Page 119 of A Bluestocking for the Wicked Duke

The front door closed behind them. William and Lord James turned to see who entered but someone left. They did not know who. William turned back to his friend.

“My father asked that I do not fight, I won’t fight. That’s the meaning,” he said.

Lord James said nothing. They both kept mute for a long while.

“Where is Joane?” William asked Lord James.

“I took her to one of the female rooms. She should have been done.”

William nodded. A female steward then came from the corridor into the sitting room. William asked her.

“The lady in that room, is she still there?” William asked.

“Do you mean the lady that came with you, Mr. William?”

“Yes, I do.”

“She just left, sir.”

William turned to stare at Lord James with surprise. The stewardess continued speaking.

“I thought she was coming back here but she passed through the door between rooms and left,” she said.

William was shocked. He stood up and ran outside the compound, her carriage had left. William turned back, Lord James stood immediately behind him.

“But why? Why would she leave?” William asked.

Lord James shook his head.

“She was the one we heard when the door closed,” Lord James said.

Something isn’t right.

William ran to the stable and mounted his horse. He rode it out of the stable and out of the compound. Lord James stared at him as he left. William rode fast, expecting to meet her coach on the way but he didn’t. When he got to her house at Buckingham, William walked to their door and pushed it open. He was faced with a young boy.

“Where is Miss Joane?” he asked the boy.

The boy said nothing, he only pointed to the door straight down the foyer. William nodded his head.

I know where she is.

William walked past the door the boy pointed. He walked past the corridors and into the open space behind the house. He looked forward; the door of the small shed was open.

Joane is inside.

He walked down the path and gently pushed the door of the shed to enter. Joane was lying on the bed, face down. He walked close to her and sat beside her.

“Why did you leave, Joane?” he asked her.

When Joane raised her head, tears streaked her cheeks. William was alarmed.

“What is wrong?” he asked. He drew close to her and held both her hands in his.

“William, why do you lie to me?” she asked him.

William wondered what she meant by that. He rubbed his hand on her cheek, flicking off the tears but Joane beat his hand away. She drew her hands out of his.

“I don’t understand you, Joane,” he said.