Page 73 of A Duke's Unwanted Bride
“Your Grace!” Mrs. Patmore’s voice filled with desperation. “You need to listen to what I have to say. I am begging you.”
Cold anger filled Adele, and she was about to snap at the woman, to tell her to leave her alone when Warner put a hand on her arm. She looked at him, but he was not looking at her — instead he was staring at Mrs. Patmore.
“What exactly have you come here to say?” The coldness in Warner’s voice made the chilly evening air feel like a warm summer’s day. “Have you come to confess that it was you who went to the papers?”
“No. I would not do that. None of us would have — it would have disgraced His Lordship and his memory. And it would have put Martha — it has put her in all sorts of danger.” Mrs. Patmore’s lip trembled, and she shook her head. “I don’t know who said those lies about you, but I swear on my mother’s grave that it was not me nor any of the other servants.”
Adele looked into the woman’s eyes and let out a shaky breath.The servants loved Martha and Eric too dearly to do this.“I believe you.”
Mrs. Patmore’s shoulders sagged in relief. “Then you will listen to me?”
“Yes. But not here.” Adele gestured towards the house. “I think this is a conversation that is best had inside.”
Without waiting for an answer, Adele swept past Mrs. Patmore and walked into the house. Her head spun, and she leaned a hand against the wall to steady herself. Warner was not behind her. He was speaking to Mrs. Patmore and then to their servants.
He did not rest a hand on her back as he walked past her. He did not reach for her. He barely looked at her as he walked into the drawing room.
Dread stole over Adele’s heart.
Twenty-Six
“Why are you here?” Adele’s voice held an edge that Warner could not place.
It was not anger or at least, not only anger. He studied her face, looking for signs of her emotions as she surveyed the shaking woman in front of them.
The coldness and anger in Adele’s voice had caught him off guard, but he could understand it. After all, this may well have been the woman who betrayed her. Even though she claimed that she would not have done it, and even though Warner believed her, he doubted that Adele’s anger and hurt would just vanish.
He held himself away from his wife. His head felt thick and fuzzy, and the scent of roses filled his nostrils, making his thoughts come thick and slow. He needed his wits about him, and that was impossible when Adele was nearby.I should never have let myself get so distracted — what if it had not been amaid but some hired killer? There is still a murderer on the loose.
“I wanted to apologise for how we treated you. It was not right, and you did not deserve it.” Mrs. Patmore’s voice shook.
“No, I did not.” Adele stiffened and Warner clenched his fists to keep from moving towards her.
“I also wanted to give you this.” Mrs. Patmore drew out a small leather journal with the familiar seal of the Marquess of Kidlington on its cover.
Warner’s mouth was suddenly dry. “What is this?”
“His Lordship’s journal. He kept it in his bedside table, and when he passed, I took it.” Spots of colour appeared on Mrs. Patmore’s cheeks.
“Why?” Warner took a step towards her, the blood in his body turned to ice.How long has she had this?
“I wanted Martha to have it, so she would have some piece of him. But she told me she did not want it, that seeing his words was too painful. So, I kept it f-for the baby. It didn’t seem right that the child would never know its father.” Mrs. Patmore swallowed. “But then that story in the papers came out, and I knew it was lies! And then a man came round the house asking all sorts of questions about the Duchess and His Lordship.”
“And you did not give him this book because…” Adele’s voice sounded far away.
“He made my skin crawl.” Mrs. Patmore shivered. “I didn’t like the idea of a man like him reading private details of His Lordship’s life. But if someone wanted it, then maybe there was something important in it.”
“Have you read it?” Warner asked.
“Of course not!” Mrs. Patmore stiffened with affronted dignity.
Adele leaned towards her. “Why are you bringing this to us now?”
“In part to make amends for how I treated the Duchess. And partly because I know His Lordship trusted you; he always spoke most highly of you — I think he would want you to have this.” Mrs. Patmore looked at Warner as she said this and slid the journal towards him. “And I know you will do the right thing.”
The bottom of Warner’s stomach fell away, and he nodded to her, unable to find words.He always spoke most highly of you.What would his cousin think of him now?
“Thank you, Mrs. Patmore. You have given us rather a lot to think about.” Adele stood at the same time as her former housekeeper.
