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If Cramer’s already haughtily raised nose could rise any further, then it now did so. No doubt in response to Gabriel doubting his abilities. “I am positive that is the name of your visitor, Your Grace. As I am equally sure to whom she asked to speak after I had informed her that Miss Chloe was not at home.”
Lily really was here.
Asking to see him.
What possible reason could she have for putting herself and her reputation in such a precarious position?
Single young ladies simply did not visit the homes of unmarried or widowed gentlemen. They did not visit the homes of married ones either, unless it was to call upon his wife or daughter, and Lily had already been told Chloe was not here.
He stood to move from behind his desk. “We will resume our work later.” He dismissed his secretary, only turning to address his butler again once the younger man had left the room. “You may show Lady Tremayne in now, Cramer.”
“She appears to be unaccompanied by her maid, Your Grace. Nor is there a carriage outside.” Cramer’s lips were tight with his disapproval. “I do believe she may possibly have walked here.”
Gabriel’s heart skipped several beats at the thought of being completely alone with Lily. “It is a nice enough day for a stroll,” he dismissed, knowing Truro House was situated only a short distance away in the street next to this one.
“Yes, Your Grace,” the butler answered noncommittally.
“Lady Tremayne is my coconspirator in choosing a suitable present for Chloe’s birthday next week.” He knew that Cramer, along with the rest of the household staff, was as devoted to Chloe’s happiness as he was. “Which is possibly why she preferred not to have the Truro carriage seen outside this house. WhyIwould also prefer you not, by word or deed, allow my daughter to learn of her friend’s visit to me.”
As Gabriel had hoped, the butler’s expression had softened at the mention of a present for Chloe. “Of course, Your Grace. I will show Lady Tremayne in now.”
Gabriel moved to stand in front of the window looking out into the street. As Cramer had already remarked, the Truro carriage was nowhere in sight.
Lily could hear the loud beat of her own heart as she stepped into the study, her gaze immediately drawn to Gabriel as he stood in front of the window. His back was to the room as he looked out at the street in front of the house. Where he had no doubt noted there was no carriage waiting for her when she left.
As soon as she was able, after listening to her father’s announcement of his inheritance earlier and her mother’s excited chatter as to what they would do with it, Lily had quietly closed her book and left the family parlor. She doubted either of her parents had noted or cared about her departure.
Once in the privacy of her bedchamber, she had paced up and down the room, not knowing what to do with the knowledge she had regarding there being no Great-Uncle Frederick in herfather’s lineage. She had even gone to her old nursery to confirm her suspicion by looking at the chart still pasted to the wall.
Her father did not have, had never had, a relative named Frederick.
She waited until after luncheon and then left the house to walk to St. Albans House.
Now that she was here, she wondered if perhaps she was wrong in thinking Gabriel Lord could have had anything to do with her father’s sudden windfall.
What reason could the duke have had for doing such a thing?
If he had.
There was no one else that Lily knew who had such a surfeit of funds as to be able to give twenty thousand pounds away to her undeserving parents.
“Why did you do it?” she now demanded to know.
“You may leave us, Cramer.” The duke’s gaze remained fixed on Lily as he dismissed his butler. He waited until the other man had closed the door behind him before speaking again. “Why did I do what?” Gabriel prompted lightly.
A lightness of tone which instantly caused Lily to question whether she could have been wrong regarding St. Albans’s possible involvement in her father’s inheritance.
But who else could be responsible?
There was no one else.
“Why did you…arrange for my father to inherit a small fortune?”
Gabriel stiffened. “What makes you think that I did?”
“Because I do not know anyone else with enough funds to do such a thing,” she accused.
“You—”