Then, she remembered the offer of funding he had received and which he had promised not to allow the board to accept until she had been given the chance to address them. Her heart sank, for she suddenly suspected that the physician’s enthusiasm might be for the worst possible reason.
Oh no! Don’t tell me they have gone ahead and accepted my father’s offer!
“The funding?” she asked, mouth suddenly dry.
“Yes!” Doctor Drayford enthused.
Maria felt her stomach clench. “You promised to give me an opportunity to speak to the board, Doctor Drayford. You gave me your word!”
“And I fully intended to keep that word, but the identity of the donor meant that I did not think it relevant. I do not know why you didn’t tell me yourself.”
Ice settled into Maria’s veins.
“But I did tell you what my father had planned! He certainly means nothing but ill will to this institution. He is spiteful and seeks to harm me through those I care about,” Maria said, “and by accepting his offer, you have given him the power to do just that!”
Drayford frowned. “Your father? What does he have to do with it?”
Maria stared at him. It took her an embarrassingly long time to realize the significance of what the man was saying. “The offer did not come from my father?”
“No, it came from your husband. And it was significantly higher than the previous offer. The board accepted it unanimously. The orphanage will not need to be concerned over budget ever again. Thank you and thank you to your husband!”
It took all the strength of Maria’s will not to let her jaw drop at the revelation.. Damien had saved the orphanage and secured its future.
Damien?
“I did not know,” Maria said truthfully, “but I will pass on your gratitude, rest assured.”
“Is that a knight?” Gilbert said excitedly as he scampered through the hall.
“It is a knight’s armor, yes,” Maria said, smiling at his boundless enthusiasm. “Probably belonging to one of the duke’s ancestors from many years ago.”
Gilbert’s eyes were wide with awe. “The duke is a knight?”
“No, he is not, but his great-great-grandfather might have been,” Maria said.
Mrs. Whitby was already smiling when she emerged into the hall from the servant’s door.
