Page 88 of The Duke of Kisses
“Out with it, then,” West said sharply. “I don’t want you here any longer than it takes you to deliver whatever message you thought it important to deliver personally.”
“Where’s Fanny?” Snowden asked.
Ivy turned her head toward the butler in wordless question. The butler departed the hall, seemingly in search of Fanny.
David didn’t want the man here any more than West did. “You needn’t wait for Fanny. In fact, I insist you don’t. She doesn’t need to see you at all.”
Snowden’s gaze cut over David with disdain. “You’d like that, wouldn’t you?”
David clenched his teeth and spoke through them. “Exceedingly.”
Slipping his hand into his coat pocket, Snowden withdrew a yellowed piece of paper. “I found the letter from my uncle.” He unfolded the parchment and held it out to David. “Read it for yourself.”
David took the paper and scanned it quickly. George Snowden had been deeply in love with Aunt Catherine, and if his words were to be believed, she’d felt the same way about him. He said they’d eloped to Scotland, where he’d found work at a coaching inn. The tone of the letter was happy, but with a darker tone when Snowden said he couldn’t ever return, for fear of facing Catherine’s family. She was terrified they would force her to return to Huntwell and abandon the man she loved. It was both lovely and tragic since David knew how their love story had ended.
“Don’t you dare tell me Uncle George wrote lies,” Snowden growled.
“I won’t do that,” David said quietly, handing the paper to Ivy for her and West to read. “I’ve interviewed some of my retainers, and I’d already concluded that they likely ran off together.”
Snowden stared at David, appearing absolutely nonplussed. “You have?”
David took a deep breath. “The time has come for this feud, or whatever it is, to end. Our families will be united—in joy, I might add—whether you like it or not.”
Munro reappeared in the hall. “It seems Miss Snowden is not at home. Her maid says she went for a ride.”
West turned to the footman who’d let David in. “Please run to the stable and see if she’s returned. If not, find out where she’s gone and how long ago she left.”
The footman dashed off leaving them to smolder in uncomfortable silence. At length, Snowden cleared his throat. “I still want to know what happened to my uncle. Do any of your retainers know that?”
“They did not, and I dearly wish that wasn’t the case. Like you, I would like to understand what happened.” It didn’t sit well with David. While he couldn’t see his grandfather, father, or uncle doing anything untoward, he also now knew that love could drive someone to commit terrible acts.
The footman finally returned, a bit breathless as he rushed into the hall. He turned his attention to West. “She’s been gone nearly an hour, Your Grace. She did not take a groom.”
“She didn’t?” Ivy’s brow creased. “Perhaps Barker knows where she’s gone.” As she started toward the stairs, West stopped her.
“Ivy, let Munro go and fetch the maid.”
The butler took himself off once more, and it was only a few moments before he came back with Barker in tow. The second her gaze fell on David, her eyes widened and her jaw dropped. “What are you doing here, my lord?”
David’s heart stuttered, then began to pound. “Why shouldn’t I be?”
“Miss Snowden went to meet you. Did she not show up?” The maid’s face turned the color of ash.
David felt as though the world around him were falling down. He struggled to keep his wits about him as well as his composure. “Where did she go?”
“She said it was a hunting lodge on some property that borders the estate. I knew she was going alone. I’m so sorry, my lord.” She turned to Ivy and West. “Your Graces.” Her features crumpled.
“Why was she meeting me at the lodge?” David asked, his body humming with fear. He just knew something was dreadfully wrong.
“She received a note from you.”
David looked at West, whose grim face reflected his own sense of foreboding. “I sent no such note.”
“Let’s go.” West was already moving toward the door.
“Please hurry,” Ivy said. “Dammit, I wish I could go with you.”
“We’re coming,” Jacob said, following behind them.
David didn’t care who came or if they kept up. He ran to the stable as if his life depended on it.
And, truly, it did.
